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Geologic Time Scale

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is an index fossil?

a)

A fossil that is useful for dating and correlating the strata in which it is found.

b)

A fossil that has been recorded in the index of geology reference guides.

c)

A fossil that is long-lived, widespread, and abundant.

d)

A fossil that is useful in correlating skeletal structures of earlier life forms.

2.

Which rock strata is the youngest?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

e)

E

3.

Which rock strata is the oldest?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

e)

E

4.

Which relative rock dating law(s) are shown in the image?

a)

Law of superposition only.

b)

Law of superposition and crosscutting.

c)

Law of inclusion and superposition.

d)

Law of inclusion only.

5.

Putting laundry in the basket over time best illustrates which rocking dating law?

a)

Radioactive dating.

b)

Law of superposition.

c)

Law of crosscutting.

d)

Law of inclusion.

6.

What is the principle that states Earth's processes occurring today are similar to those that occurred in the past?

a)

Index fossils

b)

Unconformities

c)

Uniformitaianism

d)

Superposition

7.

Relative rock dating...

a)

compares the age of surrounding rock layers.

b)

uses radioactive dating methods.

c)

uses the law of crosscutting only.

d)

is not always reliable.

8.

What is an unfonformity in rock strata?

a)

a missing interval in the strata record.

b)

an interruption in rock strata by weather and erosion.

c)

an interruption in rock strata by earthquakes or magma.

d)

All of the above.

9.

Dinosaurs and early human ancestors coexisted at one time.

a)

True

b)

False

10.

What determines when an era begins and ends?

a)

Mass extinction.

b)

Every 1 billion years.

c)

The distance between index fossils.

d)

The rise of oxygen.

11.

Which statement(s) are true about the rock strata shown?

a)

Fossils 2 and 4 lived around the same time.

b)

Fossils 3 and 6 lived around the same time.

c)

Fossil 1 is younger than fossil 4.

d)

Fossil 5 is younger than fossil 2.

12.

Which image best shows the law of inclusion?

a)
b)
c)
d)
13.

Which type of rock do fossils form in?

a)

Sedimentary

b)

Intrusive igneous

c)

Extrusive igneous

d)

Metamorphic

14.

Which of the following does NOT preserve fossils?

a)

Amber (tree sap)

b)

Tar

c)

Ice

d)

Magma

15.

A majority of the fossil record we have is of

a)

dinosaurs.

b)

marine creatures.

c)

plant specimens.

d)

insects.