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- 1. Multiple Choice
The earliest part of Earth’s history is called the
Cenozoic
Cambrian
Holocene
Precambrian
- 2. Multiple Choice
Radioactive dating is used to find
the locations of index fossils
the identities of index fossils
the absolute ages of rocks and fossils
the relative ages of rocks and fossils
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which division of the geologic time scale is the longest?
eon
period
era
epoch
- 4. Multiple Choice
Which of these groups of animals appeared on Earth most recently?
reptiles
amphibians
mammals
fish
- 5. Multiple Choice
All of the following conditions help preserve organisms as fossils EXCEPT __________.
quick burial by sediments
protection from scavengers
hard parts
activities of microorganisms
- 6. Multiple Choice
Determining the order of events and the relative age of rocks by examining the position of rocks in a sequence is called __________.
absolute dating
relative dating
radiometric dating
carbon dating
- 7. Multiple Choice
Geologic time is divided best into units based on ________.
geologic changes
fossils and rocks
types of life-forms living during certain periods
types of trilobites
- 8. Multiple Choice
With ________ dating, a rock’s exact age can be determined, whereas with ________ dating, a rock’s age is compared to the ages of other rocks.
absolute, relative
relative, absolute
true, absolute
relative, approximate
- 9. Multiple Choice
Trilobites can be used to study the passage of geologic time because __________.
they burrow into sediments
they lived in the oceans
they lived throughout the Paleozoic Era
their physical features changed through time
- 10. Multiple Choice
The type of Earth material most likely to contain fossils is ____________.
igneous rock
metamorphic rock
sedimentary rock
native material
- 11. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is least likely to become fossilized?
bones
teeth
skin
shells
- 12. Multiple Choice
Trilobite that lived for a short period of time and was abundant is an example of a(n) _________.
index fossil
trace fossil
permineralized remain
original remain
- 13. Multiple Choice
The half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730 years. How much parent material would be left after 5730 years?
100%
75%
50%
25%
- 14. Multiple Choice
A layer of marine fossils is discovered in a desert environment. Which hypothesis best explains the discovery?
The area was once covered by water.
Volcanic activity once occurred in the area.
A catastrophic event once occurred in the area.
Erosion turned most of the limestone in the area into sand.
- 15. Multiple Choice
Shark and coral fossils are found in the rock record of certain land areas. What does the presence of these fossils indicate about those areas?
They have undergone glacial deposition.
They were once covered by thick vegetation.
They have undergone intense metamorphism.
They were once covered by shallow seas.
- 16. Multiple Choice
Fossils and rocks that are similar are found in Asia and Africa. This provides evidence of what?
Fossil Record
Law of Superposition
Continental Drift
Radioactive Dating
- 17. Multiple Choice
To learn how Earth’s atmosphere has changed over time scientists study air bubbles in which of the following?
ice cores
pollen
rocks containing uranium
fossils in sedimentary rock
- 18. Multiple Choice
A scientist wants to find the absolute, or actual age of a rock. Which of these is the scientist most likely to use?
radioactive dating
the law of superposition
the geologic time scale
ice cores
- 19. Multiple Choice
Which of the following list the divisions of the geologic time scale from the longest to shortest?
epoch, eon, era, period
period, epoch, eon, era
eon, era, period, epoch
era, eon, period, epoch
- 20. Multiple Choice
Ice cores are best described as being important to the study of geologic history because:
They follow the Law of Superposition, which gives reasons for extinction of species.
They hold index fossils, which are used to date the different ice cores.
They show unconformities, which signal changes in deposition.
They contain evidence showing changes in the atmospheric composition over time.
- 21. Multiple Choice
What do earthquakes tell scientists about the history of the planet?
Earth’s climate is constantly changing.
The continents of Earth are continually moving.
Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago.
The oceans are much deeper today than millions years ago.
- 22. Multiple Choice
The shaded areas of this diagram represent where fossils of a land-dwelling animal were found on the continents of South America and Africa. What does this evidence suggest?
The animals swam from one continent to the other.
The two continents were once connected by a land bridge.
The animals developed on the two continents at the same time.
The two continents were once joined as part of a larger continent.
- 23. Multiple Choice
A scientist finds the bones of a dinosaur. What could help the scientist determine the approximate age of the dinosaur bones?
the birds living in the area of the bones
the weather conditions in the area of the bones
the kinds of trees living in the area of the bones
the index fossils in the area of the bones
- 24. Multiple Choice
A scientist wants to find the relative age of a rock. Which of these is the scientist most likely to used?
radioactive dating
the law of superposition
the geologic time scale
ice cores
- 25. Multiple Choice
How do ice layers show the history of Earth’s climate?
The thickness of each ice layer can show temperature changes on Earth.
Concentration of gases and elements in the ice can show temperature changes on Earth.
The presence of certain gases in the mud can show climate change at certain times on Earth.
The presence of soot and other particles in the ice can show that climate changed at certain times on Earth.
- 26. Multiple Choice
Which best explains how geologic time scale can help scientists study the evolution of life on Earth?
They describe the existence of rocks before there was life on Earth.
They show that geological features have evolved at the same rate as organisms.
They compare the life histories of species that have used rocks as habitats.
They correlate the existence of life on Earth with geological events.
- 27. Multiple Choice
Which statement best describes the Law of Superposition?
Each sedimentary layer of rock represents 1,000 years of Earth’s age, much like the rings of a tree.
In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the upper rock layers are older than the lower rock layers.
In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the lowest layers contain the older rocks.
Rocks that form near volcanoes are older than surrounding rock.
- 28. Multiple Choice
This diagram shows a cross section of land that has not been overturned and includes a fossil. What can be concluded about the age of the fossil?
It is younger than the shale.
It is older than the shale.
It is older than the sandstone.
It is younger than the sandstone.
- 29. Multiple Choice
Scientists find dinosaur fossils in the bottom rock layers of a cliff and mammal fossils in the middle rock layer of the cliff. Which could best be concluded from this evidence?
Dinosaurs ate plants.
Dinosaurs were eaten by the mammals.
Dinosaurs lived on Earth before the mammals.
Dinosaurs and mammals lived at the same time.
- 30. Multiple Choice
The principle of ________ states that in an undisturbed layer of rocks, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and they get progressively younger as the layers move upwards.
unconformity
fault
superposition
relative age
- 31. Multiple Choice
The diagram below shows layers of sedimentary rock. Assuming that this rock formation is undisturbed, what is the relative age of layer C?
It is the youngest rock layer.
It is the oldest rock layer.
It is older than B and younger than D.
It is younger than B and older than D.
- 32. Multiple Choice
In which situation will older rock layers lie above younger rock layer?
Erosion has exposed older rocks, and new layers have been deposited.
Rock layers have been overturned by folding.
Sedimentary rock layers have remained undisturbed after deposition.
Igneous intrusions have cut through layers of sedimentary rock.
- 33. Multiple Choice
Unless the rock layers have been overturned or shifted, the top rock layer
has the greatest amount of nutrients
has the softest rocks
has fossils
is the youngest
- 34. Multiple Choice
How do scientist know when a mass extinction took place?
They find more fossils of plants.
They find fossils of animals that died suddenly.
They find a sudden disappearance of many fossil species.
They find evidence of changes in Earth’s atmosphere.
- 35. Multiple Choice
Which is the correct order of the rock layers from oldest to the youngest.
A, B, C, D, E
E, D, A, B, C
C, B, A, D, E
E, D, C, B, A
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