Evidence of Evolution – Chapter 13 Terms
Terms:
• Paleontology – The first observed evidence for evolution was in the fossil record. (fig. 12.1)
New organisms were being discovered in the fossil record
Close to all of these organisms have been extinct
Geological timescale
Has had many different hypotheses, all proven wrong until radioactive dating was discovered
Earth is 4.6 billion years old (fig. 12.2)
• Geologic Timescale – Has had many different hypotheses, all proven wrong until radioactive
dating was discovered
Earth is 4.6 billion years old
• Geological Eras – Time periods which are marked by mass extinction events.
• Fossils – Fossils form by many different methods, but all are rare processes
o Compression – involves sediment below and on top of a dead organism resulting in
remains being left behind.
o Imprints – leaves an outline or imprint of the organism
o Petrification – results from the hard body portions of the organism being replaced by
minerals in the soil
• Relative Dating – It is based upon the principle of superposition
