Evidence of the Past

In what way does the transform boundary differ from the other three boundary types?

At a transform boundary, the plates move in a direction that is parallel to the boundary line.

Which type of plate boundary would be most likely to lead to above-ground volcanic activity?

Convergent

In which boundary type do plates move away from each other?

Divergent

Why is it difficult to find fossilized plants and animals in the same place?

Plants and animals require different conditions to become fossilized

An example of a rapid change in conditions on Earth is

a meteor striking Earth.

any method of measuring the age of an object or event in years, such as using the atomic half-life

absolute dating

Which is an example of Earth's conditions slowly changing?

continents moving

What are blocks of time in the geological time scale called?

eras

What are traces of living things that are preserved in rock called?

fossils

Your neighbor reads a newspaper article about fossils of tropical plants being found in a very cold, southern area of the world. "How can that be?" he asks you. You tell him that

he continents may once have been in very different places than they are now.

What type of fossils would be least likely to be found in Antarctica?

hominids

the theory that explains how large pieces of the Earth's crust move and change shapes

plate tectonics

any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than others

relative dating