1) The document describes the different types of rock layers formed under water or by sediment deposition and their order from oldest to youngest. 2) Fossils are often found in the limestone, coal, and sandstone layers and discovering their location can help determine the age of the layers. 3) Uplifting, faulting, and erosion can disturb and mix up the original order of the rock strata, making it more difficult to determine the youngest layers.

1. Edible Geology -directions

2. Limestone First layer is limestone Formed when land was under water

3. Sandstone Formed by sand deposited by a river AGENT EROSION Fossils are often found here

4. COAL Formed when area was part of a large swamp Very important to fossil hunters Where you find coal, you are likely to find fossils nearby Dark coal beds are easy to spot

5. COAL

6. Sandstone - 2

7. Siltstone Made of grains that are smaller than sand, but larger than clay

8. Final Formation Which layer is the “oldest”? Where are the fossils? Will they ever be found? Rock layers can stretch, bend, and even break

9. Uplifting Pressures inside the earth form mountain ranges Can twist rock layers Slide a knife under the center of your gelatin square and lift. Bend…and break

10. Overthrust Rock layers (strata) can get mixed up another way Gently push in from opposite sides of the square so the center rises up. Mixed up strata makes it hard to determine where youngest strata is

11. Faulting Earth’s surface has big cracks called faults Sometimes land around a fault line is raised above another Don’t waste your jello…just look here:

12. Finally…Erosion Rocks are constantly being worn away by wind and rain, uncovering fossils Ahhhh!