Early Earth

Which of the following gases was a major component of the ancient atmosphere?

• Carbon dioxide

• Oxygen

• Helium

• Argon

What is the process called when soil particles compress over time?

• Erosion

• Sedimentation

• Fossilization

• Weathering

Which type of fossil is most likely to preserve delicate details of an organism's surface?

• Mold

• Cast

• Imprint

• Amber

What decays at a measurable rate in radiometric dating?

• Fossils

• Rocks

• Radioactive isotopes

• Minerals

What does the term "half-life" refer to in the context of radioactive isotopes?

• 1. The time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms to decay

• 2. The time it takes for a fossil to form

• 3. The time it takes for a star to burn out

• 4. The time it takes for a planet to orbit the sun

What can relative dating not determine about fossils?

• The relative position in rock layers

• The exact age of the fossils

• The type of rock

• The size of the fossils

What are the six types of fossils?

• Mold, cast, trace, true form, resin, and compression

• Mold, cast, trace, true form, ice, and amber

• Mold, cast, trace, true form, petrified, and carbon film

• Mold, cast, trace, true form, shell, and bone

In which decade did Miller and Urey conduct their famous experiment?

• 1920s

• 1930s

• 1940s

• 1950s

What did the electric sparks in Miller and Urey's experiment represent?

• Solar radiation

• Lightning

• Earthquakes

• Ocean currents

Which of the following best describes the environment Miller and Urey were trying to replicate?

• Modern Earth's atmosphere

• Early Earth's atmosphere

• Martian atmosphere

• Deep sea environment