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Relative and Absolute Dating

Total questions: 55

Worksheet time: 2hrs 48mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

States that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed

a)

superposition

b)

cross-cutting

c)

unconformity

d)

uniformitarianism

2.

A break in the geologic record that is made when rock layers are ERODED over a long period of time

a)

superposition

b)

relative dating

c)

unconformity

d)

cross-cutting

3.

What is the law of superposition?

a)

The age of sedimentary rock not found in the original layers.

b)

Metamorphic rock is younger than the nearby igneous rock.

c)

Sedimentary rock in it's original position is older than layers above it.

d)

Metamorphic rock is older because it was deposited to nearby sedimentary rock.

4.

Analyze the seashell found in the white layer. Which statement is true of the rock layer that contains this fossil?

a)

It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.

b)

It is older than the layers below it.

c)

It is younger than the layers above it.

d)

It is older than the layers above it.

5.

What are the relative ages of the features in order from oldest to youngest?

a)

Limestone, Basalt, Fault, Siltstone

b)

Siltstone, Fault, Basalt, Limestone

c)

Limestone, Fault, Basalt, Siltstone

d)

Limestone, Siltstone, Fault, Basalt

6.

Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?

a)

F

b)

B

c)

E

d)

A

7.

According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?

a)

F

b)

B

c)

E

d)

A

8.

Which of the following is the oldest?

a)

Layer L

b)

Intrusion H

c)

Intrusion D

d)

Layer E

9.

How does sedimentary rock usually form?

a)

Vertically

b)

Folding

c)

Diagonally

d)

Horizontally

10.

Layer B on side #1 (left) is a match to which layer on side #2 (right)?

a)

z

b)

y

c)

w

d)

there is no match

11.

Is intrusion V older or younger than layer W?

a)

younger

b)

older

12.

What is the correct order of the rock layers from oldest to youngest?

a)

B, C, D, E, A

b)

E, D, C, B, A

c)

A, B, C, D, E

d)

B, C, D, A, E

13.

What is the correct order of the rock layers from oldest to youngest?

a)

F, E, C, B, A, D

b)

F, E, D, C, B, A

c)

A, B, C, D, E, F

d)

D, F, E, C, B, A

14.

What law states that any geologic feature that cuts across other layers is younger than layers it cuts across?

a)

Law of superpostion

b)

Law of layers

c)

Law of inclusion

d)

Law of crosscutting

15.

Layer D on site #1 (left) is a match to which layer on site #2 (right)?

a)

z

b)

y

c)

w

d)

there is not a match

16.

Unstable atoms that decay (change) and are considered radioactive

a)

Isotope

b)

Half-Life

c)

Absolute Dating

d)

Radiometric Dating

17.

Length of time for half the atoms of an isotope to decay

a)

Isotope

b)

Half-Life

c)

Radiometric Dating

d)

Absolute Dating

18.

Scientists use radiometric dating (radioactive decay) to measure...

a)

relative time (dating)

b)

absolute time (dating)

c)

half-lives

d)

time of day

19.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
20.
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
21.

By saying "my dad is 48 and I am 13", it would be...

a)

relative dating (time)

b)

absolute dating (time)

c)

law of superposition

22.
Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes _____.
a)
change over time
b)
change from place to place
c)
are constant
d)
vary widely
23.
If the half-life of a radioactive group of atoms is 100 years, then how old is the rock if there have been two half-lives?
a)
25 years
b)
200 years
c)
400 years
d)
800 years
24.
What percent of carbon-14 would be left after 11,460 years? (2 half lives)
a)
100%
b)
75%
c)
50%
d)
25%
25.
How does absolute age differ from relative age?
a)
only absolute dating indicates which rock is older than another
b)
only absolute dating finds the age in years
c)
only relative dating finds the age in years
26.
What element is usually used to date fossils?
a)
uranium-235
b)
carbon-14
c)
mercury-203
d)
thorium-234
27.
The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...
a)
daughter element
b)
half-life
c)
parent element
d)
carbon-14
28.
If 10 mg of iodine 131 is given to a patient, how much is left after 24 days? The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.
a)
1.25mg
b)
1.25g
c)
10g
d)
10mg
29.
What is the half-life of iodine-131?
a)
32 days
b)
8 days
c)
16 days
d)
24 days
30.

The % of the parent isotope remaining after 2 Half Lives.

a)

50%

b)

25%

c)

12.5%

d)

6.25%

31.

The % of the parent isotope remaining after 1 Half Life.

a)

50%

b)

25%

c)

12.5%

d)

6.25%

32.

What is the Half life of this isotope?

a)

5 seconds

b)

10 seconds

c)

15 seconds

d)

20 seconds

33.

What is the half life of Carbon-14?

a)

5730 yrs

b)

1.2 billion years

c)

713 million years

d)

1.3 billion years

34.
States that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed
a)
Law of crosscutting
b)
Law of superposition
c)
Relative Dating
d)
Unconformity
35.
A break in the geologic record that is made when rock layers are eroded over a long period of time
a)
Law of Superposition
b)
Law of Crosscutting
c)
Relative Dating
d)
Unconformity
36.
Which of the following is the oldest?
a)
Layer L
b)
Intrusion D
c)
Intrusion H
d)
Layer E
37.
Analyze the seashell found in the white layer.  Which statement is true of the rock layer that contains this fossil?
a)
It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.
b)
It is older than the layers below it.
c)
It is younger than the layers above it.
d)
It is older than the layers above it.
38.
How do geologists use relative dating?
a)
Placing rocks in order from youngest to oldest
b)
Placing rocks in order by minerals they contain
c)
Classifying rocks by different textures
d)
Classifying rocks by different isotopes
39.
How have the rocks been disturbed?
a)
tilting
b)
folding
c)
faulting
d)
igneous intrusion
40.
Relative dating determines the...
a)
precise age of fossils
b)
age of fossils compared to others
c)
climate fossils survived in
d)
movement of continents
41.
The best index fossils have which two traits?
a)
widespread geographically, long lifespan
b)
widespread geographically, short lifespan
c)
specific place, long lifespan
d)
specific place, short lifespan
42.
provides evidence about the history of life and past environments on earth, and how life has changed over time
a)
relative dating
b)
fossil record
c)
unconformities
43.

a fossil found in a narrow time range but widely distributed around the earth; used to date rock layers.

a)

Petrified

b)

Mold

c)

Cast

d)

Index

e)

Trace Fossil

44.

If you will study the relative age of a rock layer, which indicator below is the more appropriate to use?

a)

The thickness of the layer

b)

The chemical makeup of the layer

c)

The distance of the layer extends over the Earth

d)

The position of the layer compared to other layers

45.

Where do the oldest rocks found in an undisturbed rock profile?

a)

at the bottom

b)

in the middle

c)

on the top

d)

anywhere

46.

Radiometric dating is used to estimate how geologic rocks are formed and infer the ages of fossils contained within those rocks. In which of the given rocks is Radiometric dating least useful?

a)

basaltic

b)

granitic

c)

metamorphic

d)

sedimentary

47.

The element that is the product of radioactive decay is known as the...

a)

daughter element

b)

half-life

c)

parent element

d)

carbon-14

48.
After the third half-life, how much of the sample is left?
a)
1/2
b)
1/3
c)
1/16
d)
1/8
49.
If 10 mg of iodine 131 is given to a patient, how much is left after 24 days? The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.
a)
1.25mg
b)
1.25g
c)
10g
d)
10mg
50.
The half-life of strontium-90 is 25 years. How much strontium-90 will remain after 100 years if the initial amount is 4.0 g?
a)
3.0g
b)
0.25mg
c)
0.3g
d)
0.25g
51.
If the half-life of uranium-232 is 70 years, how many half-lives will it take for 10 g of it to be reduced to 1.25 g?
a)
1 half-life
b)
2 half-lives
c)
3 half-lives
d)
4 half-lives
52.

After 22,800 years, approximately what percentage of the original carbon-14 remains?

a)

15%

b)

12.5%

c)

6.25%

d)

3.125%

53.

What is the Half Life of this isotope?

a)

3 days

b)

5 days

c)

8 days

d)

10 days

54.
Imagine you have 50,000 atoms of uranium-238. If U-238 has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, how many U-238 atoms will be left after 4.5 billion years? 
a)
25,000
b)
50,000
c)
12,500
d)
0
55.

The solid black sections of the bars on the graph represent the percentages of

a)

carbon-14 from the original sample that has not decayed

b)

lead-206 decay product resulting from the radioactive decay

c)

nitrogen-14 decay product resulting from the radioactive decay

d)

uranium-238 from the original sample that has not decayed

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