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Fossil Dating

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The use of a fossil found in a rock to indicate the age of this rock is known as:

a)

Relative Dating

b)

Correlation

c)

Radiometric Dating

d)

Absolute Dating

2.

What is not a quality of an index fossil?

a)

Distinctive

b)

Abundant with wide geological distribution

c)

Limited live existence

d)

Contains no hard parts

3.

What is the Principle of Fossil Succession (Superposition)?

a)

New strata are always deposited on top of existing strata

b)

Layers of sediment initially extend laterally in all directions and will be the same age over a valley

c)

The geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features

d)

Any rock fragments that are included in rock must be older than the rock in which they are included

4.

How many years is Carbon Dating restricted?

a)

50 thousand years

b)

5 million years

c)

5730 years

d)

10 thousand years

5.

What is the Principle of Lateral Continuity?

a)

New strata are always deposited on top of existing strata

b)

Layers of sediment initially extend laterally in all directions and will be the same age over a valley

c)

The geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features

d)

Any rock fragments that are included in rock must be older than the rock in which they are included

6.

What is Radiometric Dating?

a)

Arrangement of geological events and rocks left behind in a sequence

b)

Materials found on the rock surface that indicate its age

c)

Observation of strata to comparatively determine their age

d)

Technique used to numerically determine the approximate age of fossils or rocks

7.

What is the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships?

a)

New strata are always deposited on top of existing strata

b)

Layers of sediment initially extend laterally in all directions and will be the same age over a valley

c)

The geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features

d)

Any rock fragments that are included in rock must be older than the rock in which they are included

8.

What are times on the geological timeline?

a)

Eon, Era, Period, Epoch

b)

Era, Generation, Period, Age

c)

Age, Era, Phase, Eon

d)

Integer, Epoch, Eon, Period

9.

What is the Principle of Inclusions?

a)

New strata are always deposited on top of existing strata

b)

Layers of sediment initially extend laterally in all directions and will be the same age over a valley

c)

The geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features

d)

Any rock fragments that are included in rock must be older than the rock in which they are included

10.

How many years is a half life of Carbon-14?

a)

4730 years

b)

5250 years

c)

5730 years

d)

5649 years

11.

What is Relative Dating?

a)

An invasive method used to determine the age of a fossil or rock

b)

Analysis of the rate of disintegration of radioactive elements in a fossil, mineral or rock

c)

Observation of the arrangement of strata to comparatively determine their age

d)

Technique used to numerically determine the approximate age of fossils or rocks

12.

What are examples of index fossils?

a)

Trilobite

b)

Ammonite

c)

Lingula

d)

Gastropod

13.

Select the layers of the same age.

a)

1 & C

b)

3 & D

c)

2 & B

d)

5 & A

14.

How can fossil and rock dating be used to support the development of the geological timeline? (3 marks)

4 lines
15.

What is an index fossil, and what is it used for? (3 marks)

4 lines