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Semester Plan. Geologic Time Meteorology Astronomy Oceanography. How do scientists know the age of the rocks? How has life changed over time?. Chapter 10 Clues to Earth’s Past. EQ: How do scientists know the age of the rocks? . Fossils .
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Semester Plan • Geologic Time • Meteorology • Astronomy • Oceanography
How do scientists know the age of the rocks? How has life changed over time?
Chapter 10 Clues to Earth’s Past EQ: How do scientists know the age of the rocks?
Fossils • Fossils= preserved remains or evidence of ancient living things • Uniformitarianism is a basis of understanding Earth’s past
Scaphognathuscrassirostris • Pterosaur – flying reptile • Germany during the Late Jurassic. It had a wingspan of about one meter. The German scientist, August Goldfuss, discovered these bones in 1826.
D3.7 Difficulty in defining the past • Fossils only form when buried under sediment (preferably, moist) before decomposition occurs • difficult for remains of animals living in arid/semi-arid habitats to fossilize • Only hard parts of individuals fossilize (bones) • animal bodies are usually eaten by detritivores, decomposed by bacteria, or broken down chemically • Individual phenotype? • Of remains fossilized, most remain buried in sediment/remain unfound
To do • Read pages 329 – 333 • Take notes on ‘Formation of Fossils’ and ‘Types of preservation.’
10.2 Relative age dating EQ: How dos scientists know the age of rocks? TODAY: 1. Blog: How can YOU become a fossil?
D3.7 Difficulty in defining the past • Fossils only form when buried under sediment (preferably, moist) before decomposition occurs • difficult for remains of animals living in arid/semi-arid habitats to fossilize • Only hard parts of individuals fossilize (bones) • animal bodies are usually eaten by detritivores, decomposed by bacteria, or broken down chemically • Individual phenotype? • Of remains fossilized, most remain buried in sediment/remain unfound
Relative age • Age of rocks and geologic features compared with other rocks and features nearby
10.3 Absolute age dating EQ: How do scientists determine the age of rocks? Today: 1. Have your relative age dating packet ready. Coming around to check
Relative vs. Absolute Age Dating Relative Absolute Determine absolute date of the rock • Determines ages of rocks in order that they were formed but without exact dates
Radiometric dating • Isotopes= atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
Carbon-14 dating • Radioactive decay: Some isotopes are unstable, emit radiation and decay into “daughter” isotope • Carbon-14 is unstable isotope and decays into nitrogen-14 • Over time: • The amount of “parent” isotope, carbon-14, decreases • The amount of “daughter” isotope, nitrogen-14, increases • The ratio of the two indicates the age of the rock • Half life: time required for half of parent isotope to decay into daughter isotopes • E.g. Half life of carbon 14 is approx. 5730 years