Term
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Definition
| A statement that fits all of the data in question and is likely to account for observations in the future as well as the present |
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Term
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Definition
| A hypothesis that survives repeated challenges and is supported by accumulating favorable evidence |
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Term
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Definition
| A theory that has triumphed over every challenge and is proven in every circumstance to be true |
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Term
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Definition
| The actual age which is scientifically determined |
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Term
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Definition
| The time required for one-half of the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay |
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Term
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Definition
| Age figures that help to place geologic events in a useable framework without associating actual ages with them. |
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Term
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Definition
| The large-scale deformation of rocks in Earth's outer layers |
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Term
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Definition
| The rigid outer layer of the Earth (roughly 100 km thick) that includes the curst as well as the uppermost part of the mantle |
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Term
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Definition
| The easily deformed plastic layer of the upper mantle that the plates rest on |
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Term
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Definition
| Based on: that any given species produces more organisms that can survive to maturity, variations exist among offspring, that the organisms with the most favorable characteristics will flourish. |
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Term
| Principle of Superposition |
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Definition
| States that in any sequence of undisturbed strata, the oldest layer is at the bottom, and successively younger layers are successively higer. |
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Term
| Principle of Original Horizontality |
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Definition
| States that sediment is deposited in layers that are originally horizontal. |
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Term
| Principle of original Lateral Continuity |
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Definition
| States that a rock layer extends continuously in all directions until it thins out or encounters a barrier |
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Term
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Definition
| The study of layered rocks, including their texture, composition, arrangement, and correlation from place to place. |
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Term
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Definition
| The present is the key to the past. The principle that says that geologic processes are uniform throughout time. |
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Term
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Definition
| The principle that natural laws governing both past and present processes on Earth have been the same. |
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Term
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Definition
| An erosional surface separating the lower, sloping layers from the overlying horizontal beds indicating a time gap in the rock record. The name comes from that fact that the flat lying upper rocks did not "conform" to the tilted lower rocks. |
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Term
| Principle of fossil succession |
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Definition
| The Principle stipulates that the life forms of each age in Earth's long history are unique for a particular periods, that fossils permit geologists to recognize contemporaneous deposits worldwide, and that fossils can be used to assemble scattered fragments in the rock record into a chronologic sequence |
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Term
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Definition
| Cuvier's theory that the history of life was marked by frightful catastrophes involving flooding of the continents and crustal upheavals. |
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Term
| Principle of cross cutting relationships |
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Definition
| The principle that says that the feature that is cut is older than the feature that does the cutting. |
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Term
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Definition
| The principle stating that fragments within larger rock masses are older than the rock masses in which they are enclosed |
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Term
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Definition
| The science of determining the age of rocks |
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Term
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Definition
| The science of using radioactivity to accurately date the age of rocks |
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Term
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Definition
| Eons, Eras, Periods, and Epochs |
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Term
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Definition
| The Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic |
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Term
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Definition
| Eon starting with the Earth's origin 4.6 billion years ago and ending 2.5 billion years ago. |
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Term
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Definition
| The eon spanning the time interval in geologic history from 2500 MA to 542 MA. |
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Term
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Definition
| A classification used for convenience to to describe all of the Earth's history before the Cambrian period which started 542 MA |
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Term
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Definition
| Evident Life. The current eon spanning from 542 MA to the present. |
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Other name for geochronologic units |
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Definition
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Term
| Other name for Chronostratigraphic unit |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| All of the actual rock units of a given period |
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Term
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Definition
| Eon, Era, Period, Epoch, Age, Chron |
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Term
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Definition
| Eonothem, Erathem, System, Series, Stage, and Zone (or chronozone) |
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Term
| Eon equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
| Era equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
| Period equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
| Epoch equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
| Age equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
| Chron equivalent time-rock division |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| A sparsely fossiliferous sequence of rocks named by Adam Sedgwick for Cambria, the Latin name for Wales. |
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Term
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Definition
| Roderick Murchison named a fossil bearing rock system in southern Wales for early inhabitants called the Silures |
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Term
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Definition
| Named after the Orovices, an early Celtic tribe. Bridged the stratigraphic gap between the Cambrian and Silurian |
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Term
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Definition
| In 1839 Sedgwick and Murchison named the system for an outcrow near Devonshire, England. The system was based on differences between fossils in rocks between the Carboniferous System and the underlying Silurian |
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Term
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Definition
| The system was named in 1822 for strata that included coal beds in north-central England. The carboniferous system is broken into the Lower Carboniferous ad the Upper Carboniferous |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Named for Permia, and ancient Russian kingdom. This is the youngest period in the "ancient life" Paleozoic Era |
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Term
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Definition
| Named in 1834 by a German geologist for the the trifold division of rocks of this age in Germany. The triassic saw the rise of early mammals. |
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Term
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Definition
| System named by Humboldt for the the strata of the Jura Mountains between France and Switzerland. Reptiles prevailed in the Jurassic |
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Term
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Definition
| Proposed by a Belgian geologist from creta, Latin for chalk. Rock outcrops so named in France, Belgium, and Holland. Dinosaurs were plentiful during the period but extinct by the end of the Mesozoic Era |
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Term
| Divisions of the Cenozoic |
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Definition
(Recent Life)
Paleogene- older
Neogene- younger up to current |
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Term
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Definition
Ushered in the Age of Mammals.
Divided into;
Paleocene 65-55 MA
Eocene 55-34 MA
Oligiocene 34-23 MA |
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Term
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Definition
Broken in to Epochs;
Miocene 23-5 MA
Pliocene 5-1.8 MA
Pleistocene 1.8-0.01
Holocene 0.01-present |
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Term
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Definition
Triassic 251-200 MA
Jurassic 200-145 MA
Cretaceous 145-65 MA |
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Term
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Definition
Cambrian 542-488 MA
Ordovician 488-443 MA
Silurian 443-416 MA
Devonian 416-359 MA
Mississippian 359-318 MA
Pennsylvanian 318-299 MA
Permian 299-251 MA
(Both Mississippian and Pennsylvanian are Carboniferous)
Come Over Some Day
Maybe Play Poker |
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Term
| Biblical calculation of Earth's age |
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Definition
| Done by archbishop James Ussher. Earth was created on October 23, 4004 BCE according to his calculations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Charles Lyell attempted to use fossils to determine Earth's actual age. He used evolution of mollusks found as fossils and estimated that there had been 80 MA since the beginning of the Cenozoic |
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Term
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Definition
| Attempt to age the Earth by measuring sediment depth and known deposition rates. |
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Term
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Definition
| Attempt to age the Earth by Sir Edmund Halley. He used ocean salinity and said that all of the oceans started as fresh water. |
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Term
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Definition
| Lord Kelvin tried to age the Earth by claiming that all heat was primordial and steadily dissipating |
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Term
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Definition
| The Earth's head is affected by the heat released through radioactive decay in the Earth's core. Henri Bacquerel discovered radioactive decay. |
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Term
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Definition
| Smallest particle of matter that can exist as a chemical element |
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Term
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Definition
| Orbit the nucleus and have a single negative charge |
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Term
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Definition
| They carry a positive charge that is equal in strength to the negative charge carried by an electron |
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Term
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Definition
| The number of protons in an atom's nucleus |
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Term
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Definition
| Approximately equals the sum of the masses of an atoms protons and neutrons |
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Term
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Definition
| 2 or more varieties of the same element that have identical atomic numbers and chemical properties, but differ in mass numbers because they have a varying number of neutrons in the nucleus. |
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Term
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Definition
| Discovered by Henri Becquerel. Isotopes that are unbalanced, and therefore unstable. To achieve stability, they release particles or energy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Positively charged ions of the element helium. They have an atomic weight of 4 and an atomic number of 2. |
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Term
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Definition
| The name for the element that is slightly lighter after releasing/separating from the daughter element |
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Term
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Definition
| An electron that is released when a neutron spits into a proton and an electron |
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Term
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Definition
| Invisible extremely high frequency EM radiation |
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Term
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Definition
| The span of time needed for half of the original quantity of atoms in a sample to decay |
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Term
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Definition
| Small tunnels that are produced when high-energy particles from uranium nuclei were fired off during spontaneous fission |
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Term
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Definition
| The deformation or structural activity of a large area of Earth's lithosphere over a long period of time |
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Term
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Definition
| The stable interior of a continent, undisturbed by tectonic events since Precambrian time |
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Term
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Definition
| A large area of exposed ancient crystalline rocks |
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Term
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Definition
| They roughly surround the shield, they are regions where ancient shield rocks are covered by flat-lying or gently warped sedimentary layers |
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Term
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Definition
| Are elongated regions that border the craton and that have been deformed by compressional forces. |
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Term
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Definition
| The submerged edge of a coastline |
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Term
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Definition
| Flowing masses of muddy water which is denser than surrounding water because it is laden with suspended sediment |
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Term
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Definition
| The deposits of turbidity currents which often form submarine fans at the base of the continental slope |
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Term
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Definition
| The sand, silt, and clay found along the banks, bars, and floodplains of a stream |
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Term
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Definition
| The quantity of water passing through a stream at a particular moment |
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Term
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Definition
| The area of deposition from a rapidly discharging stream from a mountain onto a plain |
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Term
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Definition
| The deposits left from a lake usually silts and clays |
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Term
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Definition
| Glacially transported and deposited sediment |
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Term
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Definition
| Areas where wind is an important agent of sediment transport and deposition |
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Term
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Definition
| Accumulations of sediment that form where a stream flows into relatively quiet water |
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Term
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Definition
| Islands long and skinny made and constantly remade my oceanic activity |
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Term
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Definition
| Areas that lie behind barrier islands and are protected from strong ocean waves and currents |
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Term
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Definition
| Occur on the landward side of lagoons and are almost featureless, low-lying plains |
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Term
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Definition
| The seaward mouths of rivers drowned by the sea |
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Term
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Definition
| The individual particles or fragments derived from the breakdown of existing rock |
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Term
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Definition
| The bonding material, which consists of finer clastic particles (often clay) deposited at the same time as the larger grains, and which fill sthe spaces between them |
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Term
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Definition
| A bonding material made of a chemical precipitate that crystallizes in the voids between grains following deposition. The most common cements are silica (quartz, SiO2)and calcium carbonite |
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Term
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Definition
| The geologic term for the degree to which sediment and particles in sedimentary rocks are uniform by particle size |
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Term
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Definition
| Used to describe the shape of clasts in sedimentary rocks |
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Term
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Definition
| Indicate drying after deposition. These conditions are common on valley flats, along the muddy margins of lakes, and in tidal zones |
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Term
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Definition
| An arrangement of beds or laminations in which one set of layers is inclined relative to the others |
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Term
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Definition
| Results when flowing water sorts particles by size |
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Term
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Definition
| Develop in sand and are common along the surface of bedding planes. There are symmetric ripple marks formed by oscillation and asymmetric ripple marks form air or water currents |
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Term
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Definition
| Remnant a current that scoured across a bed of sand. A overlying layer of sediment may later fill these depressed markings forming a positive-relief cast of the in the covering bed |
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Term
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Definition
| It refers to the amount of transport reduce less-stable feldspars and ferromagnesian minerals to clay and iron compounds and cause rounding and sorting of the remaining quartz grains |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Sandstones that contain 25% or more feldspar. Quartz is the most abundant. |
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Term
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Definition
| Immature sandstones containing abundant dar, very fine grained material. There is little or no cement, and the sand sized grains are separated by finer matrix particles |
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Term
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Definition
| A sandstone that has a more transitional composition and texture. |
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Term
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Definition
| A distinctive rock unit that has recognizable contacts with other distinctive units above and below |
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Term
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Definition
| Bodies of rock having distinctive features without regard to time boundaries |
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Term
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Definition
| They are smaller units within formations |
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Term
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Definition
| A number of formations that are combined into a larger group |
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Term
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Definition
| The distinguishing characteristics based on lithologic features |
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Term
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Definition
| The distinguishing characteristics using fossil records and types of rock which reflect the environment |
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Term
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Definition
| A result of a transgression where the coarser sediments are covered by finer ones |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs due to a regression and the coarser sediment sits on top and gets progressively finer |
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Term
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Definition
| The relationship in which the vertical succession of facies corresponds to the lateral succession |
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Term
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Definition
| "A sea over a continent" An inland sea |
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Term
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Definition
| The study of stratified rocks, including the conditions under which they formed, their relationships, description, identification, and correlation over distance |
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Term
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Definition
| The equivalence of rock bodies in different localities. |
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Term
Lithostratigraphic
correlation |
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Definition
| The matching up of rock bodies by their lithology (composition, texture, color,...) |
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Term
Biostratigraphic
correlation |
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Definition
| Links rock units by similarity of their fossils |
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Term
Chronostratigraphic
correlation |
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Definition
| Links rock units by age equivalence, determined by fossils or radioactive dating methods |
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Term
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Definition
| Breaks in the stratigraphic continuity named because the rocks above and below the gap do not conform |
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Term
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Definition
| Non parallel strata are separated by an erosional surface. The underlying surface has been deformed |
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Term
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Definition
| Parallel strata are separated by an erosional surface. |
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Term
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Definition
| Stratified sedimentary rocks rest on older intrusive igneous or metamorphic rocks. |
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Term
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Definition
| The datum for a structural cross section is not a rock unit or fossil occurrence, but instead is a level line that is parallel to sea level |
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Term
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Definition
| Shows the ancient geography of an area at a specific time in the past |
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Term
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Definition
| Isopach maps show changes in the thickness of a formation or time-rock unit |
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Term
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Definition
| Show rock facies-laterla changes in sedimentary rocks |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| It occurs when water that contains dissolved silica, calcium carbonate, or iron circulates through the sediment that encloses a deceased organism |
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Term
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Definition
| The simultaneous exchange of the original substance of a dead plant or animal with mineral matter of a different composition |
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Term
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Definition
| It occurs when soft tissues are preserved as thin films of carbon |
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Term
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Definition
| Tracks, burrows, borings, and trails |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of animals or plants that appear to be related because of their general similarity |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of organisms that have structural, functional, and developmental similarities and that are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring |
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Term
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Definition
| The naming and grouping of organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| Highest taxonomic level in the classification of life. |
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Term
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Definition
| Archea, Bacteria, Eukarya |
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Term
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Definition
| A large group of related phyla |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of related classes |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of related families |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of related families |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of related genera |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of species that have close ancestral relationships |
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Term
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Definition
| Observable traits that arise from genetic processes |
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Term
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Definition
| Theory stating more organisms are born than survive to become reproduction adults, there is always variation among offspring, competition for food, shelter, living space, and sex partners among species having individual variations and surplus reproductive capacity consistently results in survival of the more fit and elimination of the less fit |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells with paired homologous chromosomes |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of cell division that produces new diploid cells with exact replicas of the chromosomal components of the parent cells |
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Term
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Definition
| The process that consists of two quickly succeeding divisions, resulting in four daughter cells termed haploid because they do not have paired chromosomes |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The process involving the initial chromosome division, while the chromosomes are still paired, they may break at corresponding places and exchange their severed segments. |
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Term
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Definition
| The origin of new species |
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Term
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Definition
| The branching of a population to produce descendants adapted to particular environments and living strategies |
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Term
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Definition
| The acquisition fo beneficial characteristics that are inheritable |
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Term
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Definition
| Evolution that is is punctuated by sudden advances |
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Term
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Definition
| Gradual progressive change |
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Term
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Definition
| The historical development of groups of organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| Basically similar structures in superficially dissimilar organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| Remains of body parts from earlier ancestral forms |
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Term
| Index fossils or guide fossils |
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Definition
| Plants or animals recorded as fossils that were abundant and widely distributed but lived for a short interval of geologic time |
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Term
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Definition
| The interval between first and last appearance |
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Term
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Definition
| A body of rock deposited during the time when particular fossil plants or animals existed |
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Term
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Definition
| Simply the rock body representing the total geologic life span of a distinct group of organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| A zone based on several species or genera that lived at the same time, and therefore occur together |
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Term
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Definition
| The overlapping ranges of two or more species or genera |
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Term
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Definition
| The study of relationships between organisms and their environments |
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Term
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Definition
| Any selected part of the physical environment, together with the animals and plants in it |
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Term
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Definition
| How ancient organisms interacted with one another and their environents |
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Term
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Definition
| Sea mass lieng above sea floor |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| A division of the pelagic realm that is above the continental shelf |
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Term
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Definition
| The narrow zone above high tide |
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Term
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Definition
| The area between high and low tide |
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Term
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Definition
| Some of the benthic animals that live atop the sediment that carpets the seafloor |
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Term
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Definition
| Animals that burrow into the soft sediment or bore into harder substrates for food and protection |
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Term
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Definition
| The process where burrowers churn and mix sediment |
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