Units of Measurement Conversion between metric and English units. 1 meter (m) = 39.4 inches = 1.09 yards; 1 yard = 0.92 m 1 centimeter (cm) = 0.39 inches; 1 inch = 2.54 cm 1 millimeter (mm) = 0.039 inch = 39/1,000 inch; 1 inch = 25.4 mm 1 micrometer or micron (um) = 0.000039 inch = 39/1,000,000 inch; 1/1000 inch = 25.4 um
The most important characteristics to consider when identifying Index Fossils: ABUNDANCE: To best allow paleontologists to correlate rocks with other rocks found at locations far apart, it's important that the index fossil be very widely distributed across a vast geographical region.
Click on an underlined word for more information on that subject. If the dinosaur or paleontology term you are looking for is not in the dictionary, please e-mail us. Index fossils are commonly found, widely distributed fossils that are limited in time span. They help in dating other fossils found in the same sedimentary layer. For example, if you find a fossil from an unknown era near a fossil from a known time, you can assume that the two species were from about the same time.