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WorksheetsGeologic Time Scale Test Review
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 15mins
The illustration provided shows three rock layers and an intrusion of basalt. The rock strata indicate that the basaltic intrusion must have occurred–
after the limestone was deposited.
before the granite was formed.
after the sandstone was deposited.
before all three layers were formed.
The diagram here provides information on when the fossils of certain organisms are found in the fossil record. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the data in this diagram?
Jellyfish are the oldest living organisms that ever existed.
Trilobites and dinosaurs did not live at the same time.
Most mammals are in competition with birds for resources.
Mammals did not appear until after the dinosaurs went extinct.
The fossil remains of organisms with skeletons are not found in the lowest layers of rock discovered. How is the lack of fossilized skeletons in the lowest rock layers best explained?
Organisms with skeletons did not evolve until after these rock layers formed.
The fossils of organisms with skeletons are only found in the oldest rocks.
Fossil skeletons are usually crushed if other rock layers are above the ones they are in.
Organisms with skeletons live only at the highest altitudes, which is where they turn to fossils.
The illustration here shows rock layers in their original order, along with a fracture in some rock layers caused by an earthquake. Based on the evidence in the illustration, an earthquake occurred–
before layer W was deposited.
before layer X was deposited.
after layer Y was deposited.
after layer Z was deposited.
The illustration shows rock layers from three different locations and fossils the rock layers contain. The fossils are all trilobites, ancient organisms that were different over time. Which conclusion can be drawn from the information in the illustration?
The trilobite Cyclopygidae appeared most recently of those shown here.
The trilobite Ceratopigidae appeared before all the others.
The trilobite Remopleiridae is the oldest of all the trilobites.
The trilobite Asaphidae appeared most recently of those shown here.
The mineralized remains of organisms and the rock layers in which they are found
Geologic time scale
Rock strata
Fossil record
Stratigraphy
The sedimentary layers of rock in Earth
Fossil
Rock strata
Geologic time scale
Fossil record
The study of rock layers
Rock strata
Geologic time scale
Fossil record
Stratigraphy
The preserved remains or trace of an organism
Fossil
Rock strata
Geologic time scale
Stratigraphy
The measurement to describe the timing and relationship of the events that have occurred throughout Earth’s history
Fossil
Rock strata
Geologic time scale
Fossil record
Which gives scientists an EXACT measurement of how old a fossil or rock is?
Relative Dating
Absolute Dating
Stratigraphy
Cross-cutting relationships
Approximately how old is the Earth?
250 million years
4 billion years
1.5 billion years
4.6 billion years
The layers of rock strata are oldest on the bottom and youngest on the top.
Absolute Dating
Cross-cutting relationships
Law of Superposition
Relative Dating
The following diagram shows where, in layers of rock, fossils of certain organisms are found. The information in the diagram supports which of the following conclusions?
Birds descended directly from trilobites and dinosaurs.
Trilobites became extinct before dinosaurs appeared on Earth.
Jellyfish live longer than any other organism on Earth.
Mammals did not appear on Earth until after the dinosaurs went extinct.
The data table below provides information on the ancestors of the modern horse. Over the evolutionary history of the horse, there have been several trends in how their bodies have changed. Which trend shows a decrease?
The number of toes on the fore feet
The length of the skull
The height of the animal
The length of their molars
Three different rock layer sequences from three locations, each with different trilobite fossils, are shown here. Based on the relative positions of the fossils, which of the following conclusions is best supported by the fossil evidence?
Auritimidae was the last trilobite to appear.
Cyclopygidae appeared after Ceratopigidae.
Remopleiridae appeared before Auritimidae.
Cyclopygidae was the first trilobite to appear.
This diagram provides information on the diversity, in number of species, for four major groups of animals over time. What is the only group that experienced an increase of diversity between 413 million years ago and 265 million years ago?
Mollusks
Arthropods
Echinoderms
Chordates
Over the evolutionary history of a certain kind of fish, the trend is for an increasing number of teeth. The data table provides information for several examples. A fossil of a new species of this type of fish (W. amatequorum) is discovered. The complete fossil skeleton is found, and it has 34 teeth. The most reasonable estimation for the age of this fossil would be which of the following?
About 20 million years old
About 30 million years old
About 70 million years old
About 100 million years old
Remains, impressions, or traces of an organism that lived in the past
Sedimentary layers
Fossils
Diversity
Extinction
Variation among organisms in an ecosystem
Sedimentary layers
Fossils
Diversity
Extinction
The state of no longer existing
Sedimentary layers
Fossils
Diversity
Extinction
Rock formed in layers from deposition and solidification
Sedimentary layers
Fossils
Diversity
Extinction
Which technique measures the amounts of a radioactive substance and its decay?
cross-cutting relationships
radiometric dating
dendrochronology
superposition
Which type of organism was the first to evolve on Earth?
bird
insect
reptile
bacteria
The Eon that gets its name from the Greek god of the underworld-
Hadean Eon
Archean
Proterozoic
Phanerozoic
