Geologic time Quiz

What happens during mass extinction events?

• all living things on Earth die off
• many species die off
• drastic changes in climate occur
• many species migrate to new habitats

A geologist determines that a sample of rock from a riverbed is 58 million years old. This is an example of relative dating.

• True
• False

In which era of geologic time are we currently living?

• Precambrian
• Paleozoic
• Mesozoic
• Cenozoic

Which of these describes the shortest period of geologic time?

• age
• era
• epoch
• eon

A geologist is analyzing a conglomerate rock. She determines that one of the fragments included in the rock is 10 million years old. Based on the law of inclusions, which of the following can she conclude from the analysis?

• The conglomerate is also 10 million years old.
• The conglomerate is less than 10 million years old.
• The conglomerate is more than 10 million years old.

How old is the Earth?

• 4.6 million years
• 4.6 billion years
• 4,600 years
• 4.6 trillion years

What is the largest division of Earth's history on the geologic time scale?

• Precambrian
• Paleozoic
• Mesozoic
• Cenozoic

How many mass extinctions have occurred in Earth's history?

• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• None

Scientists currently theorize that there is a sixth mass extinction event happening. What do they theorize is the cause for this event?

• meteor
• lack of food
• human impact

The majority of living things that die become fossils.

• True
• False