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Fossils and Geologic Time Scale

Total questions: 39

Worksheet time: 40mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Finding the age of a rock based on comparing the amounts of unstable, radioactive particles to stable particles in a sample is called:

a)

radiometric dating

b)

relative dating

2.

In which time period are we currently living?

a)

Precambrian Time

b)

Paleozoic Era

c)

Mesozoic Era

d)

Cenozoic Era

3.

The Principle of ______ states that geologic processes that happened in the past can be explained by current geologic processes.

a)

climate

b)

fossil

c)

ice core

d)

trace fossil

e)

Uniformitarianism

4.

_____________ are the trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago.

a)

climate

b)

Fossils

c)

Ice core

d)

Trace fossil

e)

Uniformitarianism

5.

The __________ of and area describes the weather conditions in the area over a long period of time.

a)

climate

b)

Fossils

c)

ice core

d)

trace fossil

e)

Uniformitarianism

6.

Scientists can drill down into ice caps to collect a long cylinder of ice, called an _______________.

a)

climate

b)

Fossils

c)

ice core

d)

trace fossil

e)

Uniformitarianism

7.
Scientists who study fossils are called
a)
Geologists
b)
Paleontologists
c)
Fossil Scientists
d)
Meteorologists
8.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)
Trace fossil
9.
Which layer is oldest?
a)
A
b)
W
c)
G
d)
Z
10.

In which kind of rock do we usually find a fossil?

a)

sedimentary rock

b)

igneous rock

c)

metamorphic rock

d)

magma rock

11.
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
12.
According to the law of superposition, which layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
13.
Which is the most recent era of time- the one that we are currently in?
a)
Mesozoic 
b)
Paleozoic 
c)
Cenozoic 
d)
Precambrian 
14.
The era that dinosaurs ruled the Earth's land, air and oceans.
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Precambrian
d)
Mesozoic
15.
Which is an example of a trace fossil?
a)
animal tracks
b)
coprolite
c)
burrows
d)
all of the answers given here
16.
What is an example of an index fossil?
a)
t-rex fossils
b)
insect in amber
c)
trilobites or ammonites
d)
woolly mammoth fossils
17.
What is a fossil?
a)
the remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geologic processes
b)
fossils can be preserved in rock, amber, asphalt, or ice
c)
any naturally preserved evidence of animal activity
d)
fossil of an organism that lived during a relatively short period of time
18.
Fossilized tracks or other evidence of activity of an organism.
a)
trail 
b)
trace 
c)
index
d)
absolute 
19.
Which of the following would NOT help an organism become fossilized?
a)
shell 
b)
skeleton 
c)
buried quickly with sediment 
d)
soft body parts 
20.
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
21.

Which statement is true about the fossil record?

a)

It provides evidence for history of life on Earth

b)

It is a record of all living things

c)

It shows how our climate has remained the same over time

d)

It does not support the theory of evolution

22.

Describes a group of living things that are no longer living.

a)

fossil

b)

extinct

c)

endangered

d)

dinosaur

23.

The hardened remains of a living thing that died long ago.

a)

fossil

b)

extinct

c)

endangered

d)

minerals

24.

Why are there more animal fossils than plant fossils?

a)

Animals are smaller than plants.

b)

Plants have harder bodies than animals.

c)

Plans have softer bodies than animals.

d)

Animals eat plants.

25.

Which type of fossil would look just like the body part of a once-living thing?

a)

mineral

b)

footprint

c)

cast

d)

petrified wood

26.

Which is an imprint fossil?

a)

bone

b)

a cast

c)

an animal track

d)

amber fossil

27.

Which type of rock are most fossils found?

a)

sedimentary rock

b)

metamorphic rock

c)

igneous rock

d)

fossils

28.

An animal has sharp, pointy teeth, what can we infer about this animal?

a)

The animal lived in the water

b)

The animal lived near the beach.

c)

The animal is a carnivore.

d)

The animal only ate plants.

29.

If a scientist found a fish fossil in the desert, what can they infer?

a)

An animal ate the fish.

b)

The water covered the area long ago.

c)

Today's fish looks the same

d)

The fish is endangered.

30.

How are an elephant and a mammoth alike?

a)

They are both endangered.

b)

They are both extinct.

c)

They both have tusks.

d)

They both live in a warm climate.

31.

What statement is true about fossils?

a)

All living organisms leave behind fossils.

b)

Fossils show that camels never change.

c)

Some living things have not really changed in millions of years.

d)

Plant fossils have never changed.

32.

Which of these animals is extinct?

a)

Camel

b)

Rhino

c)

Red Panda

d)

Saber-toothed cat

33.

What replaces the wood of a once-living thing to form petrified wood?

a)

amber

b)

cast

c)

mold

d)

minerals

34.

This type of fossil is tree sap hardened and replaced by minerals.

a)

Petrified wood

b)

Imprint

c)

Amber

d)

Mold

35.

What can we infer about animals with dull teeth?

a)

They ate other animals.

b)

They ate only plants.

c)

They ate nothing.

d)

They only ate fish.

36.

The idea that conditions on Earth change in quick, violent events...

a)

catastrophism

b)

uniformitarianism

37.

The idea that geologic processes occurring today have occurred in the past...

a)

catastrophism

b)

uniformitarianism

38.

How do fossils form?

a)

An organisms is rapidly buried. The sediments and minerals replace the tissues.

b)

An organism is buried slowly. Only bones can become fossils

39.

Which is a mold?

a)

the impression left by an organism

b)

a copy of the organism, like a statue