Law of Superposition

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What is the Law of Superposition?

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The Law of Superposition states that in any undisturbed sequence of rocks, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

How can fossils help determine the age of rock layers?

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Fossils found in rock layers can indicate the relative age of the layers, as certain organisms existed during specific time periods.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

What does it mean if a rock layer contains fossils of recently evolved organisms?

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It indicates that the rock layer is younger compared to layers containing older fossils.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is an intrusion in geology?

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An intrusion is a body of igneous rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies beneath the Earth's surface.

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What is the significance of faulting in rock layers?

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Faulting can disrupt the order of rock layers, indicating that the fault occurred after the layers were formed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the difference between folding and faulting?

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Folding involves the bending of rock layers due to tectonic forces, while faulting involves breaking and displacement of rock layers.

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What type of fossil is a trilobite?

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A trilobite is an extinct marine arthropod that lived during the Paleozoic era and is often used as an index fossil.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

What is an index fossil?

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An index fossil is a fossil that is used to define and identify a particular time period in the geological time scale.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

How do geologists determine the relative ages of rock layers?

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Geologists use principles such as the Law of Superposition, fossil correlation, and radiometric dating to determine relative ages.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the principle of original horizontality?

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The principle of original horizontality states that layers of sediment are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.