A principle that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes.

The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock.

A fossilized structure, such as a footprint or a coprolite, that formed sedimentary rock by animal activity on or within soft sediment.

The weather conditions in an area over along period of time.

A long cylinder of ice obtained from drilling through ice caps or ice sheets; used to study past climates.

Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects.

A principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed.

A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long period of time.

An ordered arrangement of rock layers that is based on the relative ages of the rocks an din which the oldest rocks are at the bottom.

Any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years.

The process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element.

A time required for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to break down by radioactive decay to form a daughter isotope.

A method of determining the absolute age of an object by comparing the relative percentages of a radioactive parent isotope and a stable daughter isotope.

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Earth's History

Unit 7

Term	Definition
Uniformitarianism	A principle that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes.
Fossil	The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock.
Trace fossil	A fossilized structure, such as a footprint or a coprolite, that formed sedimentary rock by animal activity on or within soft sediment.
Climate	The weather conditions in an area over along period of time.
Ice core	A long cylinder of ice obtained from drilling through ice caps or ice sheets; used to study past climates.
Relative dating	Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects.
Superposition	A principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed.
Unconformity	A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long period of time.
Geologic column	An ordered arrangement of rock layers that is based on the relative ages of the rocks an din which the oldest rocks are at the bottom.
Absolute dating	Any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years.
Radioactive decay	The process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element.
Half-life	A time required for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to break down by radioactive decay to form a daughter isotope.
Radiometric dating	A method of determining the absolute age of an object by comparing the relative percentages of a radioactive parent isotope and a stable daughter isotope.

Created by: Marianna Henao

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