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100 questions
Absolute Dating
Method of measuring the age of an event or object using radioactive elements. Gives an exact date.
Method to determine if an event or object is older or younger by comparing the rock layers.
Principle that States that are above the rocks if the younger layers of oldest rocks have not been disturbed
Relative Dating
Method to determine if an event or object is older or younger by comparing the rock layers.
Method of measuring the age of an event or object using radioactive elements. Gives an exact date.
Principle that States that are above the rocks if the younger layers of oldest rocks have not been disturbed
Law of Superposition
Principle that States that are above the rocks if the younger layers of oldest rocks have not been disturbed
Method to determine if an event or object is older or younger by comparing the rock layers.
Method of measuring the age of an event or object using radioactive elements. Gives an exact date.
Half Life
The time required for half of a sample of a radioactive substance to undergo radioactive decay
Principle that States that are above the rocks if the younger layers of oldest rocks have not been disturbed
Method to determine if an event or object is older or younger by comparing the rock layers.
Fossil
The remains or evidence of a physical body preserved by geological processes.
A fossil who only lived short time but was widely distributed. Ex. Trilobites
The time required for half of a sample of a radioactive substance to undergo radioactive decay
Method to determine if an event or object is older or younger by comparing the rock layers.
Index Fossil
A fossil who only lived short time but was widely distributed. Ex. Trilobites
The remains or evidence of a physical body preserved by geological processes.
middle life (245-144 million years ago); rise of mammals and dinosaurs; the rise of birds; extinction of dinosaurs, rise of flowering plants
In what type of rock would a geologist MOST likely find evidence of ancient life?
sedimentary
igneous
metamorphic
Which method would be BEST for scientists to use to determine the absolute age of a Precambrian igneous rock?
index fossils
law of superposition
radiometric dating
relative dating
Which method can BEST be used by the students to determine the relative age of rock layers?
radiometric dating
rock type evaluation
the law of superposition
principle of uniformitarianism
Why do scientists use relative dating although it doesn't give you an exact age?
radiometric and absolute dating only work on organic (things that have lived)
law of superposition does give you an exact number
radiometric dating is only done on intrusions (magma) because magma is very radioactive (dangerous)
Which is a process that allows scientists to compare rock layers with others in a sequence to determine their age?
radiometric dating
absolute dating
relative dating
What can be used to find the exact age of a rock specimen?
ice cores
index fossils
radioactive dating
What role do faults play in the Law of Superposition?
Faults create new types of rock.
Faults are younger than the layers they cut through.
Faults are the same age as the layers they cut through.
Which is the best example of an index fossil?
corals found in rock layers worldwide
dinosaur bones found only in Australia
footprints of different types of dinosaurs
casts of bird feathers found in all layers of rock in an area
What is the geologic time scale?
a method to determine how old or young a fossil is
a time frame of earth's history
tells scientists the order of rock layers
What is an intrusion?
molten magma that goes through rock layers, is older than what it cuts through
molten magma that goes through rock layers, is younger than what it cuts through
lava that sits on the surface of the earth and has cooled down
What is another term for the word "fault"
intrustion
earthquake
magma
fossil
Which best represents the purpose of ice core drilling?
to study changes in gravity
to study changes in climate
to determine the relative age of fossils
What role do faults play in the Law of Superposition?
Faults create new types of rock.
Faults are younger than the layers they cut through.
Faults are the same age as the layers they cut through.
How are sedimentary rocks formed?
by hardening and cementing of layers of sediment
by fossils getting buried in various layers of sediment
by cooling and hardening of hot molten rock from inside the Earth
Where is evidence most often found to represent a record of Earth’s history?
air, lava, and fossils
water, air, and rocks
lava, water, and ice cores
rocks, fossils, and ice cores
Which is used to find the relative age of a rock?
composition of rock layers
position of rock layers
carbon-14 dating
uranium dating
Which provides the best evidence of Earth’s changing climate?
ice cores
volcanic ash
metamorphic rocks
sediment in river beds
An irregularly shaped rock formation is found within a group of parallel rock layers. What most likely created this formation?
thrust fault
lava intrusion
metamorphic rock
sediment deposition
Which is used in radioactive dating?
carbon-14
index fossils
hydrochloric acid
law of superposition
Where would evidence of earthquakes most often be found throughout Earth’s history?
in dry riverbeds
along fault lines
along the ocean shore line
in desert sand dune formations
Which type of rock forms from the cooling of lava?
igneous
limestone
sandstone
metamorphic
Which best describes a fossil that helps determine the relative age of a rock layer?
trace fossil
index fossil
radioactive fossil
unconformity fossil
Which is the most likely reason scientists would want to analyze the air trapped in an ice core?
to study how much oxygen was in the ice
to learn how the atmosphere changed over time
to determine how many gas bubbles were present in the air
to study how many animals lived on Earth when the ice was formed
Scientists studying rock layers classify the top layer as the most recent, followed by older layers that are uncovered as they dig deeper. Which law explains this method of relative dating?
law of geologic continuity
law of universal position
law of lateral continuity
law of superposition
formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
igneous rock
metamorphic rock
The Rock
minerals
type of rock which has been changed by extreme heat and pressure
metamorphic rock
mold fossil
volcano
igneous rock
the action or process of forcing a body of igneous rock between or through existing formations, without reaching the surface
intrusion
obstruction
relative age
rock layer
states that younger rock is found above older rock when comparing undisturbed sedimentary rock layers
law of superposition
trace fossil
matter can't be created or destroyed
atoms
Ice core
A long cylinder of ice obtained from drilling through ice caps used to study past climates and atmospheres
broken ice chips that are best used to cool grape soda
atoms that don't move and remain electrons when exposed to nuclear physical changes
a lot of reading. Did you read this one too? Good, cause the answer is all about climates and atmosphere
Which is a process that allows scientists to compare different rock layers in a sequence to determine their age?
radiometric dating
absolute dating
relative dating
speed dating
Scientists found two ammonite fossils in rock layers far across the ocean floor from each other. Ammonite fossils are a type of index fossil. Knowing this, which of the following could scientists infer about the rock layers containing the fossils?
The rock layers are about the same relative age.
Both rock layers formed because of volcanic activity.
The rock layers experienced the same kinds of erosion.
The same climate existed where both rock layers formed.
Why are index fossils used as guides to determine the age of rocks?
Each index fossil lived during a specific geologic time period.
Index fossils are found in igneous rocks.
Index fossils are very rare and are not commonly found in rocks.
All index fossils lived during all the periods of geologic time.
What is the primary reason a scientist would study an ice core sample?
to study changes in gravity
to study sedimentary rocks
to determine the relative age of fossils
to study changes in climate
A Variation that makes an organism more suited to its surroundings
adaptation
variation
evolution
embryology
According to the continental drift hypothesis, the presence of similar fossils in South America and Africa supports which scientific idea?
Animals easily and frequently travel from Africa to South America.
Species of animals probably traveled between continents on natural rafts (such as trees destroyed in tsunamis).
Land bridges once existed that connected the continents.
South America and Africa were once connected together.
What was the name of the supercontinent?
Panorama
Pangea
Panamerican
Wegener
What is the theory that continents were all once together and have drifted apart?
american movement
continental plates
continental drift
memorial drift
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