Geological Timescale

Multiple Choice

The Law of Superposition states

• younger rocks laers are on top of older rock layers

• fossils are found in sedimentary rocks

• older rock layers are on top of younger rock layers

• absolute age dating

© Kesler Science, LLC

Geologic Time Scales

Fossils

•Preserved remains or
traces of animals,
plants, and other
organisms from the
remote past

•Fossil Record – History
of life as documented by
all fossils, preserved in
sedimentary rock strata

•Provides a snapshot of
past events in Earth’s
geological history

What is a fossil record?

Type your answer here

Multiple Choice

Which is the youngest rock layer?

• siltstone

• conglomerate

• mudstone

• limestone

Multiple Choice

Which Rock Layer is the oldest?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

Which Rock Layer is the youngest?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

What does relative age tell us about a rock layer or fossil?

• The age of one rock layer or fossil compared to another.

• The relative age of a fossil determined by radiometric dating

• Younger rock layers sit on top of older rock layers

• Older rock layers sit on top of younger rock layers

Multiple Choice

Preserved remains of plants and animals from the remote past are called?

• sedimentary rocks

• radioactive dating

• decayed organisms

• fossils

Multiple Choice

What are fossils that are abundant, easily recognizable, short lived, and widespread called?

• preserved fossils

• index fossils

• imprints

• radioactive dating

Multiple Choice

Which fossil would make the best index fossil?

• beetle

• flower

• frog

• fish

Multiple Choice

What does absolute age tell us about a rock layer or fossil?

• The 'exact' age of a fossil determined by radiometric dating

• The relative age of a fossil determined by radiometric dating

• Younger rock layers sit on top of older rock layers

• Older rock layers sit on top of younger rock layers

Multiple Choice

The geologic time scale is a record of....

• the history of fossils only

• the history of rocks

• the history of rock layers and fossils

• geologist notes

Multiple Choice

What is the largest unit of time on the geologic time scale

• era

• eon

• epoch

• period

Multiple Choice

Paleontologists infer that the earth is approximately how many years old?

• 4.5 million years

• 450 billion years

• 4.5 billion years

• 450 million years

Multiple Choice

Jellyfish are one of the oldest species on Earth. In what time period did they first appear?

• Precambrian

• Paleozoic

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

Multiple Choice

In which time period are we currently living?

• Precambrian Time

• Paleozoic Era

• Mesozoic Era

• Cenozoic Era

Multiple Choice

In what time period did Pangaea, the super continent, appear?

• Precambrian

• Paleozioic

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

Multiple Choice

Dinosaurs, small mammals, and birds are found in this time period.

• Precambrian

• Paleozioic

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

Multiple Choice

Which era was the longest, taking up 88% of geologic time?

• Precambrian

• Paleozoic

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

Multiple Choice

The end of an era, and the end of life for groups of organisms, is called?

• death

• mass extinction

• transition

• turning point

Multiple Choice

The end of the Mesozoic Era was most likely caused by?

• a meteor

• too much oxygen

• lowering sea levels

• an ice age