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EES 1004 (UNO)
Chapter 2 class notes
36
Science
Undergraduate 1
02/03/2011

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Term
fossils
Definition
___ are the remains or traces of prehistoric life. They can tell us much about the history of the Earth and life.
Term
450 BC; Herodotus
Definition
Around ___, the Greek philosopher, ___ noticed fossil seashells in outcrops of sedimentary rocks that were far from the sea, and high above sea level.
Term
He concluded that the area had once been beneath the sea and that seas had once covered the continents.
Definition
What did Herodotus conclude about the fossils of seashells that he found in the outcrops of sedimentary rocks that were far from the sea?
Term
they said that the seashells suggested the Biblical flood of Noah
Definition
What did some people say about the sea shell fossils that were not found by the sea?
Term
better understanding of the immensity of geologic time
Definition
As geologists acquired a ___, they were able to use relative dating to produce a more valid interpretation of fossils and sedimentary rocks
Term
relative dating
Definition
As geologists acquired a better understanding of the immensity of geologic time, they were able to use ___ to produce a more valid interpretation of fossils and sedimentary rocks.
Term
fossils
Definition
the ___ are the record of plants and animals which lived and died over an immense span of time
Term
They are the record of plants and animals which lived and died over an immense span of time
Definition
What is the importance of fossils?
Term
a Danish physician who was the first to suggest in print that rocks enclosing fossils had at one time been soft and he is also famous for Steno's Laws
Definition
What is Nicolaus Steno known for?
Term
Nicolaus Steno
Definition
Who was the first to suggest in print that rocks enclosing fossils had at one time been soft?
Term
Steno's Laws
Definition
___ provides a set of rules for organizing or ordering strata into relative ages.
Term
principle of superposition
Definition
Steno's law that says that the oldest rocks are on the bottom and the younger rocks are on the top
Term
principle of original horizontality
Definition
Steno's law that says that sediments are deposited in flat, horizontal layers.
Term
principle of original lateral continuity
Definition
Steno's law that states that sediments are deposited over a large area in a continuous sheet.
Term
principle of superposition, principle of original horizontality, and principle of original lateral continuity
Definition
What are Steno's three laws?
Term
the principle of cross-cutting relationships and the principle of inclusions
Definition
What is Sir Charles Lyell known for?
Term
Sir Charles Lyell
Definition
Who is the geologist who formulated the principle of cross-cutting relationships and the principle of inclusions?
Term
the principle of cross-cutting relationships
Definition
This principle states that where a fault cuts across a sequence of sedimentary rock, the fault is younger than the rocks it cuts.
Term
younger
Definition
where a fault cuts across a sequence of sedimentary rock, the fault is ___ than the rocks it cuts.
Term
The sedimentary rocks are older than the fault which cuts them, because they had to be there first, before they could be faulted
Definition
explain the reasoning behind the principle of cross-cutting relationships (faults)
Term
Principle of cross cutting relationships
Definition
The principle that states that where an igneous intrusion cuts across a sequence of sedimentary rock, the sedimentary rocks are older than the igneous rock which intrudes them
Term
older
Definition
Where an igneous intrusion cuts across a sequence of sedimentary rock, the sedimentary rocks are older than the igneous rock which intrudes them
Term
younger
Definition
The intrusion is ___ than the rocks it cuts
Term
James Hutton was a Scottish physician, farmer, and geologist who believed that: "past history of our globe must be explained by what can be seen to be happening now."
He is also known for the law of uniformitarianism
Definition
Who was James Hutton?
Term
present; past
Definition
James Hutton recognized that the "___ is the key to the ___"
Term
uniform natural laws
Definition
the law of uniformitarianism recognizes that ___ govern geological processes.
Term
catastrophism
Definition
this is the belief that some events which occurred in the past, and left a record in the rocks, are not occurring today, or have not occurred in the human lifespan
Term
some events which occurred in the past, and left a record in the rocks, are not occurring today, or have not occurred in the human lifespan
Definition
Explain the belief catastrophism.
Term
huge meteorite impacts, extensive volcanism, and snowball earth
Definition
What are some phenomena that are included in the belief of catastrophism that would not occur today or in a human lifespan?
Term
uniformitarianism
Definition
___ dominates the day-to day processes
Term
catastrophism
Definition
___ comes into play episodically with events such as asteroid impacts, or sudden, severe climatic changes that cause extinctions, and other unusual events
Term
He was a canal engineer who analyzed rocks exposed in mines, canals of England. Because of this he came up with the principle of fossil succession and can divide rock record based on fossils
Definition
What is William Smith known for?
Term
William Smith realized that rock units had distinct fossils and could use them to recognize rock units, and named them. We can now divide rock record based on fossils
Definition
Explain the principle of fossil succession
Term
principle of fossil succession
Definition
Which principle states that you can divide rock record based on fossils?
Term
principle of fossil succession
Definition
fossils occur in a consistent vertical order in sedimentary rocks all over the world.
Term
evolution
Definition
geologists interpret fossil succession to be the result of ___- the natural appearance and disappearance of species through time
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