| Term | Definition |
|---|
| permineralization | when minerals fill in pore spaces of an organism's tissues. minerals can also replace the original tissues of an organism |
| petrifaction | the process of turning some plant material into stone by infiltration with water carrying mineral particles without changing the original shape |
| mineral replacement | when parts of thing are replaced with minerals and harden (shark teeth) |
| cast | A type of fossil that forms when a mold becomes filled in with minerals that then harden. |
| mold | A type of fossil formed when a shell orother hard part of an organism dissolves, leaving an empty space in the shape of the part. |
| imprint | a type of fossil formed when an impression made in mud by a living thing is preserved when the mud is transformed into rock |
| actual remains | remains that are the original material |
| mummification | (pathology) gangrene that develops in the presence of arterial obstruction and is characterized by dryness of the dead tissue and a dark brown color |
| relative dating | is used to determine which fossil is older but not an actual age. |
| law of superposition | The geologic principle that states that in horizontal layers of sedimentary rock, each layer is older than the layer above it and younger than the layer below it. |
| original horizontality | The deposition of most water-laid sediment in horizontal or near-horizontal layers that are essentially parallel to the Earth's surface. |
| cross cutting relationships | Faults and intrusive bodies are younger than the rocks they cut across or intrude. |
| unconformities | a break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long period of time. |
| absolute dating | determines actual age. fossil's near by rock contains radioactive elements that break down (decay) into different elements over time. half life of these elements means the time it takes for half of the atoms to decay they compare how much of the radioactive element is in the sample and the amount of the new element, then calculate the age. |
| radiometric dating | the process of measuring the absolute age of geologic material by measuring the concentrations of radioactive isotopes and their decay products |
| half-life | Period of time which splits dating in half by measuring carbon 14 levels |
| carbon dating | a chemical analysis used to determine the age of organic materials based on their content of the radioisotope carbon-14 |
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