Ch. 5 The Changing Earth

The earliest human records date back to about _____ years ago.

• 3000

• 5000

• 7000

• 12,000

Which of the following features that exist today do secular scientists believe formed first?

• atmospheric oxygen

• continents

• moon

• oceans

According to most secular geologists, which of these was caused by a collision?

• the earth

• the moon

• both the earth and the moon

• neither the earth nor the moon

The order of events in the Genesis Creation account is ___ the order in which secular scientists believe things have evolved.

• different from

• identical to

• the exact opposite of

• somewhat similar to

Geologically, the term stratum refers to

• a long period of time.

• a rare fossil.

• a large plate of the earth's crust.

• a layer of rock.

Geologists estimate an absolute age for a rock by using

• the principle of superposition.

• radiometric dating.

• its composition.

• tectonic dating.

Scientists who study layers of rocks and their relationships are working in a field called

• tectonics.

• paleontology.

• stratigraphy.

• radiometry.

Which one of the following four terms does not belong with the other three?

• span

• eon

• epoch

• age

Which of these has been used to hypothesize which continents were at one time joined?

• climates

• magnetic crystals

• glaciers

• mountains

Circular reasoning is a logical error committed by scientists who

• study plate tectonics.

• believe the geosyncline theory.

• propose several ice ages.

• use index fossils to date rocks.