MS-ESS1-4 : A Fascinating Fossil

techniques allow us to predict a numerical age or range for past events relatively accurately.

Technique that relies heavily on looking at the radioactive elements in rocks and the decay that took over time.

forms when magma cools down and solidifies and is useful for radiometric dating.

is the process by which remains or traces of past life give rise to fossils.

is a linear representation of the most important events that occurred over a period of time in Earth’s history.

is a crack or break in the rocks of the Earth’s crust which results in the displacement of the rocks on the opposite sides of the fracture.

are fossils that are widespread geographically and can be used as time indicators to match rock layers of the same age. Often, they lived over a large area for a short period of time.

The action of geologic processes, such as faults, folds, magma intrusions, or erosion, that move rock layers into different positions.

infers that rock layers are ordered on the vertical axis by age; younger rock layers are above ↑ and older rock layers are below ↓.

Technique that allows us to order events by looking at the oldest vs youngest rock layers.

are horizontal ↔ rock layers originating from the accumulation or compaction of sediments that give rise to sedimentary rocks.

forms by compaction of rock fragments or remains of living organisms. Useful for relative dating techniques.