Fossils and Earth's Past

Carbon-14 if often used for radioactive dating, but it has its limitations. Uranium-238 or lead-206 are most often used to date rocks. Why would U-238 or Pb-206 be more useful than C-14 when dating rocks?

• A)Rocks do not contain any carbon for dating purposes.

• B)Carbon-14's half-life is much too long to use for dating rocks.

• C)The half life of carbon-14 is about 5700 years and is too short date rocks.

• D)Carbon-14 is only found in living things; it can only be used to date remains.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

A meteorite fell to Earth and the local university laboratory has found samples of it. The samples are likely 200 million years older than Earth. According to the table, radioactive isotope BEST suited to date the sample is

• A)carbon 14

• .B)uranium 238.

• C)rubidium 87.

• D)potassium 40.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Fossil A is found in a layer of rock that is lower than the layer that Fossil B is found in. Based on this information, which statement is correct?

• A)Fossil A is older than Fossil B.

• B.B)Fossil B is older than Fossil A.

• C)Fossil A is younger than Fossil B.

• D)Fossil A is the same age as Fossil B.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

A sample of ancient granite crust is dated using potassium-40. Scientists find that 50% of the potassium-40 has decayed to form argon-40. Approximately how old is this rock?

• A)0.65 billion years old

• B)1.3 billion years old

• C)2.6 billion years old

• D)3.9 billion years old

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Sedimentary rocks found high in the Himalayan Mountains have been found with fossils of clams and other marine life. What does this indicate about the origin of the Himalayan Mountains?

• A)There was once a large ocean at top of the mountains.

• B)Animals that now live on the mountains once lived under water.

• C)The Earth's crust that formed these mountains was once covered with an ocean.

• D)Continental drift resulted two tectonic moving closer to each other over time.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

A fossil of a fern and other large-leafed plants were found in an area of Alaska. What does this suggest about this area in Alaska?

• A)A forest is now covered with snow.

• B)A farm was once located in the area.

• C)The area once had a warmer climate.

• D)Prehistoric man ate large-leafed plants.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Fossils of a now extinct dinosaur have been found near the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa. The dinosaur could not swim or fly. What does this suggest about the continents of South America and Africa?

• A)The continents were once connected.

• B)A land bridge once connected the continents.

• C)The same type of animals evolved on both continents.

• D)Prehistoric man transported the dinosaur between the continents.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Some fossils, like this trilobite, are considered ___________ fossils. This type of fossil is used to help match the relative age of rock layers. In order to do this, the fossil must be found in many different places, during one time period, and have some unique characteristics.

• A)C-14

• B)index

• C)trace

• D)stratified

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A review of fossil evidence found throughout the geologic periods on Earth would indicate that during the Silurian period.

• A)the Earth's overall climate was much warmer.

• B)the majority of Earth's surface was covered by glaciers.

• C)the majority of Eath's surface was no longer under water.

• D)the continents as we know them today were joined together.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A fossil species is found in the same rock layer with Fossil 3 and Fossil 4. When could this species have existed?

• A)500-245 MYA

• B)500-500 MYA

• C)540-245 MYA

• D)540-505 MYA

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1