Fossils and geologic time

Fossils and geologic time

by Nikkole Wowaka

Multiple Choice

Remains, imprints or traces of once-living organisms

• water
• superposition
• fossils 

Multiple Choice

In what type of rock would you typically find fossils?

• igneous
• metamorphic
• sedimentary
• rocky

Multiple Choice

According to the law of superposition, the oldest fossils are found 

• At the top of the rock layers
• Near the bottom of the rock layers
• In the middle of the rock layers
• Somewhat near the surface

Multiple Choice

Remains of organisms don't change once fossilized

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Which item below would INCREASE the chances of making a fossil?

• Soft body parts
• Buried Right Away
• Left Exposed
• Lots of Scavenger Activity

Multiple Choice

Fossils of species that existed for  short periods and were widespread 

• trace fossils 
• index fossils 
• original remains 

Multiple Choice

The best index fossils have which two traits?

• widespread geographically, long lifespan
• widespread geographically, short lifespan
• specific place, long lifespan
• specific place, short lifespan

Multiple Choice

Which fossil makes the best index fossil?

• Fossil 1
• Fossil 2
• Fossil 3
• None follow all of the rules

Multiple Select

Which conditions might lead to fossil formation? (Choose 3)

• Decomposition

• Getting buried quickly by sediment

• getting trapped in a tar pit

• getting eaten by another animal

• making a footprint in mud

Multiple Choice

Fossils can provide evidence of how life has changed over time, how Earth's surface has changed, and clues about what past environments were like.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Remains of animals can be preserved by preventing them from decaying. What substances might help preserve parts or a whole animal

• tar, amber, ice
• ice, carbonization, trace
• rock, amber, ice
• tar, carbonization, rock

Multiple Choice

What type of fossil is pictured? 

• cast
• petrified fossil
• preserved remains
• trace fossil

Multiple Choice

Generally, only hard parts become fossils.
These hard parts include........................

• fingernails
• bones, shells, teeth, seeds & woody stems
• soft tissue
• skin

Multiple Choice

The most common type of fossil?

• preserved remains
• molds & casts
• trace fossils
• carbon films

Multiple Choice

A bone is

• organic

• inorganic

Multiple Choice

Would asphalt preserve soft parts of an organisms remains?

• yes

• no

Multiple Choice

Involves the filling of pores in a porous substance such as a bone with minerals from a solution.

• Mummification

• Petrification

• Permineralization

• Freezing

Multiple Choice

The oldest fossils are found

• At the top of the rock layers

• Near the bottom of the rock layers

• In the middle of the rock layers

• Somewhat near the surface

Multiple Choice

Which of the following methods of fossil formation is formed in dry areas to lack of moisture.

• amber fossil

• mummification

• freezing

• carbonization

Multiple Choice

What type of fossil is represented in the picture?

• Mold
• Cast
• Preserved Part

Multiple Choice

Cavity in a rock made when an organism decayed

• cast
• mold 
• original remains

Multiple Choice

Produced when sediments fill in a cavity made when an object decayed 

• cast
• mold
• original remains

Multiple Choice

This type of fossil is formed by pressure driving off the organism's liquids and gases.

• Mineralization

• carbonization

• trace fossils

• Original material

Multiple Choice

What type of scientist studies fossils?

• physicists

• paleontologist

• chemist

• biologist

Multiple Choice

What does the word fossil mean in Latin.

• underground

• obtained by digging

• death

• to get in between

Multiple Choice

Scientific law that states in horizontal sedimentary rock, the oldest layers are at the bottom

• Law of Intrusions

• Law of Original Horizontality

• Law of Cross Cutting Relationships

• Law of Superposition

Multiple Choice

Scientific study of rock layers

• Archeology

• Stratigraphy

• Paleontology

• Geology

Multiple Choice

The millions of fossils that scientists have collected are called

• The Geologic Time Scale
• The Origin of Species
• The Fossil Record
• A really neat fossil collection

Multiple Choice

According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?

• A
• B
• C

Multiple Choice

If scientists found this fossil, what could they infer?

• what fish are like today

• that this fish lacked oxygen

• that water once covered the area where this fossil was found

Multiple Choice

The age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks is the rock's

• absolute age
• geologic age
• sedimentary age
• relative age

Multiple Choice

Which layer is OLDER? Layer M or Intrusion P?

• Layer M

• Intrusion P

Multiple Choice

Which layer is OLDER? Layer E or Fault H?

• Layer E

• Fault H

Multiple Choice

The number of years that have passed since the rock formed is the rock's

• relative age
• law of superposition
• absolute age
• index fossil

Multiple Choice

Which is the most accurate form of absolute dating?

• radiometric dating
• erosion rate
• deposition rate
• index fossils

Multiple Choice

The time it takes for half of a radioactive isotopes to decay into stable isotopes is called the

• isotope decay
• radiometric dating
• half life
• absolute age

Multiple Choice

Fossil #1 is found 700ft under ground and fossil #2 is found 300ft under ground, which is newer?

• Fossil #1

• Fossil #2

• Neither fossil is newer

• Both Fossils are the same age

Multiple Choice

Which of the following would be an example of absolute age?

• Fossil A is older than Fossil B

• Fossil A and Fossil B are the same age

• Fossil A is 10 million years old

Multiple Choice

Organisms D and C clearly lived in an aquatic (water) environment. Organism A does not look like it lived in the water. What is the most likely explanation for this?

• The fossil in layer A died on land and was carried to the water

• The fossils in layer C and D did not live in the same location as the fossil in layer A

• The environment changed over a long period of time. It used to be under water, but is not anymore

Multiple Choice

The oldest fossils are from

• 65 million years ago

• 3.8 billion years ago

• 700 million years ago

• 65 billion years ago

Multiple Choice

What is the largest/major unit of geologic time?

• Epoch

• Period

• Era

Multiple Choice

Paleo means

• ancient

• middle

• recent

• old

• animal life

Multiple Choice

Put the following units of geological time in order from largest to smallest unit of time.

• Eon, Epoch, Era, Period

• Epoch, Period, Era, Eon

• Eon, Era, Period, Epoch

• Eon, Period, Epoch, Era

Multiple Choice

When does geological time start?

• When the dinosaurs lived

• When the Earth began

• When the first humans lived

• When the first bacteria were living on Earth

Multiple Choice

During which geologic time or era did humans first appear?

• Cenozoic
• Mesozoic
• Paleozoic
• Precambrian

Multiple Choice

Cavemen lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.

• TRUE
• FALSE