Catastrophism Obviously Influenced Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Thought by Implying

question 3

Essay

Catastrophism obviously influenced seventeenth and eighteenth century thought by implying that Earth only needed to be a few thousand years old in order to explain landscapes and geologic features. However, catastrophic and often sudden changes are at least a part of the rock record that geologists attempt to interpret. List three geologic catastrophes that would most likely affect landscapes or features on Earth and be recorded in rocks. How might these events be explained in the rock record using only uniformitarianism (or the implication of slow, gradual change)?

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Definitions:

Bilirubin

A yellow pigment that is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells, and its levels are measured to assess liver function.

Erythropoiesis

The process through which new red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.

Jaundice

A medical condition characterized by yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, caused by the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.

Eosinophil Count

A measure of the number of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, in the blood, often used to diagnose allergic reactions or parasitic infections.