Exam 11: Geologic Time

Radiometric data was the key to modern geology replacing catastrophism.

The principle of superposition which states that in undeformed rocks,the younger rocks will be on top of older rocks,is particularly important because ________.

The era of "ancient life" is the ________ era.

What process involves identifying and matching rocks of similar ages in different areas?

Who is credited with formulating the doctrine of uniformitarianism?

After three half-lives,one-ninth of an original radioactive parent isotope remains,and eight-ninths has decayed into the daughter isotope.

When a radioactive isotope decays by electron capture,the electron ________.

________ is an erosional contact between tilted,older strata below and horizontal,younger strata above.

An unconformity in which the strata on either side are essentially parallel is termed a(n)________.

In the mid-1600s,James Ussher determined that the earth was created in 4004 BC based on ________.

The decay of 40K has a half of 1.3 × 109 years.The age of the earth is estimated at 4.6 × 109 years.The decay of 40K is a major heat source for the earth's interior.Relative to today,how much more heat was produced by 40K in the early Archaeon era or 3.9 × 109 years ago?

What are the mass and charge of an alpha particle?

A worm would stand a poor chance of being fossilized because ________.

By applying the law of superposition,________ dates can be determined.

The phrase,"The present is the key to the past," refers to the doctrine of ________.

One of the primary goals of geology is to ________.

When a beta particle is emitted,the mass number of the isotope remains unchanged.

Which of the following describes radioactive decay by beta particle emission?

You pick up a sandstone.In the rock sample you see an impression of a sea shell in the rock.This type of fossil is a ________.

If you observe a nonconformity,you would infer that the region had experienced ________.