0
Paleontology
Paleontology is the study of prehistoric life and an organism's interaction with other organisms and the environment. It is a science that attempts to explain causes, rather than to conduct experiments to observe effects, and is often based on fossil evidence. Questions here have to do with anything that pertains to paleontology.
3,044 Questions
Index fossils include graptolites?
Graptolites are excellent index fossils because they have a short-lived existence in the geologic time scale and are widespread. They are useful for dating rocks and correlating layers in different locations, assisting in determining the age of rocks and reconstructing past environments.
Yes, roses are woody perennial flowering plants in the genus Rosa. They have woody stems and can grow into shrubs, climbers, or groundcover plants.
What function within a plant cell does chloropasts have?
Chloroplasts in plant cells are responsible for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. The chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that captures light energy to drive the photosynthetic process.
How many pounds of CO2 does a tree take up every year?
A single machure tree will take up 48lbs of Co2 every year, and pump out enough oxygen to satisfy 2 adult humans for that same year.
Where are the pores of plants found?
The pores of plants, called stomata, are typically found on the surfaces of leaves and stems. They regulate gas exchange by allowing carbon dioxide to enter for photosynthesis while releasing oxygen and water vapor. Stomata are essential for the plant's growth and survival.
Can quartz scratch other rocks and minerals?
Yes, quartz is considered a hard mineral ranking 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it able to scratch most other minerals. However, there are harder minerals such as diamond and corundum that can scratch quartz.
Is thickness a characteristic of minerals?
Although minerals may have habits which include varying dimensions of height versus width, thickness is not a term normally associated with mineral characteristics. The usual characteristics used in mineral identification are luster, hardness, crystal system, streak color, specific gravity, and other properties which may depend on laboratory testing.
The difference between quartzite and quartz is that in quartzite the grains have been?
The difference between quartzite and quartz is that quartzite is a metamorphic rock formed from sandstone under heat and pressure, while quartz is a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen. In quartzite, the grains of sandstone have been recrystallized into a interlocking mosaic of quartz crystals, giving it a more durable and non-porous nature compared to quartz.
What happens to precipitation that falls on the land?
Precipitation that falls on the land can infiltrate into the ground to recharge groundwater, run off into streams and rivers, evaporate back into the atmosphere, or be taken up by plants for transpiration. This water eventually cycles back into the atmosphere through evaporation or transpiration, contributing to the water cycle.
You can sell fossils at online marketplaces, fossil shows or auctions, specialty fossil shops, or through private collectors or museums. Always ensure you are aware of any legal regulations surrounding selling fossils in your area.
How do trace fossils differ from index fossils?
Trace fossils are any evidences that an organism existed, including footprints, trails, burrows, chemical marker, and fossilized dung.
Index fossils are those that are only found in a specific range of geologic time, and are used to quickly determine the age of a sedimentary rock sample.
Was there oxygen in the Paleozoic Cambrian period?
Yes, there was oxygen present during the Paleozoic Cambrian period, but at much lower levels compared to today. Oxygen levels were still increasing during this time due to the evolution of photosynthetic organisms, like algae and early plants.
The climate of the Cenozoic era was generally cooler and more variable compared to the relatively warm and stable climate of the Mesozoic era. The Cenozoic era experienced significant fluctuations in temperature, including periods of glaciation, whereas the Mesozoic era was characterized by a more uniform greenhouse climate.
Is the earth primarily composed by nickel?
YES - The Earth contains about 80% Iron and Nickel. These two elements make an amazing variety of products, including a battery (first invented by a Swedish chemist) that was improved upon by Thomas Edison.
What does a slab of crust that is forced down form?
This would depend on the type of boundary: ocean-ocean, continent-continent, or ocean-continent. For ocean-ocean crusts, the slab of crust "forced down" is being subducted. Besides bringing water inside the rock and lowering its melting temperature, this could produce an ocean trench. For continent-continent convergence, the "subducted" plate does not go very far. Because of the buoyancy of continental crust and its lightweight nature (as compared to oceanic crust, which is very dense), the plates tend to buckle and create tall mountain ranges. For continent-oceanic convergence, such as the Western cost of South America, oceanic crust is forced down and is subducted underneath continental crust. This creates mountain ranges as well, and also forms the mechanism from which igneous intrusions can make their way to the surface of the crust.
How did the Mesozoic Era take place?
The Mesozoic Era, known as the "Age of Reptiles," occurred from approximately 252 to 66 million years ago. It is characterized by the dominance of dinosaurs, the emergence of birds and flowering plants, and the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. The era ended with a mass extinction event, likely caused by a combination of factors including an asteroid impact.
Is magnetite extrusive or intrusive?
Extrusive and intrusive are terms that apply to a type or formative method of igneous rock. Magnetite is not igneous, nor is it a rock. Magnetite is a mineral, formed by the processes of crystallization.
What does most precipitation fall into?
i think in the rain forest...that's what my science book says
Most precipitation falls into the ocean.
What kind of scientists worked with geologists to develop the geologic time scale?
Paleontologists, stratigraphers, and geochronologists worked with geologists to develop the geologic time scale. Paleontologists study fossilized remains of ancient life forms, stratigraphers study rock layers and their relationships, and geochronologists use various dating techniques to determine the age of rocks and events in Earth's history.
What does the earth look like without the water?
Without water, Earth would appear as a dry and barren planet, with vast deserts covering much of the surface. The absence of water would lead to a lack of vegetation and life, giving the planet a more uniform and lifeless appearance. Land features like mountains, valleys, and plains would still be visible, but the vibrant blue oceans would be gone.
The super-continent formed at the end of the Paleozoic era?
That was Pangea (from the Greek for Entire Earth). It was surrounded by Panthallasa (Greek for Entire Sea).
What are facts about the Silurian period?
The Silurian period, approximately 443 to 419 million years ago, was characterized by the first appearance of land plants, jawed fish, and insects. It also saw the widespread diversification of marine life, including the rise of coral reefs. The Earth's climate during this time was relatively stable and warm, with sea levels high and making much of the planet ocean-covered.
What would prevent an organism from becoming part of the fossil record when it dies?
Organisms that are quickly decomposed by bacteria, fungi, or scavengers before they are buried can prevent them from becoming part of the fossil record. Additionally, if an organism is not buried in sediment quickly enough, the chances of it being fossilized are reduced. Lastly, factors such as being in an environment with high oxygen levels or being exposed to acidic conditions can also hinder the fossilization process.
How do fossils show change over time?
Fossils show change over time through transition. The term "transitional fossil" is used at least two different ways, often leading to muddled and stalemated arguments. For reference purposes, this article will refer to these these two meanings the "general lineage" and the "species-to-species transition". ;
; "Species-to-species transition" :
: This is a set of numerous individual fossils that show a change between one species and another. It's a very fine-grained sequence documenting the actual speciation event, usually covering less than a million years. These species-to-species transitions are unmistakable when they are found. Throughout successive strata you see the population averages of teeth, feet, vertebrae, etc., changing from what is typical of the first species to what is typical of the next species. Sometimes, these sequences occur only in a limited geographic area (the place where the speciation actually occurred), with analysis from any other area showing an apparently "sudden" change. Other times, though, the transition can be seen over a very wide geological area. Many "species-to-species transitions" are known, mostly for marine invertebrates and recent mammals (both those groups tend to have good fossil records), though they are not as abundant as the general lineages (see below for why this is so).
;
; Transitions to New Higher Taxa :
: Both types of transitions often result in a new "higher taxon" (a new genus, family, order, etc.) from a species belonging to a different, older taxon. There is nothing magical about this. The first members of the new group are not bizarre, chimeric animals; they are simply a new, slightly different species, barely different from the parent species. Eventually they give rise to a more different species, which in turn gives rise to a still more different species, and so on, until the descendants are radically different from the original parent stock. For example, the Order Perissodactyla (horses, etc.) and the Order Cetacea (whales) can both be traced back to early Eocene animals that looked only marginally different from each other, and didn't look at alllike horses or whales. (They looked rather like small, dumb foxes with raccoon-like feet and simple teeth.) But over the following tens of millions of years, the descendants of those animals became more and more different, and now we call them two different orders. There are now several known cases of species-to-species transitions that resulted in the first members of new higher taxa.
Gabbro typically does not have holes because it is a dense, crystalline igneous rock formed from the slow cooling of magma deep within the Earth's crust. However, it may contain small mineral veins or fractures that can create spaces within the rock.
