Why Were Geologists Able to Switch from Determining Relative Age

question 31

Multiple Choice

Why were geologists able to switch from determining relative age of geologic events to determining the numerical age?

• A) New fossils were discovered.
• B) Radioactivity was discovered.
• C) New geologic units were discovered.
• D) Numerical age dating became more widely accepted.

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Definitions:

Paradox of Choice

The phenomenon that having too many options can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and difficulty in making a decision.

Representativeness Heuristic

A cognitive shortcut that involves judging the probability of an event based on how similar it is to the typical case.

Base Rates

The fundamental frequency at which an event occurs in a given population; essential for making accurate predictions or judgments.

Fluid Intelligence

The capacity to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge.