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WorksheetsHistory of the Earth Quiz Review
Total questions: 38
Worksheet time: 27mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
According to the law of __________, in horizontal sedimentary rock layers the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer is at the top.
a)
Superposition
b)
Index Fossil
c)
Alfred Wegener
d)
Geologic Records
2.
The age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks is the rock's
a)
absolute age
b)
geologic age
c)
sedimentary age
d)
relative age
3.
Absolute age is defined as:
a)
The age of rock determined by radiometric dating.
b)
The age of rock based on living animals.
c)
The age of rock based on its location.
d)
The age of rock determined by carbon dating.
4.
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
5.
How old do Paleontologists believe the Earth is?
a)
2017 years old
b)
3.5 billion years old
c)
4.6 billion years old
d)
4.6 million years old
6.
What is the term used to identify a scientist who studies fossils?
a)
Paleontologist
b)
Carbon Film
c)
Trace fossil
d)
cast
7.
Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?
a)
F
b)
E
c)
B
d)
A
8.
Trilobites are good index fossils because.... (pick the best answer).
a)
abundant, large
b)
abundant, widespread geographically, and only lived a short time
c)
only lived for a short time period
d)
were large
carbonized
carbonized
9.
The amount of time it takes for 50% of the remaining radioactive material to decay into stable material is called:
a)
radiocarbon dating
b)
radioactive decay
c)
half-life
d)
successive decay time
10.
By saying: "I am older than my sister," is an example of which type of dating used in Geology:
a)
Relative Age/Dating
b)
Absolute Age/Dating
c)
Chronological Sibling Timelies
d)
Fossil Age/Dating
11.
True or False: The geologic record can help scientists to determine past environment and climate conditions.
a)
True
b)
False
c)
Maybe
d)
Sometimes
12.
Which fossil would make a good index fossil?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
13.
True or False: An intrusion and fault are ALWAYS younger than the rock they cut through.
a)
True: because the rock layers must be there initially - the fault or intrusion cannot occur in nothing.
b)
False: they are always younger.
14.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
15.
Index fossils CAN tell us the age of a rock layer.
a)
True
b)
False
16.
Rock layers can be most closely correlated if they both contain the same...
a)
Shapes
b)
Elements
c)
Fossils
d)
Types of Rocks
17.
Which rock layer was formed most recently?
a)
Permian
b)
Carboniferous
c)
Silurian
d)
Cambrian
18.
_______________ is the idea that older rock layers can be found below younger rock layers in undisturbed geologic columns.
a)
principal of original horizontality
b)
principal of superposition
c)
principal of cross-cutting relationships
d)
principal of unconformities
19.
Where are older rock layers found?
a)
on top of younger rock layers
b)
under younger rock layers
c)
near igneous intrusions
d)
near faults
20.
Which of the following is an index fossil?
a)
brachiopods
b)
tyrannosaurus rex
c)
coprolites
d)
trilobites
21.
Which comes first a mold or a cast fossil?
a)
mold
b)
cast
22.
___________ states that the earth has changed gradually over long periods of time.
a)
uniformitarianism
b)
catrastorphism
c)
superposition
d)
disconformities
23.
___________ is the idea that the earth changes very rapidly over short periods of time.
a)
uniformitarianism
b)
catrastorphism
c)
superposition
d)
disconformities
24.
Most fossils are found in __________ rock layers
a)
metamorphic
b)
sedimentary
c)
igneous
25.
Which of the following would carbon dating not be used for?
a)
bones
b)
teeth
c)
rock
26.
What does finding marine shells in the woods of Pennsylvania tell scientists?
a)
Marine species once lived on land.
b)
The area of Pennsylvania was once underwater.
c)
The fossils had most likely been transported from a marine environment to Pennsylvania.
d)
Marine organisms have adapted to survive on land.
27.
I found a layer of sandstone with a 400 million year old trilobite in it. Laying below is a layer of metamorphic rock. Which of the following must be true?
a)
the metamorphic rock must be younger than 400 million years old.
b)
The sandstone is greater than 800 million years old.
c)
The metamorphic rock must be at least 400 million years old.
d)
The metamorphic rock was deposited after the trilobite was alive.
28.
As the number of half-lives pass the amount of parent material ________.
a)
remains constant
b)
increases
c)
decreases
29.
Which of the following is a false statement about why the fossil record is incomplete?
a)
most organisms never become fossilized
b)
many fossils have never been found
c)
all fossils are of dinosaurs
d)
only the hard parts of organisms are easily fossilized
30.
What is this a picture of?
a)
plate tectonics
b)
continental drift
c)
pangea
d)
glacier scaring
31.
The Theory of Continental Drift states that Pangaea broke apart and the continents "drifted" away from each other
a)
True
b)
False
32.
Why did no one believe Wegener's thoery?
a)
He could not explain HOW the continents moved
b)
He didn't have evidence
c)
His data was wrong
d)
He didn't use the right technology to gather data
33.
What two specific continents fit together most noticeably?
a)
Africa and North America
b)
South America and Europe
c)
South America and Africa
d)
Antartica and Africa
34.
Which piece of evidence did Wegener use to prove continental drift?
a)
The shape of the continents
b)
Similar fossils found on separate continents
c)
Tree fossils found in odd places
d)
All of the above
35.
The movement of Earth's crust along plate boundaries produces
a)
earthquakes
b)
volcanoes
c)
mountains
d)
All of these options.
36.
A collision between two pieces of continental crust at a converging boundary produces a
a)
mid ocean ridge
b)
deep ocean trench
c)
rift valley
d)
mountain range
37.
A giant landmass that existed 200 million years ago
a)
Wegener
b)
Pangaea
c)
Archyopteryx
d)
Ammonite
38.
Which layer formed first?
a)
Rock Layer W
b)
Rock Layer X
c)
Rock Layer Y
d)
Rock Layer Z
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