The document defines various fossil and geological terms and has students match the definitions to the terms. It includes definitions for relative dating, superposition, geologic column, unconformity, absolute age, relative age, fossil, trace fossil, mold, cast, sedimentary rock, and index fossil. Students are tasked with writing the term in the blank that corresponds to each definition.

1. FOSSIL DEFINITIONS Name____________________ Date ______
Directions: Match the definition with its correct meaning by writing the word in the blank by the
number.
1. ______________________: a principle that states that Relative dating
younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layer have not been
disturbed
2. ______________________: a break in the geological Superposition
record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is
not deposited for a long period of time
3. ______________________: an arrangement of rock layers Geologic Column
in which the oldest rocks are at the bottom
4. ______________________: determined by years since Unconformity
rock formed (measuring the age of an event or object in years)
5. ______________________: determined by the position of Absolute Age
the rock layer to the layers around it (determining an event or
object is older or younger than other events or objects)
6. ______________________: a break in the geologic record Relative Age
created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not
deposited for a long period of time
FOSSIL DEFINITIONS Name____________________ Date ______
Directions: Match the definition with its correct meaning by writing the word in the blank by the
number.
1. ______________________: a principle that states that Relative dating
younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layer have not been
disturbed
2. ______________________: a break in the geological Superposition
record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is
not deposited for a long period of time
3. ______________________: an arrangement of rock layers Geologic Column
in which the oldest rocks are at the bottom
4. ______________________: determined by years since Unconformity
rock formed (measuring the age of an event or object in years)
5. ______________________: determined by the position of Absolute Age
the rock layer to the layers around it (determining an event or
object is older or younger than other events or objects)
6. ______________________: a break in the geologic record Relative Age
created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not
deposited for a long period of time

2. 7. ______________________: a fossilized mark that is Fossil
formed in soft sediment by the movement of an animal
8. ______________________: the remains or physical Trace Fossil
evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes
9. ______________________: a mark or cavity made in a Mold
sedimentary surface by a shell or other body
10. ______________________: a type of fossil that forms Cast
when sediments fill in the cavity left by a decomposed organism
11. ______________________: a fossil that is found in the Sedimentary Rock
rock layers of only one geological age that is used to establish
the age of the rock layers
12. ______________________: the type of rock in which Index Fossil
most fossils are found
7. ______________________: a fossilized mark that is Fossil
formed in soft sediment by the movement of an animal
8. ______________________: the remains or physical Trace Fossil
evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes
9. ______________________: a mark or cavity made in a Mold
sedimentary surface by a shell or other body
10. ______________________: a type of fossil that forms Cast
when sediments fill in the cavity left by a decomposed organism
11. ______________________: a fossil that is found in the Sedimentary Rock
rock layers of only one geological age that is used to establish
the age of the rock layers
12. ______________________: the type of rock in which Index Fossil
most fossils are found