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Unit 4 - Geologic Time

Total questions: 22

Worksheet time: 5hrs 52mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the name of the most recent era in geologic time?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

2.

Which era lasted the longest?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Precambrian

3.

The Earth is _____________________ years old.

a)

4.6 million

b)

4.6 billion

c)

4.6 trillion

d)

4.6 zillion

4.

What is stratigraphy?

a)

the study of the fossilized remains of plants and animals

b)

the study of the layers of rock

c)

the study of how the continents have moved and are still moving

d)

the study of how carbon is stored in Earth's permafrost

5.

What is the Law of Superposition?

a)

All principle that states that rock layers were formed as horizontal layers

b)

A gap in rock layers due to erosion of a weak layer of rock

c)

A principle that states that an intrusive layer of igneous rock will always be younger than the rock it cuts through.

d)

A principle that states that the deeper a rock is, the older it is unless it has been disturbed or altered.

6.

What is the Law of Original Horizontality?

a)

All principle that states that rock layers were formed as flat layers

b)

A gap in rock layers due to erosion of a weak layer of rock

c)

A principle that states that an intrusive layer of igneous rock will always be younger than the rock it cuts through.

d)

A principle that states that the deeper a rock is, the older it is unless it has been disturbed or altered.

7.

What is Relative Age Dating?

a)

The dating of rocks in how they compare to the rocks that are around them.

b)

The use of fossils to help find the age of a rock.

c)

The use of radioactive elements in rock to find a highly accurate estimate of the age of the rock.

d)

Dating of a rock layer based on how far it is from Earth's core.

8.

What is Absolute Age Dating?

a)

The dating of rocks in how they compare to the rocks that are around them.

b)

The use of fossils to help find the age of a rock.

c)

The use of radioactive elements in rock to find a highly accurate estimate of the age of the rock.

d)

Dating of a rock layer based on how far it is from Earth's core.

9.

Which layer is the oldest?

a)

E

b)

A

c)

B

d)

C

e)

D

10.

Fossils such as footprints, burrows or droppings.

a)

Index Fossils

b)

Unconformities

c)

Petrified Wood

d)

Trace fossils

11.

Fossils made from organisms that were fairly common and existed only during a certain span of time, used to determine the age of rock layers.

a)

Index Fossils

b)

Unconformities

c)

Inclusions

d)

Trace Fossils

12.

Fossils tell us what? Check all that apply.

a)

How species have change overtime

b)

How old species are by the layers they are contains

c)

How Earth has changed overtime

d)

What species have went extinct

13.

Mass Extinction is best defined as....

a)

Complete loss or death of a species

b)

an abnormally large amount of species die out simultaneously or within a short period of time

c)

Change in global or regional climate patterns

d)

Change in climate during which glaciers covered much of the Earth

14.

Life during the Precambrian was complex and diverse, but life was small and simple in the Mesozoic Era

a)

True

b)

False

15.

The mass extinction event at the end of the Paleozoic era where more than 95% of all marine species went extinct was a result of a rapid climate change caused by the release of __________ from massive volcanic eruptions. The increase in this gas is also happening today as a result human activities (burning fossil fuels and coal).

a)

oxygen

b)

carbon dioxide

c)

hydrocarbons

d)

nitrogen

16.

Fossils can only be found in this type of rock.

a)

metamorphic

b)

sedimentary

c)

igneous

d)

asteroids

17.

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

18.

The dinosaurs and reptiles were dominant in which Era?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Cenozoic

19.
Which of the following correctly lists the geologic time  periods in order from OLDEST to MOST RECENT?
a)
Precambrian, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Cenozoic
b)
Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Precambrian
c)
Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic
d)
Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Precambrian, Cenozoic
20.

Most of the evolution of life on Earth took place __________ in geologic time.

a)

long ago

b)

recently

c)

today

d)

within the last million years

21.

Think about plants and animals moving on to land. Why

do you think the animals came second?

4 lines
22.

Explain how the presence or absence of certain organisms in layers lets us know that the climate may have changed.

4 lines