WorksheetsRelative vs. Absolute dating
Total questions: 21
Worksheet time: 57mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
According to the law of superposition, the oldest fossils are found
a)
At the top of the rock layers
b)
Near the bottom of the rock layers
c)
In the middle of the rock layers
d)
Somewhat near the surface
2.
Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?
a)
F
b)
E
c)
B
d)
A
3.
This rock was another type of rock that was heated and compressed over time. What type of rock is this?
a)
Sedimentary
b)
Igneous
c)
Metamorphic
4.
This rock was formed by smaller pieces of rock that settled at the bottom of a lake millions of years ago. What type of rock is this?
a)
Sedimentary
b)
Igneous
c)
Metamorphic
5.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
6.
gaps in rock layers caused by erosion are called
a)
law of superposition
b)
unconformities
c)
uniformitarianism
d)
relative dating
7.
Which type of dating method can be used on rock layers by applying the Law of Superposition?
a)
relative dating
b)
absolute dating
c)
radioactive dating
d)
radiometric dating
8.
The ________ states that layers of sediment were originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.
a)
law of superposition
b)
law of horizontality
c)
uniformitarianism
d)
unconformities
9.
states that the geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features
a)
law of horizontality
b)
cross cutting relationships
c)
law of superposition
d)
uniformitarianism
10.
What 2 things make a good index fossil?
a)
Good looks and a great smile
b)
widespread and on Earth of a short time
c)
widespread and on Earth for a long time
d)
only found in Clinton Twp and in every rock layer
11.
Which of the following is the oldest?
a)
Layer L
b)
Intrusion D
c)
Intrusion H
d)
Layer E
12.
What happens during radioactive decay?
a)
A stable isotope of one element changes into an unstable isotope of a different element
b)
A stable isotope of one element changes into an unstable isotope of the same element
c)
An unstable isotope of one element changes into a stable isotope of a different element
d)
An unstable isotope of one element changes into a stable isotope of the same element
13.
How many of the original atoms of a decaying isotope remain unchanged after three half-lives?
a)
three-halves
b)
three-quarters
c)
one-quarter
d)
one-eighth
14.
Which best describes radiometric dating?
a)
using instruments that detect radioactivity to figure out how old something is
b)
measuring the relative amounts of a radioactive isotope and a daughter product to figure out the age of a sample
c)
measuring how quickly the different radioactive isotopes in a sample decay to figure out the age of the sample
d)
using short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation to determine the age of a sample
15.
Why are isotopes with short half-lives not useful for dating very old rocks?
a)
because not enough of the parent isotope remains to measure accurately
b)
because not enough of the daughter product has formed to be detectable
c)
because neither the parent isotope nor the daughter product will be detectable
d)
because very old rocks would never have contained these isotopes
16.
The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its...
a)
era
b)
age
c)
half-life
d)
eon
17.
The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...
a)
daughter element
b)
half-life
c)
parent element
d)
carbon-14
18.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
19.
A rock formed with 1000 atoms of a radioactive parent element, but only contains 250 radioactive parent atoms today. If the half-life of the parent element is one million years, how old is the rock?
a)
250,000 years old
b)
500,000 years old
c)
1,000,000 years old
d)
2,000,000 years old
20.
What element is usually used to date fossils?
a)
uranium-235
b)
carbon-14
c)
mercury-203
d)
thorium-234
21.
Which element is usually used to date rocks?
a)
Carbon-14
b)
Nitrogen-12
c)
Uranium-238
d)
Oxygen-18
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