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Clues to Earth's Past

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Carbon films are formed when a thin film of carbon is left, forming an outline of the original organism

a)

True

b)

False

2.

To be a useful index fossil, a species must have been rare.

a)

True

b)

False

3.

A geologist who needed to correlate two rock formations in different areas could match exposed rock layers.

a)

True

b)

False

4.

The principle of original horizontality states that sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal layers.

a)

True

b)

False

5.

The remains of living plants or animals are called fossils.

a)

True

b)

False

6.

According to the law of superposition, the youngest rock layers are closest to the surface.

a)

True

b)

False

7.

Fossils most often form when a dead organism is buried in sediments.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

Molds, casts, trace and petrified wood are all examples of

a)

fossils

b)

radioactive

c)

unconformities

d)

disconformities

9.

The principle of superposition can be used to determine.

a)

the actual age of these rock layers

b)

the relative densities

c)

the actual temperatures of these rock layers

d)

the relative age of these rock layers

10.

The oldest rock layers in an undisturbed rock sequence occurs

a)

at the bottom of the sequence

b)

below the sedimentary rock layer

c)

below the unconformity

d)

at the top of the sequence

11.

What is the hardened tree sap that fossil insects are preserved in?

a)

trace fossils

b)

coprolites

c)

amber

12.

An example of a fossil with original preservation includes a

a)

insect embedded in amber

b)

coprolite

c)

dinosaur footprint

d)

mold of a fish skeleton

13.

Index fossils are useful to geologists if the fossils

a)

have lived over a short period of time

b)

are not easily recognized

c)

are not widely distributed geographically

d)

are scarce

14.

An example of trace fossil includes a

a)

cast of a clam

b)

nests

c)

raindrop impression

d)

footprints

15.

Gaps in rock layers are called

a)

unconformities

b)

index fossils

c)

half-lives

d)

none of the above