FCHS Earth Systems: SES4.d/e Quiz

Which statement best describes the idea of uniformitarianism?

• "The present is the key to past"

• "It's the circle of life"

• "We didn't start the fire. It was always burning since the world was turning"

• "Sedimentary, dear Watson"

Which explanation best matches the principle of uniformitarianism?

• The idea that Earth's processes have always occurred at the same rate.

• The concept that the natural laws and processes of Earth are the same in the past and present

• The belief that Earth's features were formed by sudden, short-lived, violent events.

• The theory that Earth's surface is shaped by gradual, continuous processes.

Why is evolution NOT considered to be a uniformitarian process?

• Evolution is a uniformitarian process

• Evolution is an unpredictable process that as resulted in different life forms of Earth's history

• Evolution has occurred at a constant rate from the time life first evolved

• All life evolved at the same time and has not change in billions of years.

Why are fossils typically only found in sedimentary rocks?

• They form from volcanic activity.

• Sedimentary rocks form at high temperatures.

• The heat and pressure associated with igneous and metamorphic rocks will destroy fossils

• They are formed by the cooling of magma.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which sedimentary rock would most likely be found in an area that was once underwater, but has since permanently dried out?

• Sandstone

• Limestone

• Shale

• Coal

How do sedimentary rocks and their fossils help stratigraphers understand environmental changes?

• Sedimentary rocks and fossils can only indicate the age of the rock.

• The type of sediment and fossils found can suggest whether the environment was marine, freshwater, or terrestrial.

• Fossils in sedimentary rocks are not useful for environmental interpretation.

• Sedimentary rocks only form in desert environments.

If Shrek's swamp was drained, burned to the ground, and then turned into a new freshwater lake, which sedimentary rock would most likely form in millions of years?

• Sandstone

• Limestone

• Shale

• Coal

Which of the following best describes a varve?

• A type of fossil found in sedimentary rocks.

• A layer of sediment that is deposited in a body of still water in a single year.

• A type of igneous rock formed from lava.

• A measure of the rate of erosion in a given area.

How can the rate of erosion be measured?

• By counting the number of fossils in a rock layer.

• By measuring how the thickness of sediment layers decreases over time.

• By analyzing the chemical composition of rocks.

• By observing the color changes in sedimentary rocks.

What does the rate of deposition tell us about past environments?

• It indicates the speed at which tectonic plates move.

• It helps determine the age of the Earth.

• It provides information about the energy and conditions of the environment at the time of deposition.

• It reveals the chemical composition of ancient atmospheres.