Geological Time Scale and Dating Methods Quiz

Which eon is known for the Cambrian explosion, a period of significant diversification of life?

• Aran

• Protozoic

• Hadian

• Phanerozoic

What is the primary method used in absolute dating to determine the age of rocks?

• Erosion Analysis

• Index Fossils

• Radiometric Dating

• Law of Superposition

What happens to the parent material during the process of radiometric dating?

• It decays into daughter material

• It remains unchanged

• It increases in quantity

• It becomes a different element

Why is carbon-14 not suitable for dating geological time scales?

• It is too rare

• It has a short half-life

• It is too expensive to use

• It is only found in igneous rocks

Which type of rock is most suitable for absolute dating?

• Igneous

• Limestone

• Metamorphic

• Sedimentary

What principle is used in relative dating to determine the sequence of rock layers?

• Law of Conservation of Matter

• Law of Superposition

• Law of Index Fossils

• Law of Erosion

What characteristic makes a fossil a good index fossil?

• It is found in multiple rock layers

• It is found in only one location

• It has a wide geographic range and short time span

• It is very large

What is the main limitation of relative dating?

• It requires igneous rocks

• It is only applicable to fossils

• It is too expensive

• It cannot provide a numerical age

Why is it important to use both absolute and relative dating methods?

• To focus only on igneous rocks

• To reduce costs

• To get a more complete picture of Earth's history

• To save time

What analogy is used to describe the combination of dating methods?

• Mixing primary colors to see the full picture

• Cooking with various spices

• Seeing the world in black and white

• Building a house with bricks