Paleontology

Commonly referred to as tree sap, amber is anything but sap. Amber forms from resin and contains succinic acid, or succinite. Sap is the fluid substance which flows in the heartwood of the tree and provides nutrients to the tree itself. Resin flows beneath the bark and protects the tree when it's wounded by boring insects or loses a branch due to storm damage. Resin flows like syrup and has a distinct piney, sweet smell

Scratching a mineral with a nail is a test of hardness. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest), with talc being the softest and diamond being the hardest. If a mineral can be scratched by a nail (with a hardness of around 2.5), it would be classified as having a hardness lower than 2.5 on the Mohs scale.

A good chemical test to determine the primary mineral in limestone is the acid reaction test. Limestone primarily consists of the mineral calcite, which reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. This effervescence confirms the presence of calcite as the primary mineral in limestone.

Plant life first appeared on Earth around 450 million years ago during the Ordovician period. These early plants were mostly similar to mosses and liverworts, and they played a crucial role in shaping the development of ecosystems on our planet.

The temperature of a glacier varies depending on factors like altitude, season, and climate. The surface temperature of a glacier can range from below freezing to slightly above freezing, while the temperature deep within the glacier can remain below freezing even during the summer.

The end of an era, or the beginning of an era, is any time marked by a distinctive character. The Roman era. The use of steam power marked the beginning of an era. The Middle Ages is also referred to as the Medieval era. The Neolithic era, 3000 to 1800 bc

A halogenated hydrocarbon is a compound that contains halogen atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine) covalently bonded to carbon atoms. These compounds are used in various industrial applications, but some are also considered environmental pollutants due to their toxicity and potential for bioaccumulation. Examples include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

A year is the amount of time that the earth takes to do one complete orbit of the sun.

The earth is locked in to an orbit which is dependant on its speed of motion, its mass and its distance from the sun.

During the Cenozoic era, which began around 66 million years ago, dinosaurs went extinct at the end of the previous Mesozoic era. Therefore, the existence of dinosaurs is something that did not occur during the Cenozoic era.

After abrasion, such as being tumbled in a stream, the shape of rocks becomes smoother and more rounded. Continued abrasion can wear down sharp edges and angles, creating more rounded and polished surfaces on the rocks.

Fossils provide valuable information about the history of life on Earth, including how organisms evolved and diversified over time. They also offer insights into past environments, climate conditions, and interactions between species. By studying fossils, biologists can better understand the origins and relationships of different species, as well as make predictions about future evolutionary trends.

Igneous rock is formed by the cooling of magma - liquid or molten rock. Fossils won't be found in there for obvious reasons. We don't even bother to look for fossils in something like, say, basalt, which is an igneous rock. A link is provided to the Wikipedia article on igneous rock.

Evergreen trees can survive in many climates, but do best when they receive a steady supply of water, year-round. Western Washington typically gets rain every month of the year -- in fact, Olympic National Park in northwest Washington is a true rain forest -- so evergreens thrive.

(More weather detail: Since 1949, the Seattle-Tacoma area has averaged more than 1 inch of rainfall in every month except July (which still averaged more than three-quarters of an inch). Source: Western Regional Climate Center -- see related link.)

During the Mesozoic extinction, some of the animals that went extinct included non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles like ichthyosaurs and mosasaurs, and various marine invertebrates. This extinction event was primarily caused by a combination of volcanic activity, climate change, and possibly asteroid impact, leading to the demise of many species that could not adapt to the changing environment.

Alfred Wegener did not have access to evidence such as the mechanism of plate tectonics, detailed mapping of mid-ocean ridges, and advanced technology like GPS and satellite imagery that provide support for the movement of continents. Additionally, he lacked a comprehensive understanding of the Earth's deep interior structure and the driving forces behind continental drift.

The Proterozoic era ended with the Cambrian Explosion, which took place around 541 million years ago. This event marked a rapid diversification of multicellular life forms, leading to the development of many complex organisms that laid the foundation for modern marine ecosystems.

The sun is typically located at its highest point in the sky at midday, which is around noon. Its position will vary based on your location and time of year, but it will generally be towards the southern part of the sky in the northern hemisphere and towards the northern part of the sky in the southern hemisphere.

The original oxygen level in water can vary depending on factors such as temperature, pressure, and presence of organisms. Typically, at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure, water can hold about 8-10 mg/L of dissolved oxygen.

The Mesozoic era is often referred to as the "Age of Reptiles" due to the dominance of reptiles, including dinosaurs, during this time period.

Yes, they are as sharp as pencils, and if you got prickled, you will feel pain.

Ancient volcanic ash deposits are important to geologists because they provide valuable information about past volcanic activity, including eruption timing, source location, and composition. By studying these deposits, geologists can reconstruct volcanic histories, understand volcanic hazards, and determine past environmental conditions. Additionally, volcanic ash can act as a time marker in geological layers, aiding in dating and correlating rock formations.

A+ answer is leaching

The Paleozoic Era was characterized by the evolution and diversification of early life forms, including the rise of fish, insects, reptiles, and ferns. Land masses were consolidated into a supercontinent called Pangaea, leading to significant climate changes. The era ended with a mass extinction event that wiped out approximately 90% of marine species.

Mt. St. Helens does not have eruptions on a yearly basis. It is an active volcano, so the frequency and size of eruptions can vary. Since its catastrophic eruption in 1980, there have been smaller eruptions in subsequent years, but there is no fixed average number of eruptions per year.