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WorksheetsDating and time scale
Total questions: 80
Worksheet time: 1hrs 29mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
The feature labeled "B" is a.......
a)
fault
b)
inclusion
c)
intrusion
d)
fossil
2.
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
3.
Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?
a)
F
b)
E
c)
B
d)
A
4.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
5.
If an index fossil is found in two rock layers that are separated by an ocean, what do you know about the relationship between the two rock layers?
a)
they are about the same age
b)
both areas were dry
c)
the are made of the same kind of rock
d)
the rock layers are unrelated
6.
Gaps in rock layers caused by erosion are called.
a)
law of superposition
b)
unconformities
c)
uniformitarianism
d)
relative dating
7.
When a igneous intrusion is found in a layer, what do we know about its age?
a)
The intrusion is younger than the rock.
b)
The intrusion is older than the rock
c)
The intrusion is the same age as the rock.
d)
The intrushion was made by ailens.
8.
What 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 one location and lived for a long period of time
9.
Which of the following is the oldest?
a)
Layer L
b)
Intrusion D
c)
Intrusion H
d)
Layer E
10.
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
11.
What is the oldest layer in the outcrop?
a)
B
b)
C
c)
D
d)
E
12.
The rock formation labeled "P" is a(n)...
a)
fault
b)
intrusion
c)
inclusion
d)
unconformity
13.
Letter "F" is a....
a)
inclusion
b)
intrusion
c)
fault
d)
unconformity
14.
Letter "B" is an....
a)
inclusion
b)
intrusion
c)
fault
d)
unconformity
15.
The principle of cross cutting says that when an intrusion or fault cuts across another rock strata it is always:
a)
older
b)
younger
c)
the same age
d)
bad news
16.
A break in the Earth's crust
a)
fault
b)
mountain
c)
plate
d)
fossil
17.
Which answer lists the age of the rock strata from OLDEST to YOUNGEST?
a)
c,b, a, d, e
b)
e, d, a, c, b
c)
a, b, c, d, e
d)
a, c, e, b, d
18.
An intrusion will made up of what type of rock?
a)
Sedimentary
b)
Igneous
c)
Metamorphic
d)
Clastic
19.
What is the name of the feature shown?
a)
fault
b)
inclusion
c)
intrusion
d)
sill
20.
How does the age of the feature labeled with arrows compare to the age of the rock layer in which it is found?
a)
It is older than the rock layer.
b)
It is younger than the rock layer.
c)
It is the same age as the rock layer.
21.
Which of the following is NOT a type of intrusion?
a)
batholith
b)
inclusion
c)
sill
d)
dike
22.
What geological feature is being shown?
a)
fault with folding
b)
contact metamorphism
c)
nonconformity
d)
angular unconformity
23.
What geological feature is being labeled with a rectangular box?
a)
angular unconformity
b)
disconformity
c)
nonconformity
d)
sill
24.
What is the relative age of the Igneous rock in the diagram?
a)
It is older than the limestone but younger than the shale.
b)
It is older than the shale but younger than the limestone.
c)
It is younger than the limestone and the shale.
d)
It is older than the limestone and the shale.
25.
In the diagram there are 4 outcrops or 4 different locations for rock layers shown. Fossils are found at all 4 locations. Looking at the diagrams, which letter (A, B, C, or D) most likely represents an index fossil?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
26.
Although a cast fossil looks like an original bone or shell, how is it different?
a)
It's made of rock
b)
It contains skin, hair, and other remnants
c)
It has been liquefied
d)
It is completely colorless
27.
What can you conclude from the fact that so many fossils involve shells, skeletons, and teeth?
a)
Most organisms on earth have shells, skeletons, or teeth
b)
Bacteria and decomposers consume these parts first after an animal dies
c)
. These parts decay slower than other body parts
d)
These parts are more likely to be buried in ice than other body parts
28.
Which of the following is an example of a trace fossil?
a)
A skeleton preserved in a tar pit
b)
A footprint of an extinct animal
c)
A mummy buried in ice
d)
An insect preserved in amber
29.
Why are deserts, tar pits, and ice good places to find body fossils?
a)
Most ancient organisms lived in these environments
b)
Bacteria and other decomposers cannot thrive in these environments
c)
Many ancient organisms traveled to these places to die
d)
The largest ancient organisms lived in these environments
30.
In which kind of rock do we usually find a fossil?
a)
sedimentary rock
b)
metamorphic rock
c)
igneous rock
31.
What are index fossils
a)
The end of a book
b)
Organisms that are widely distributed, but live for a short period of time
c)
The person next to me
d)
A book
32.
What is a petrified fossil
a)
A rock
b)
A scared rock
c)
Minerals replacing all of the organism
d)
BOO
33.
What is a mold fossil
a)
Clay
b)
Nasty old moldy dinosaur bones
c)
A hallow area left in sediment in the shape of an organism
d)
All of the above
34.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Preserved remains
b)
Petrified
c)
Mold
d)
Cast
35.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)
Trace fossil
36.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Carbon Film
d)
Trace fossil
37.
How do fossils form?
a)
Living things die and their remains are covered by sediment
b)
insects are covered in tree sap
c)
all of these are correct
d)
Freezing preserves the remains of an organism
38.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)
Petrified
39.
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
40.
The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...
a)
daughter element
b)
half-life
c)
parent element
d)
carbon-14
41.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
42.
What element is usually used to date fossils?
a)
uranium-235
b)
carbon-14
c)
mercury-203
d)
thorium-234
43.
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
44.
Which element is usually used to date rocks?
a)
Carbon-14
b)
Nitrogen-12
c)
Uranium-238
d)
Oxygen-18
45.
Relative age of a rock is the number of years that have passed since the rock formed?
a)
true
b)
false
46.
Earliest Eon when Earth was still molten.
a)
Archaean
b)
Hadean
c)
Proterozoic
d)
Phanerozoic
47.
The Geologic Time Scale is a record of what?
a)
old geologists
b)
sweet geology music
c)
the known history of rocks and fossils
d)
a list of every living thing ever
48.
How old do Paleontologists believe the Earth is?
a)
2015 years old
b)
3.6 billion years old
c)
4.6 billion years old
d)
4.6 million years old
49.
Paleozoic, Mesozoic & Cenozoic are all
a)
Epochs
b)
Eras
c)
Periods
d)
Eons
50.
Which is the most recent era of time- the one that we are currently in?
a)
Mesozoic
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Cenozoic
d)
Precambrian
51.
True or False: Geologists subdivide periods into eras.
a)
False
b)
True
52.
Describe how geologists separate time periods.
a)
by special events that have happened in that period.
b)
By looking at the Relative Time of a Fossil
c)
By counting the years a fossil has been preserved
53.
Name the 4 time frames in order from oldest to youngest.
a)
Precambrian Time, Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Cenozoic Era
b)
Mesozoic Era, Precambrian time, Cenozoic Era, Paleozoic Era
c)
Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Precambrian Time, Cenozoic
54.
The time span that lasted the longest was the...
a)
Precambrian
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Cenozoic
55.
The Era with the largest extinction we know of is the...
a)
Mesozoic era
b)
Precambrian era
c)
Paleozoic era
d)
Cenozoic era
56.
The Era when humans first appeared was...
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Precambrian
57.
"age of reptiles"
a)
Paleozoic Era
b)
Cenozoic Era
c)
Mesozoic Era
d)
Precambrian Era
58.
"age of mammals"
a)
Cenozoic Era
b)
Precambrian Era
c)
Paleozoic Era
d)
Mesozoic Era
59.
"ancient life"
a)
Precambrian Era
b)
Mesozoic Era
c)
Cenozoic Era
d)
Paleozoic Life
60.
The single land mass that existed about 245 million years ago is named what?
a)
Fossil
b)
Pangea
c)
Bob
d)
Tectonic plates
61.
Trilobites were alive during the _____________.
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Cretaceous
62.
The most recent era in our history according to the geological time scale is:
a)
Paleozoic
b)
Precambrian
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Cenozoic
63.
What were the dominant animals of the Mesozoic Era?
a)
fish
b)
reptiles
c)
mammals
d)
bacteria
64.
What are the dominant animals of the Cenozoic Era?
a)
fish r
b)
reptiles
c)
mammals
d)
bacteria
65.
During which era did the earliest dinosaurs appear?
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Precambrian
66.
What type of animal lived only during the Mesozoic Era?
a)
Mammals
b)
Birds and Mammals
c)
Dinosaurs
d)
All of them
67.
Plants and animals first reached land during the
a)
Mesozoic Era
b)
Cenozoic Era
c)
Paleozoic Era
d)
Precambrian
68.
Pangaea broke up during the
a)
Paleozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Cenozoic
d)
Precambrian
69.
During which era did the ice ages occur?
a)
Precambrian
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Cenozoic
70.
During which era did the mammoth live?
a)
Precambrian
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Cenozoic
71.
How log ago did the dinosaurs become extinct?
a)
4.6 billion years ago
b)
3.5 billion yeats ago
c)
65 million years ago
d)
3 million years ago
72.
The disappearance of a species.
a)
Evolution
b)
Extinction
c)
Migration
d)
Mutation
73.
This provides information about the history of life on earth and how organisms lived and evolved over time.
a)
fossil data
b)
fossil evidence
c)
fossil record
d)
remains of fossil
74.
Which division on the geologic time scale is the shortest?
a)
epoch
b)
era
c)
eon
d)
period
75.
A scientist who studies fossils is called a what?
a)
Fossilologist
b)
Rock Hound
c)
Archeologist
d)
Paleontologist
76.
Present day Earth is the in the ______ period.
a)
Tertiary
b)
Jurassic
c)
Triassic
d)
Quaternary
77.
What is the largest time frame on geologic time line
a)
eon
b)
era
c)
epoch
d)
period
78.
Put this in order of smallest to largest time frame.
a)
Eon, Era, Periods, Epoch
b)
Periods, Epoch, Eon, Era,
c)
Epochs, Periods, Eras, Eons
d)
Eras, Periods, Epochs, Eons
79.
Periods can be divided into
a)
eons
b)
epochs
c)
eras
d)
decades
80.
What causes mass extinctions?
a)
Change in climate due to some event.
b)
Aliens
c)
dinosaurs
d)
only volcanoes
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