Reading rock layers

Reading rock layers

By Nikkole Wowaka

Multiple Choice

Layers of rocks take _______________ years to form.

• ten

• million

• fifty

• hundred

Multiple Choice

Geologic processes that occur today are similar to those that occurred in the past.

• uniformitarianism

• catastrophism

• superposition

• correlation

Multiple Choice

Who proposed the Law of Uniformitarianism?

• Aristotle

• Nicolas Steno

• James Hutton

• James Chadwick

Multiple Choice

Idea that conditions and creatures on Earth change in quick, violent events.

• lateral

• index fossil

• uniformitarianism

• catastrophism

Multiple Choice

How does sedimentary rock usually form?

• Vertically
• Diagonally
• Folding
• Horizontally

Multiple Choice

Wrote "Principles of Geology". Geologic events that occurred in the past will continue to occur in the future.

• Malthus

• Hutton

• Lyell

• Lamarck

• Wallace

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

Relative age dating is used to determine the...

• actual age of an event
• length of time between two events
• age of one event in comparison with other events
• rate at which a gologic process occurs

Multiple Choice

Which field of science deals with the study of rock layers?

• Geology

• Petrology

• Paleontology

• Stratigraphy

Multiple Choice

The older layers are at the bottom and the younger layers are at the top.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What do scientists learn from studying rock layers?

• The date the plant/animal died

• The exact date the animal/plant died

• The relative date the animal/plant died

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the oldest?

• Layer F

• Layer C

• Layer A

Multiple Choice

What layer is the youngest?

• a
• l
• d
• z

Multiple Choice

The Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships states that an igneous intrusion is 

• always younger than the layers it cuts across
• always older than the layers it cuts across
• the same age as the rock it melted
• none of the answers are correct

Multiple Choice

The surface along which rock break and slide past each other is called a:

• fracture
• fault
• joint

Multiple Choice

Letter "F" is a....

• inclusion
• intrusion
• fault
• unconformity 

Multiple Choice

folding

• both ends of a fold in the Earth's crust are horizontal

• downward, trough-like folds in the Earth's crust

• upward-arching folds in the Earth's crust

• the bending of rock layers because of stress in the Earth's crust

Multiple Choice

The statement that the oldest layer will be at the bottom in an undisturbed sequence of rock layers is called the Principle of ....

• Inclusions
• Unconformities
• Cross-Cutting Relationships
• Superposition

Multiple Choice

The rock formation labeled "P" is a(n)...

• fault
• intrusion
• inclusion
• unconformity

Multiple Choice

Which describes this rock formation?

• fault

• intrusion

• unconformity

• extrusion

Multiple Choice

Once the magma cools what type of rock will it be?

• nonrenewable
• renewable
• igneous 
• sedimentary

Multiple Choice

Why do intrusions and extrusions of igneous rock not have any fossils in them?

• The high temperature of the magma destroyed any remains of organisms.

• The rock is too hard.

• The rock is too young.

• Why not?

Multiple Choice

Erosion and weathering are classified as destructive processes. How is deposition classified? 

• It is not classified
• a constructive process
• a destructive process

Multiple Choice

Surface where rock has eroded away, producing a break in the rock record

• correlation

• inclusion

• superposition

• unconformity

Multiple Choice

Letter "A" is an....

• inclusion
• intrusion
• fault
• unconformity 

Multiple Choice

Horizontal layers are tilted and uplifted. New sediment is deposited on top.

• Unconformities

• Cross-Cutting

• Angular Unconformities

• Inclusions

Multiple Choice

horizontal layers of old sedimentary rock erode, then get covered by new layers

• angular unconformity
• nonconformity
• original horizontality
• disconformity

Multiple Choice

sedimentary layer over unstratified rock

• angular unconformity
• disconformity
• nonconformity
• original horizontality

Multiple Choice

The diagram shows fossils in different rock layers. Which of these statements about the age of these fossils is most likely correct?

• Fossil A and C are the same age
  
• Fossil B is older than fossil C
• Fossils A is older than fossil B
• Fossil D is older than fossil C

Multiple Choice

Which of the following laws of stratigraphy gives emphasis on the assemblage of fossils embedded on rocks layers?

• Law of Conformities

• Law of Superposition

• Law of Faunal Succession

• Law of Original horizontality

Multiple Choice

Species that existed on Earth for a short length of time, were abundant, and inhabited many locations

• unconformity

• correlation

• index fossil

• fossil

Multiple Choice

Process of matching rocks and fossils from separate locations

• correlation

• inclusion

• relative age

• superposition

Multiple Choice

Which fossil makes the best index fossil?

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

Multiple Choice

What is the best reason that fossil #4 is NOT a good index fossil?

• It is not widespread

• it is not short-lived (in numerous layers)

• It is in half of the outcrops

Multiple Choice

One of the oldest organisms discovered is called a(n) _________.

• dinosaur
• micro-organism
• trilobite
• cast and mold fossil

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the oldest? 

• c
• a
• b
• d

Multiple Choice

Which of the following correctly lists the layers in order from oldest to youngest?

• A, B, C, D, E
• E, B, C, D, A
• E, D, C, B, A
• C, B, A, D, E