A scientist identifies a variety of fossils in a layer of sedimentary rock. By applying the principle of fossil succession, the scientist can identify _____.

Question

A.
the forces within Earth’s crust that acted on the rock layer

B.
the modern relatives of the organisms

C.
the composition of the sedimentary rocks

D.
the age of the rock layer

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

D. the age of the rock layer.

The principle of fossil succession states that different fossil species appear and disappear in a definite chronological order, which allows scientists to use fossils to determine the relative ages of rock layers.