Final answer:
The initial puncturing with the straw in the jello model represents geologists drilling into layers of sediment to collect sediment core samples.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial puncturing with the straw in the jello model represents geologists drilling into layers of sediment. When you push the straw down through the layers of Play-Doh, you create a representation of sediment core samples that geologists collect. When you pull the straw out, you can observe all the layers of 'sediment' that were recovered, just like geologists examine sediment cores from drilling.