Geologic Changes

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What are catastrophic processes in geology?

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Catastrophic processes are sudden, large-scale events that cause significant changes to the Earth's surface, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides.

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What are uniformitarian processes in geology?

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Uniformitarian processes are gradual, ongoing changes that occur over long periods, such as erosion, sedimentation, and weathering, based on the principle that 'the present is the key to the past.'

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What is the difference between absolute age and relative age?

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Absolute age is the actual age of a rock or fossil in years, while relative age is the age of a rock or fossil in comparison to other rocks or fossils.

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What does the law of crosscutting state?

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The law of crosscutting states that a geological feature (like a fault or intrusion) is younger than any rock layer it cuts through.

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What is half-life in radioactive dating?

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Half-life is the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay into a stable form.

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If a rock has gone through two half-lives and the half-life is 100 years, how old is the rock?

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The rock is 200 years old.

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What is relative dating?

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Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another, without determining their exact age.

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What is absolute dating?

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Absolute dating is a method used to determine the exact age of a rock or fossil, often using techniques like radiometric dating.

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What is an example of a catastrophic event?

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An example of a catastrophic event is a volcanic eruption, which can drastically alter the landscape.

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What is an example of a uniformitarian process?

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An example of a uniformitarian process is erosion, which gradually wears away rocks and soil over time.