16 Questions
From which languages is the term 'stratigraphy' derived?
Latin and Greek
What is stratigraphy?
Branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification)
What is a stratum?
A layer of rock characterized by particular lithologic properties and attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers
What is historical geology also known as?
Stratigraphy
What questions can be answered by studying stratigraphy?
- When the rocks were formed. 2) Where else are such rocks found.
What is the Law of Original Horizontality?
Sedimentary strata are horizontal, or nearly so, when deposited.
Why is the evidence available for studying stratigraphy limited?
Due to weathering, erosion, burial, and metamorphism, a lot of evidence is destroyed or hidden.
What is the Principle of Superposition?
In any section of undisturbed sedimentary strata, the oldest stratum is at the base and the youngest is at the top.
What is the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationship?
A rock body (or feature) that cuts across another rock body (or feature) is the younger of the two.
What is the Principle of Inclusion?
A rock body that contains inclusions of pre-existing rocks is younger than the rocks from which the inclusions were derived.
What is the Law of Floral and Faunal Succession?
Each formation in a sequence contains a distinct group of fossils which is not repeated in rocks above and below it, and the diversity and complexity of living organisms increases in younger rocks.
How can we recognize rock sequences that have been overturned?
They are generally easy to recognize by their sedimentary structures, such as cross-bedding, ripple marks, graded bedding, and mud cracks.
What are the assumptions made when applying the Principle of Superposition?
Rocks (layers) were essentially horizontal when they were deposited, and the rocks have not been so severely deformed that the beds are overturned.
What happens to rock bodies or features in the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationship?
The rock body or feature that cuts across another is the younger of the two.
What does the Principle of Inclusion tell us about the age of rock bodies?
A rock body containing inclusions of pre-existing rocks is younger than the rocks from which the inclusions were derived.
How do fossils contribute to the Law of Floral and Faunal Succession?
Each formation in a sequence contains a distinct group of fossils which is not repeated in rocks above and below it, and the diversity and complexity of living organisms increases in younger rocks.
Learn about the branch of geology that deals with the study of rock layers and layering, primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks. Understand the organization of rock bodies forming the Earth’s crust into distinctive, mappable units based on their inherent properties.
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