Earth's History

Name:

Period

• 1
• 2
• 4
• 5
• 6

1 Which process will most accurately determine the ages of two similar fossils?

• by using seismic waves
• by using radioactive (absolute) dating
• by comparing the two fossils to index fossils
• by comparing the geographic locations where the fossils were found

2 How can the law of superposition show that fossilized organisms have evolved or changed over time.

• Each rock layer contains specific types of fossils.
• Only igneous rock layers contain fossils of simple life forms.
• Rock layers closer to the surface have fossils of simpler life forms.
• More complex fossils are found in rock layers closer to the surface.

3 Geologists believe that a vast saltwater sea once covered the entire state of New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States. Geological investigations of the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico support this theory. Which evidence from the Jemez Mountains provides the most support for the inland sea theory?

• The mountains contain volcanic rock.
• The mountains contain layers of sandstone.
• The mountains show evidence of earthquake activity.
• The mountains contain fossils from shallow water organisms.

4 Of the following methods, which led scientists to infer that Earth is about 4.6 billion years old?

• studying fault lines
• studying index fossils
• using radioactive(absolute) dating on rocks
• applying the law of superposition

5 What does the term half-life mean when using radioactive(absolute) dating to determine the age of fossils?

• Half-life is used to describe the time it takes for half of the radioactive substance to decay.
• Half-life is used to describe the time it takes for a fossil to become fully radioactive.
• Half-life is used to describe the amount of the fossil decayed away every 100 years.
• Half-life is used to describe the age of the organism when it died.

6 In an undisturbed rock profile, according to the Law of Superposition, the oldest rocks are found:

• in the middle
• anywhere
• at the top
• at the bottom

7 Why is the fossil record incomplete?

• There isn’t enough amber.
• Scientists don’t like to work on it.
• Most organisms have hard body parts.
• Most organisms do not become fossils.

8 Which of the following situations would offer the best chances to ensure fossilization?

• a dead crab with a hard exoskeleton at the bottom of a large, deep, freshwater lake
• a dead whale at a subduction zone at the bottom of the ocean
• a tortoise that lives close to an active volcano on an island
• a jellyfish in shallow coastal waters with strong currents