WorksheetsRelative and Absolute Age
Total questions: 24
Worksheet time: 1hrs 20mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
The statement "Intrusion B occurred after the deposition of layer E but after deposition of layers C, D, and A" can be determined to be correct because of which principle?
a)
Principle of Horizontality
b)
Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
c)
Principle of Inclusions
d)
Principle of Superposition
2.
The statement that the oldest layer will be at the bottom in an undisturbed sequence of rock layers is called the Principle of ....
a)
Inclusions
b)
Unconformities
c)
Cross-Cutting Relationships
d)
Superposition
3.
The Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships states that an igneous intrusion is
a)
always younger than the layers it cuts across
b)
always older than the layers it cuts across
c)
the same age as the rock it melted
d)
none of the answers are correct
4.
Relative age dating is used to determine the...
a)
actual age of an event
b)
length of time between two events
c)
age of one event in comparison with other events
d)
rate at which a gologic process occurs
5.
Older rocks contained within newer rocks are called...
a)
intrusions
b)
inclusions
c)
fossils
d)
faults
6.
Which of the following correctly lists the layers in order from oldest to youngest?
a)
A, B, C, D, E
b)
E, B, C, D, A
c)
E, D, C, B, A
d)
C, B, A, D, E
7.
What is the oldest layer in the outcrop?
a)
B
b)
C
c)
D
d)
E
8.
What is the youngest layer in the outcrop?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
9.
The statement "Layer B is younger than layer E" can be determined by using which principle?
a)
Principle of Horizontality
b)
Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
c)
Principle of Inclusions
d)
Principle of Superposition
10.
The rock formation labeled "P" is a(n)...
a)
fault
b)
intrusion
c)
inclusion
d)
unconformity
11.
Letter "F" is a....
a)
inclusion
b)
intrusion
c)
fault
d)
unconformity
12.
Letter "A" is an....
a)
inclusion
b)
intrusion
c)
fault
d)
unconformity
13.
An eroded sedimentary rock layer covered by another sedimentary rock layer is known as...
a)
a disconformity
b)
an angular unconformity
c)
a nonconformity
d)
a fault
14.
An eroded nonsedimentary rock layer covered by another sedimentary rock layer is known as...
a)
a disconformity
b)
an angular unconformity
c)
a nonconformity
d)
a fault
15.
Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?
a)
F
b)
E
c)
B
d)
A
16.
What do these three images represent?
a)
isotopes of the same element
b)
elements of the same atom
c)
nuclei of the same isotope
d)
atoms of the same nucleus
17.
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
18.
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
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.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
21.
The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...
a)
daughter element
b)
half-life
c)
parent element
d)
carbon-14
22.
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
23.
Archeologists have found a fossil that contains 87.5 grams of nitrogen-14 and 12.5 grams of carbon-14. The half life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. How old is the fossil?
a)
3 million years
b)
17,190 years
c)
11,460 years
d)
92,000 years
24.
Thorium-234 has a half-life of 24 days. If a sample that originally contained 200 grams of thorium-234 now contains only 25 grams, the age of the sample is...
a)
24 days
b)
48 days
c)
72 days
d)
96 days
100 %
