Quiz about Unit 4--Geologic Time Review

Question 1

In what type of rocks are fossils found?

Accepted Answer

sedimentary rocks

Answer

metamorphic rocks

Answer

volcanic rocks

Answer

igneous rocks

Question 2

Which of the following best explains the principle of uniformitarianism?

Accepted Answer

the present is the key to the past

Answer

older layers are found below younger layers

Answer

sediment deposits horizontally

Answer

the times, they are changing

Question 3

According to the principle of cross-cutting relationships, an intrusive rock body is

Accepted Answer

younger than the rocks into which it intrudes.

Answer

always made of the same materials as rock around it.

Answer

deposited as sedimentary layers.

Answer

older than the rocks into which it intrudes.

Question 4

The principle that explains that sediment is generally laid down in flat, horizontal layers is called...

Accepted Answer

Principle of original horizontality

Answer

Principle of fossil succession

Answer

Principle of cross-cutting relationships

Answer

Law of Superposition

Question 5

What type of dating process would be used to determine which rock layer is older or younger than another?

Accepted Answer

relative dating

Answer

numerical dating

Answer

radiometric dating

Answer

absolute dating

Question 6

In general, the law of superposition states that in an undeformed sequence of sedimentary rocks, each layer is

Accepted Answer

older than the one above it

Answer

younger than the one above it

Answer

older than the one below it

Answer

basically the same age

Question 7

Which principle states that when small pieces of rock are embedded in another type of rock, the small pieces of rock indicate the older rock layer?

Accepted Answer

Principle of inclusions

Answer

Principle of original horizontality

Answer

Principle of fossil succession

Answer

Principle of cross-cutting relationships

Question 8

Look at the diagram. Which of the following choices is the youngest feature?

Accepted Answer

igneous intrusion L

Answer

fault M

Answer

rock layer A

Answer

rock layer J

Question 9

What type of unconformity consists of tilted sedimentary rocks that are overlain by younger, more flat-lying sedimentary rocks?

Accepted Answer

angular unconformity

Answer

disconformity

Answer

nonconformity

Answer

conformity

Question 10

A gap in the rock record where only weathering and erosion occurred is known as...

Accepted Answer

an unconformity

Answer

an adaptation

Answer

an intrusion

Answer

an inclusion

Question 11

Remains or traces of prehistoric life found in rocks are known as...

Accepted Answer

fossils

Answer

eggs

Answer

adaptations

Answer

remains

Question 12

The fossil that forms when an organism is buried, subjected to high pressure that squeezes out the liquids and gases, and leaves only carbon behind is called....

Accepted Answer

carbon film

Answer

trace fossil

Answer

unaltered remains

Answer

mold

Question 13

What type of fossil forms when the decaying organism is replaced, molecule by molecule, by rock-forming minerals?

Accepted Answer

petrified fossil

Answer

carbon film

Answer

molds and casts

Answer

trace fossil

Question 14

Which of the following would make the best conditions for fossil formation?

Accepted Answer

big foot quickly buried in mud

Answer

big foot slowly buried by sediment

Answer

a slime glob slowly buried by sediment

Answer

a slime glob quickly buried in mud

Question 15

The principle of fossil succession states that different types of fossil organisms...

Accepted Answer

come after one another in a definite order, from simple to more complex

Answer

are younger in the deepest layers of rock.

Answer

generally leave behind hard parts.

Answer

occur most often in sedimentary rock.

Question 16

Which of the following must be true for a fossil organism to be useful as an index fossil?

Accepted Answer

All of these.

Answer

The fossil organism must be widespread geographically.

Answer

The fossil organism must be abundant.

Answer

The fossil organism must be limited to a short span of geologic time.

Question 17

In terms of radioactive decay, what is the time it takes for half of the parent material to turn into daughter material known as?

Accepted Answer

a half life

Answer

the decay remains

Answer

the decay life

Answer

the radioactive remains

Question 18

Radioactivity occurs when....

Accepted Answer

unstable nuclei spontaneously decay

Answer

stable nuclei form new elements

Answer

stable nuclei absorb protons

Answer

unstable nuclei become carbon

Question 19

Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes...

Accepted Answer

are constant.

Answer

change from place to place.

Answer

vary widely.

Answer

change over time.

Question 20

Look at the chart. What fraction of the original parent isotope still exists after 3 half-lives have passed?

Accepted Answer

1/8

Answer

1/2

Answer

1/4

Answer

1/16

Question 21

A sample is brought to the laboratory and it is determined that 1/4 of the original parent isotope remains in the sample. Use the chart to determine the age of the sample if the half-life of the material is 2 million years.

Accepted Answer

4 million years old.

Answer

500,000 years old.

Answer

6 million years old.

Answer

There is no way to tell with the information provided.

Question 22

The radiometric dating of an igneous rock provides...

Accepted Answer

a date for when the rock formed.

Answer

the relative age of the rock.

Answer

a date for when the rock was eroded.

Answer

the age of Earth.

Question 23

The largest expanse of time on the geologic time scale is the...

Accepted Answer

eon

Answer

era

Answer

period

Answer

epoch

Question 24

What does Phanerozoic mean?

Accepted Answer

visible life

Answer

ancient life

Answer

middle life

Answer

recent life

Question 25

Which of the following lists the divisions of the geologic time scale in order from longest to shortest?

Accepted Answer

era, period, epoch

Answer

era, epoch, period

Answer

epoch, era, period

Answer

period, era, epoch

Question 26

Approximately how old is Earth?

Accepted Answer

4.56 billion years old

Answer

16 million years old

Answer

2 billion years old

Answer

4.56 million years old

Question 27

When did the first life begin on Earth?

Accepted Answer

3.5 billion years ago

Answer

560 million years ago

Answer

1 billion years ago

Answer

3 million years ago

Question 28

The most common Precambrian fossils are layered mounds of calcium carbonate called...

Accepted Answer

stromatolites

Answer

prokaryotes

Answer

trilobites

Answer

chert

Question 29

Which era immediately follows the Precambrian?

Accepted Answer

Paleozoic Era

Answer

Mesozoic Era

Answer

Cenozoic Era

Answer

Tertiary Era

Question 30

In the early Paleozoic, life could be found....

Accepted Answer

only in the sea

Answer

in the sea and on land

Answer

in the sea, on land, and in the air

Answer

only on land

Question 31

In which geologic time period did vast coal deposits formed from large swamp forests extended across wet, tropical regions, such as North America?

Accepted Answer

Carboniferous period

Answer

Tertiary period

Answer

Permian period

Answer

Devonian period

Question 32

Some continents contain large core areas of Precambrian rocks called...

Accepted Answer

shields

Answer

plateaus

Answer

rifts

Answer

plates

Question 33

What happened to all the continents by the close of the Paleozoic?

Accepted Answer

They fused into Pangaea.

Answer

They formed Gondwana.

Answer

They moved toward the poles.

Answer

They split in half.

Question 34

Hard parts allow animals to...

Accepted Answer

protect themselves and later form fossils.

Answer

swim freely.

Answer

live on land.

Answer

feed and reproduce.

Question 35

What was the Cambrian Explosion?

Accepted Answer

the evolution of many new groups of organisms in a relatively short time

Answer

a mass extinction event

Answer

the destruction of many rock sequences due to volcanic activity

Answer

the destruction of a large amount of mollusks known as Cambrians

Question 36

One group of reptiles, characterized by the fossil Archaeopteryx, led to the evolution of...

Accepted Answer

birds

Answer

dinosaurs

Answer

mammals

Answer

cephalopods

Question 37

What likely contributed to the extinction that marks the end of the Mesozoic Era?

Accepted Answer

a meteorite collision

Answer

an ice age

Answer

global warming

Answer

covid-19

Question 38

Which period represents the last 2 million years of geologic time?

Accepted Answer

Quaternary

Answer

Tertiary

Answer

Cambrian

Answer

Devonian

Question 39

Which title best describes the current geologic age?

Accepted Answer

Age of Mammals

Answer

Age of Reptiles

Answer

Age of Fishes

Answer

Age of Flowering Plants

Question 40

Mammals became widespread and abundant only after...

Accepted Answer

dinosaurs became extinct.

Answer

inland seas dried up.

Answer

continental glaciers retreated.

Answer

the Cenozoic Era ended.

Question 41

All of the following are natural processes that influence climate change except...

Accepted Answer

increased carbon dioxide emissions

Answer

increased volcanic activity

Answer

increased solar activity

Answer

change in the tilt of the Earth due to precession

Question 42

In the last 100 years, carbon dioxide emissions have increased due to...

Accepted Answer

all of these

Answer

gasoline-powered transportation

Answer

industrial use of petroleum

Answer

coal-burning power plants

Question 43

Look at the chart. What has happened to the temperature on Earth in the last 150 years?

Accepted Answer

it increased

Answer

it decreased

Answer

it stayed the same

Answer

there is no way to tell

Question 44

Which statement best explains why global warming may lead to an increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes?

Accepted Answer

Ocean temperatures will increase.

Answer

Droughts will decrease.

Answer

Sea level will decrease.

Answer

The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will increase.

Unit 4--Geologic Time Review

Create a free account and access millions of resources

Similar Resources on Wayground

Popular Resources on Wayground

Discover more resources for Science