Independent Work

Index fossils are fossils that help determine the _____ of other fossils and rock that are found in the same sedimentary layer.

• age

• location

• fossil

• origin

Index fossils must be _____ and easily recognizable.

• old

• new

• alive

• distinctive

Index fossils are _____ widespread.

• never

• globally

• locally

• possibly

Index fossils are _____

• abundant

• scarce

• local

• clay

Which fossil makes the best index fossil?

• ammonite

• brachiopod

• trilobite

• shark

• all four are good index fossils

If you found an index fossil in a layer of rock in Montana and a similar fossil in a layer of rock in Texas, you would know that:

• the fossils and rock layers are the same age

• the fossils from Montana are older

• the fossils from England are older

• none of the above

How does absolute age differ from relative age?

• only absolute dating indicates which rock is older than another
• only absolute dating finds the age in years
• only relative dating finds the age in years

The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?

• The absolute age of rock layers
• The age of fossils
• The relative age of rock layers
• the super powers of rocks

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

• F
• E
• B
• A

Which is younger: A or D?

• A
• D
• Both are the same