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WorksheetsFossils - Lesson 1
Total questions: 47
Worksheet time: 1hrs 10mins
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.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
4.
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
5.
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
6.
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
7.
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
8.
Which of the following is the oldest?
a)
Layer L
b)
Intrusion D
c)
Intrusion H
d)
Layer E
9.
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
10.
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
11.
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
12.
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
13.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
14.
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
15.
What element is usually used to date fossils?
a)
uranium-235
b)
carbon-14
c)
mercury-203
d)
thorium-234
16.
Which element is usually used to date rocks?
a)
Carbon-14
b)
Nitrogen-12
c)
Uranium-238
d)
Oxygen-18
17.
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
18.
What makes using radioactive material useful for dating rock layers?
a)
it is dangerous to be near
b)
it decays at a constant rate
c)
sedimentary rock layers don't have radioactive material
d)
it can only be found in metamorphic rock
19.
Which of the following is not a trace fossil?
a)
tracks
b)
burrows
c)
ammonites
d)
coprolites
20.
What does carbon-14 decay into?
a)
Nitrogen
b)
Lead
c)
Uranium
d)
Cobalt
21.
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
22.
Which comes first a mold or a cast fossil?
a)
mold
b)
cast
23.
___________ states that the earth has changed gradually over long 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.
_________ fossils can be found in tar, amber, deserts, and ice.
a)
trace
b)
original remains
c)
petrified
d)
cast
26.
What is the half life of carbon-14?
a)
10,000 years
b)
5,730 years
c)
2,135 years
d)
1,025 years
27.
A fault is always _________ than the layers of sedimentary rock it cuts through.
a)
older than
b)
younger than
c)
the same age as
28.
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.
29.
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.
30.
As the number of half-lives pass the amount of parent material ________.
a)
remains constant
b)
increases
c)
decreases
31.
A half-life is....
a)
When a rock or fossil has lived half its life
b)
the time for 1/2 the parent atom to turn into daughter atoms
c)
Half of the rock has formed
32.
What type of fossil is shown in the picture?
a)
Trace Fossil
b)
Petrified Fossil
c)
Cast Fossil
d)
Mold Fossil
33.
What type of fossil is shown in the picture?
a)
Trace Fossil
b)
Petrified Fossil
c)
Cast Fossil
d)
Mold Fossil
34.
What type of fossil is shown in the picture?
a)
Trace Fossil
b)
Petrified Fossil
c)
Cast Fossil
d)
Mold Fossil
35.
What type of fossil is shown in the picture?
a)
Trace Fossil
b)
Preserved Remain
c)
Cast Fossil
d)
Mold Fossil
36.
What can fossils show scientist?
a)
What life forms lived in the past
b)
what the Earth's environment was like in the past
c)
How life has changed over time
d)
All of the above
37.
What is relative age/dating?
a)
The age of a fossil compared to the ages of another fossil.
b)
the number of years since the rock was formed
c)
The age of a fossil
38.
After 2 half lives, how much of the radioactive atom is still present?
a)
50%
b)
25%
c)
100%
d)
0%
39.
How do scientists use index fossils?
a)
It provides a time frame the rock layer was formed.
b)
It tells them the exact age of the rock layer.
c)
It doesn't tell them anything.
40.
What is the youngest layer in the outcrop?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
41.
A scientist who studies fossils is called a ________________.
a)
paleontologist
b)
geologist
c)
astronomer
d)
scientist
42.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
43.
What type of fossil fills a mold, and is a model of the actual organism?
a)
cast
b)
trace
c)
carbon imprint
44.
What is a Fossil?
a)
Any dead organism
b)
The preserved remains or traces of an organism
c)
A perfect copy of a rock
d)
None of the above
45.
How do MOST fossils form?
a)
living things die and their remains are quickly buried by
sediments
b)
the hard parts of an organism dry out in the air
c)
the soft parts of an organism change to stone
d)
freezing preserves the remains of an organism
46.
Fossilized seashells that were found in the desert MOST LIKELY tell us that
a)
Sea animals live in the desert
b)
The desert was once underwater
c)
All deserts were once underwater
d)
All of the above are true
47.
_________ fossils can be found in tar, amber, deserts, and ice.
a)
trace
b)
preserved
c)
petrified
d)
cast
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