A geologist discovered fossils of marine animals in a layer of sedimentary rock in the desert. Based on this discovery, what conclusion can the geologist draw?

Question

Chemistry

Reese Stanley

21 May, 05:55

A geologist discovered fossils of marine animals in a layer of sedimentary rock in the desert. Based on this discovery, what conclusion can the geologist draw?

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Answers (1)

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Juan Guerrero · Answer 1

- the area has been below water in the past

Explanation:

The continents have been moving constantly for the last 2 billion years or so, so the face of the Earth has constantly been changing. What we see in the present as a landscape has been much different in the past, as new landmasses have risen out of the sea, while some have eroded or got molten. This has lead to a situation to have places like deserts, having fossils of marine animals in their sedimentary rocks. This simply tells us that what is now desert, in the past had much lower elevation, and it was covered with sea waters, thus the marine life was thriving. Throughout he geological process, over time, this area got lifted up, so it became part of the landmass, and developed into a desert because of the weather conditions.