wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Fossils & Geological Time

Total questions: 80

Worksheet time: 51mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Used to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred throughout Earth's history

a)

absolute age

b)

Law of Superposition

c)

classification

d)

geologic time scale

2.

A geological time that is a subdivision of an eon. It is divided into periods. Examples are Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleonzoic

a)

eon

b)

era

c)

period

d)

epoch

3.

A time scale- 2 or more of these form an era (it is shorter than an era). It cross-references rocks and geological events.

a)

stratigraphy

b)

eon

c)

era

d)

period

4.

The most recent era of geologic time, from 65 million years ago to the present.

a)

Paleozoic

b)

Triassic

c)

Cambrian

d)

Cenozoic

5.

A preserved remain of an organism that gives us a history of the Earth.

a)

geologist

b)

stratigraphy

c)

fossil

d)

epoch

6.

States that in any undisturbed sequence of rocks deposited in layers, the youngest layer is on top and the oldest on bottom.

a)

stratigraphy

b)

classification

c)

Law of Superposition

d)

paleontology

7.

A person who studies fossils.

a)

paleontologist

b)

dinosaurologist

c)

neurologist

d)

oceanologist

8.

Noting or pertaining to the earliest era of earth history, ending 570 million years ago, during which the earth's crust formed and life first appeared in the seas.

a)

cenozoic time

b)

mesozoic time

c)

paleozoic time

d)

precambrian time

9.
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
10.
What type of rock do fossils form in?
a)
Igneous
b)
Sedimentary
c)
Metamorphic
d)
Classic
11.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
12.
The dinosaurs and reptiles were dominant in which Era?
a)
Precambrian
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Cenozoic
13.
Known as the age of the mammals?
a)
Mesozoic Era
b)
Holocene Epoch
c)
Cenozoic Era
d)
Cambrian
14.
The disappearance of a species.
a)
Evolution
b)
Extinction
c)
Migration
d)
Mutation
15.
The process in which the nuclei of radioactive elements break down, releasing fast-moving particles and decay.
a)
relative age
b)
half-life
c)
absolute age
d)
radioactive decay
16.

What type of event usually marks the end of an Era

a)

A Mass Extinction

b)

A Quinceanera

c)

An earthquake

d)

A Volcanic Eruption

17.

90% of Earth’s history occurred during which era?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

18.

The time that it takes 50% of an element to decay is called what?

a)

radioactive decay

b)

superposition

c)

half-life

d)

relative dating

19.

Index fossils are used by geologists to

a)

match rocks of the same age in different regions

b)

determine the relative age of rocks in one place

c)

identify organisms that did not leave fossil evidence behind

d)

determine why some organisms became extinct

20.

The earth is ______________of years old

a)

Hundreds

b)

Millions

c)

Billions

d)

Trillions

21.

Mammals are a dominant group in which era?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Cambrianozoic

22.

What era did the formation of the earth occur?

a)

Paleozoic

b)

Precambrian

c)

Cenozoic

d)

Cambrian

23.

What are the four eras in order from OLDEST to NEWEST?

a)

Pre-Cambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic

b)

Pre-Cambrian, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Cenozoic

c)

Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Pre-Cambrian

d)

Mesozoic, Pre-Cambrian, Cenozoic, Paleozoic

24.

What era did trilobites, fishes, and other marine organisms dominate?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

25.

Which era is the most recent, the one that we are currently in?

a)

Mesozoic

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Cenozoic

d)

Precambrian

26.

Scientists chose where units of geologic time began and ended based on the appearance or disappearance of life.

a)

true

b)

false

27.

The dinosaurs and reptiles were dominant in which Era?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Cenozoic

28.

At the end of this era, multi-cellular organisms like sponges, jellyfish and worms filled the oceans.

a)

Precambrian Era

b)

Paleozoic Era

c)

Mesozoic Era

d)

Cenozoic Era

29.

What is the purpose of a geological timeline?

a)

The geological timeline was created by scientists to genetically engineer new organisms in the ecosystem

b)

The geological timeline was created by engineers to predict which organisms will die soon

c)

The geological timeline was created by scientists who studied rocks and fossils in order to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history

30.
Which of the three is the larger time segment? 
a)
Era
b)
Eon
c)
Period
d)
Epoch 
31.
Which of the following statements about the fossil record is true?
a)
all organisms become fossils
b)
organisms having soft body parts make up most of the fossils
c)
all organisms that have shells become fossils
d)
the fossil record is incomplete
32.
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
33.
The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?
a)
The absolute age of rock layers
b)
The age of fossils
c)
The relative age of rock layers
d)
the super powers of rocks
34.
This period contained very large insects
a)
Devonian
b)
Carboniferous
c)
Cambrian
d)
Cretaceous
35.
Which organism first appeared in the Mesozoic?
a)
Trilobites
b)
Dinosaurs
c)
Cyanobacteria
d)
Humans
36.
Which era ended with the K-T extinction, probably due to an asteroid?
a)
Paleozoic
b)
Phanerozoic
c)
Cenozoic
d)
Mesozoic
37.
Which era are we in now?
a)
Precambrian
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Cenozoic
38.
Pangea broke up in the 
a)
Paleozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Archean
d)
Cenozoic
39.
We think our atmospheric oxygen came from
a)
asteroids
b)
comets
c)
cyanobacteria
d)
vascular plants
40.
Jellyfish appeared in the
a)
Precambrian
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Quaternary
d)
Devonian
41.

Where would you find the oldest fossils?

a)

at the top

b)

at the bottom

c)

in the middle

42.

Which fossil is oldest?

a)

the crab

b)

the fish

c)

the frog

d)

the plant

43.

The idea that the oldest fossils are at the bottom is called ____________.

a)

The Law of Superposition

b)

The Law of the Land

c)

Relative Dating

d)

Absolute Dating

44.

Fossils that were common but lived for only a short time are used as ____________

a)

toothpicks

b)

hammers

c)

index fossils

d)

paperweights

45.

Index fossils are used to _____________

a)

fill up big holes in the ground.

b)

make students feel sad

c)

hold open doors.

d)

help scientists figure out how old other rocks and fossils are.

46.

Knowing whether a fossil is older or younger than another fossil is _____________.

a)

just being smart.

b)

Absolute Dating.

c)

Relative Dating.

d)

Saturday night Dating.

47.

Knowing exactly how old someone or something is is called __________.

a)

Relative Dating

b)

Absolute Dating

c)

Strata

d)

The Law of Superposition

48.

Which period is older than the Triassic?

a)

Jurassic

b)

Cretaceous

c)

Paleocene

d)

Archean

49.

Scientists do not find trilobite fossils in rock layers newer than the Permian period. This means...

a)

trilobites are extinct.

b)

trilobites are hiding.

c)

Mrs. Weiland has a pet trilobite named Wiggly.

50.
A bug stuck in amber is an example of what type of fossil?
a)
cast
b)
mold
c)
trace
d)
preserved remains
51.

When the last of its kind dies, a species is _________________.

a)

endangered

b)

extinct

c)

fossil

d)

cast

52.

The remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived long ago is a _____________________.

a)

fossil

b)

mass extinction

c)

mold

d)

cast

53.

An event that results in the dying off of many species is called _______________________________

a)

threatened species

b)

index fossils

c)

molds

d)

mass extinction

54.

An impression of an organism, formed when sediment hardens around the organism is called a _________________________.

a)

cast

b)

mold

c)

fossil

55.

A model of an organism, formed when sediment fills a mold and hardens, is a

a)

cast

b)

mold

c)

fossil

56.

A fossil is a type of organism that lived in many places during a relatively short time span is called a(n) ____________________________.

a)

trace fossil

b)

extinct

c)

index fossil

d)

mold

57.

Not every animal or plant becomes a fossil when it dies. Which event BEST helps a fossil form?

a)

Water washes away dirt

b)

Animals eat the soft tissues

c)

Wind blows the dead organism away

d)

Sediment quickly buries the dead organism

58.

Josh read about a land animal whose fossils were found in similar rock layers in Africa and South America. What can he conclude from his discovery?

a)

Animal fossils all look alike.

b)

The landmasses were once joined.

c)

The animals swam across the ocean.

d)

The fossils formed in an ocean and washed ashore.

59.

Malaya is collecting fossils. She found one whose original material had been replaced by quartz. What type of fossil did she find?

a)

trace fossil

b)

carbon film

c)

petrified wood

d)

mummified body

60.

Suppose you found fossils of sharks and other fish in a nearby forest. What could you infer about the area from these discoveries?

a)

The area was once a desert.

b)

The area was once an ocean.

c)

The area was once a forest.

d)

The area was once an ice field.

61.

Dinosaurs lived in parts of the US over 70 million years ago. What most likely caused the dinosaurs to become extinct?

a)

The environment changed.

b)

The food became poisonous

c)

The number of plants increased.

d)

The number of competitors increased.

62.

Come dinosaur fossils have body parts that look like wings. What might you conclude about these animals, based on the fossil evidence?

a)

These dinosaurs could fly.

b)

These dinosaurs lived in the ocean.

c)

These dinosaurs ate plants.

d)

These dinosaurs were tiny.

63.

What is a "living fossil"?

a)

a fossil that is easily identified

b)

an organism that is at least 100 years old

c)

a fossil that is well known in the scientific community

d)

a living organism that looks similar to its ancient ancestors

64.

Study the rock layers in the diagram. Which rock layer is probably the oldest?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

65.
How are Sedimentary Rocks formed?
a)
Cooling and Hardening
b)
Heat and Pressure
c)
Compacting and Cementing
d)
Melting
66.
In what kind of rock can fossils be found?
a)
Sedimentary Rocks
b)
Igneous Rocks
c)
Metamorphic Rocks
d)
Granite
67.
How are fossils created?
a)
Traces of organisms get turned into stone.
b)
Dead organisms are quickly buried for millions of years.
c)
Animals get trapped.
d)
All of the above
68.
Which layer formed first?
a)
Rock Layer W
b)
Rock Layer X
c)
Rock Layer Y
d)
Rock Layer Z
69.
Sedimentary rocks form when broken bits of other rock are deposited and then -
a)
buried and squeezed and cemented together
b)
melted by the heat of the Earth's core
c)
completely dissolved in the salt water of the ocean 
d)
used by humans as a natural resource
70.
Fossils give us evidence about which of the following?
a)
plants and animals that lived long ago
b)
how weathering and erosion break down rocks
c)
the other planets in our solar system
d)
the transfer of energy from one form  to another
71.
Finding the fossils of trees in an area that is currently a desert without much life might tell us that the area, millions of years ago - 
a)
was heavily eroded by strong winds
b)
received enough rain to support a forest
c)
suffered very powerful earthquakes
d)
was destroyed by the impact of meteorites
72.
Several wooly mammoth fossils have been found. Mammoths, which lived hundreds of thousands of years ago, were covered with thick fur.  Based on the evidence, mammoth fossils tell us that the area in which they are found - 
a)
has too many humans 
b)
no longer has large animals 
c)
was, at one time, very cold
d)
receives more rain that it used to 
73.
Finding fossils in an area can help us learn what about that location?
a)
Which places in the region receive the most sunlight
b)
The effect of the climate on the formation of the soil
c)
How modern plants and animals interact there
d)
The kinds of organisms that lived there long ago
74.
An area is currently a forest.  What evidence would best indicate that this area was covered by water millions of years ago?
a)
An increase in rainfall in the forest over time
b)
The presence of plants in the forest that need water to live
c)
Fossils of fish discovered in rock below the forest
d)
Insects in the forest that lay their eggs in the water
75.
Herbivores are animals that eat plants.  Finding many fossils of large herbivores in rocks that are millions of years old would lead to what conclusion about the ancient environment of the area?  A reasonable conclusion is that the area was once a -
a)
rocky seashore
b)
thriving grassland
c)
frozen lake
d)
muddy swamp
76.
Small pieces of rock are also called
a)
sediment
b)
coal
c)
organic matter
d)
erosion
77.
Rock made of layers of compressed sediments
a)
metamorphic rock
b)
igneous rock
c)
sedimentary rock
d)
school house rock
78.
The breakdown of rock into smaller particles from the effects of wind, water and ice
a)
erosion
b)
cementation 
c)
pressure
d)
weathering
79.
Wind, water, ice and gravity carry sediments away
a)
weathering
b)
deposition
c)
erosion
d)
cementation
80.
A mark or depression made by pressure
a)
fossil fuel
b)
imprint
c)
coal

Similar Resources on Wayground

Final Review

80 questions

Final Review

quiz

Worksheet

•

KG - University

Punnett Square time

78 questions

Punnett Square time

quiz

Worksheet

•

4th - 10th Grade

Skeletal and Muscular systems

84 questions

Skeletal and Muscular systems

quiz

Worksheet

•

7th Grade

Quiz 12 Ecology Quiz

80 questions

Quiz 12 Ecology Quiz

quiz

Worksheet

•

7th Grade

K4 Ecologie bs 1 t/m 6

79 questions

K4 Ecologie bs 1 t/m 6

quiz

Worksheet

•

7th Grade

Plant Reproduction 2023

78 questions

Plant Reproduction 2023

quiz

Worksheet

•

7th Grade

Human Anatomy Study Guide - LL

81 questions

Human Anatomy Study Guide - LL

quiz

Worksheet

•

6th - 8th Grade

7th Grade Science Final review

76 questions

7th Grade Science Final review

quiz

Worksheet

•

7th Grade