Topic 11 Review: History of Earth

Luisa has two older brothers and a younger sister. She had been learning about how to describe the ages of rocks. After thinking about it, she realized she could compare people's positions in her family in the same way that scientists compare rocks. Which geology term would describe the way Luisa compares the positions of people in her family?

• cross-cutting

• rock layers

• relative age

• absolute age

James looked at a picture of rock layers while studying how scientists determine the ages of rocks. He observed the variety of layers and understood that the law of superposition indicated something about the rock layer ages. What does the law of superposition indicate?

• The rock layers can change their position and push younger rock layers under older rock layers.

• The rock layers can change their position and push older rock layers under younger rock layers.

• The rock layers on top are the youngest layers, and the lower rock layers are the oldest layers.

• The rock layers on top are the oldest layers and the lower rock layers are the youngest layers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Mia knows that scientists use several methods to help determine the relative ages of different rock layers, including using fossils. Which of the following are other ways to determine the relative ages of rock layers? Choose the THREE that apply.

• faults

• law of superposition

• radiometric dating

• rock half-life

• igneous intrusions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Nora enjoys studying fossils. She learned that index fossils are found within the rock layers, and these index fossils help scientists study rock ages. In what way do index fossils help determine rock ages?

• Index fossils are widely distributed and were around for a long time, and so they show up in many rock layers.

• Index fossils are widely distributed but were not around long, and so they show up in only a few rock layers.

• Index fossils were around only a short time but they show up in many rock layers.

• Index fossils are widely distributed and are always found in every sedimentary rock layer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Angelica saw an example of a geologic time scale in her book. What is the purpose of the geologic time scale?

• to organize the eras and periods of major events of fossils

• to organize the kinds of plants and animals that lived during those times on Earth

• to organize the kinds of rocks for people to study the life forms and classify fossils

• to organize Earth's history in a record of geological events and show the presence of life forms

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What kind of life characterized Precambrian time?

• invertebrates with hard shells

• early reptiles and amphibians

• animals with shells and outer skeletons

• single- and simple multi-celled organisms

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Kim was reading about the Jurassic period in the Mesozoic Era. She was especially interested in the rise of the dinosaurs. How did the second mass extinction and the loss of the dinosaurs affect the remaining populations of mammals that did survive?

• With less competition, the remaining mammals had to move from their established habitats.

• With less competition, the remaining mammals had more food, water, and habitats.

• With more competition among the other kinds of populations, the mammals had to struggle to survive.

• With more competition among the other kinds of populations, the mammals were able to thrive.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Sophia had been reading about the history of Earth. She was surprised at the different ways geologists learn about the ages of rocks. Why is it important for geologists to use both relative and absolute ages to determine the age of rocks?

• Scientists want to learn about the age of rocks.

• Scientists need only one way to determine the age of rocks.

• Scientists may not be able to determine the absolute age of some rocks.

• Scientists can tell the age of rocks using the law of superposition.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which of the following are examples of how rock layers may be disturbed or changed? Choose the TWO that apply.

• igneous intrusion

• superposition

• fault

• fossil formation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

After studying the diagrams below, Sara noticed that the rock layers at Location 4 differed from those of the other three locations. What likely occurred at Location 4?

• Location 4 held index fossils similar to the other locations.

• Location 4 had heavy erosion, and soon a layer of rock will be deposited on top of it.

• Layer B eroded away, and layers C and D were deposited on top of layer A at a later time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2