Relative dating

Front

What part of an organism is most likely to become a fossil?

Back

Bones are the most likely part of an organism to become a fossil due to their hard structure.

Front

What is the process that breaks rocks into sediment?

Back

Erosion is the process that breaks rocks into smaller pieces, creating sediment.

Front

What does the Law of Superposition state?

Back

The Law of Superposition states that in undisturbed rock layers, younger rocks lie above older rocks.

Front

What is an index fossil?

Back

An index fossil is a fossil that is used to define and identify a particular time period; it must have lived for a relatively short period of time.

Front

According to the Law of Superposition, where are the oldest fossils found?

Back

The oldest fossils are found near the bottom of the rock layers.

Front

What is relative dating?

Back

Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another.

Front

What is the significance of index fossils in relative dating?

Back

Index fossils help geologists correlate the age of rock layers across different locations.

Front

What is compaction in geology?

Back

Compaction is the process by which sediments are pressed together under pressure, reducing their volume.

Front

What is cementation in the context of sedimentary rocks?

Back

Cementation is the process where dissolved minerals crystallize and bind sediment particles together.

Front

What is an unconformity in geology?

Back

An unconformity is a gap in the geological record that represents a period of erosion or non-deposition.