Question

A sediment core is removed from the floor of an inland sea. The sea has been in existence, off and on, throughout the entire time that terrestrial life has existed. Researchers wish to locate and study the terrestrial organisms fossilized in this core. The core is illustrated as a vertical column, with the top of the column representing the most recent strata and the bottom representing the time when land was first colonized by life.In order to assign absolute dates to fossils in this sediment core, it would be most helpful ifA. volcanic ash layers were regularly interspersed between the sedimentary strata.B. the sediments had not been affected by underwater currents during their deposition.C. metamorphic rock strata alternated with sedimentary rock strata.D. we knew the order in which the fossils occurred in the core.E. fossils throughout the column had equal ratios of a parental radioisotope to its daughter isotope.

Answer 1

Answer:

A. volcanic ash layers were regularly interspersed between the sedimentary strata.

Explanation:

• In order to assign the absolute dates to the fossil records of the sedimentary core that have been deposited n the inland areas of the seafloor bottoms.

• The geologist studies the ash layers and sedimentary gaps that are found between them and as to find out the irregulars and the regularities that existed in the rocks at that time.