MS-ESS1-4

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

_{Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?}

• F
• E
• B
• A

gaps in rock layers caused by erosion are called

• law of superposition
• unconformities
• uniformitarianism
• relative dating

Which type of dating method can be used on rock layers by applying the Law of Superposition?

• relative dating
• absolute dating
• radioactive dating
• radiometric dating

Which of the following is the oldest?

• Layer L
• Intrusion D
• Intrusion H
• Layer A

What happens during radioactive decay?

• A stable isotope of one element changes into an unstable isotope of a different element
• A stable isotope of one element changes into an unstable isotope of the same element
• An unstable isotope of one element changes into a stable isotope of a different element
• An unstable isotope of one element changes into a stable isotope of the same element

Which best describes radiometric dating?

• using instruments that detect radioactivity to figure out how old something is
• measuring the relative amounts of a radioactive isotope and a daughter product to figure out the age of a sample
• measuring how quickly the different radioactive isotopes in a sample decay to figure out the age of the sample
• using short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation to determine the age of a sample

The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element
• half-life
• parent element
• carbon-14

Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...

• relative time
• absolute time
• half-lives
• time of day

What does carbon-14 decay into?

• Nitrogen
• Lead
• Uranium
• Cobalt