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Earth's History

Total questions: 67

Worksheet time: 6hrs 35mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Which layer is the oldest?
a)
3
b)
4
c)
1
d)
5
2.
Trilobites are found in the _____________.
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Cretaceous
3.
The Precambrian is the ___________ time span in Earth's history.
a)
youngest
b)
latest
c)
earliest
d)
middle
4.
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
5.
Current scientific evidence shows that the Earth is estimated to be: 
a)
Less than 1 millions years old
b)
Between 3 and 4 billion years old
c)
More than 4 billions years old
d)
Less than 2 billion years old
6.
Which word best describes relative dating?
a)
Older
b)
14 years old
c)
2017
d)
4.6 million years ago
7.
Which of the following correctly lists the layers in order from oldest to youngest?
a)
A, B, C, D, E
b)
E, B, C, D, A
c)
E, D, C, B, A
d)
C, B, A, D, E
8.
Which best describes a fossil that helps determine the relative age of a rock layer?
a)
trace fossil
b)
index fossil
c)
radioactive fossil
d)
unconformity fossil
9.

What role do faults play in the Law of Superposition?

a)

Faults create new types of rock.

b)

Faults are younger than the layers they cut through.

c)

Faults are the same age as the layers they cut through.

d)

Faults are older than the layers they cut through.

10.

According to the diagram, what is the most recent event?

a)

B

b)

I

c)

R

d)

H

11.

The diagram shows a section of land that has been undisturbed and includes a fossil.What can be concluded about the fossil?

a)

The fossil is younger than the limestone.

b)

The fossil is older than the shale.

c)

The fossil is approximately the same age as the limestone.

d)

It is approximately the same age as the sandstone.

12.

A geologist examines a rock outcrop obtained from a region with the rock layers labeled from 1 to 6.In what order were the rock layers likely deposited (laid down) over time?

a)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

b)

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 6

c)

5, 4, 3, 6, 2, 1

d)

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

13.

Pangaea refers to a...

a)

large supercontinent

b)

Greek superhero

c)

Tropical fern

d)

Mass extinction

14.

What is absolute age?

a)

comparing a rock layer to other rocks

b)

a measure of the radioactive decay of isotopes

c)

measuring the dimensions of a rock

d)

comparing the rocks to the fossils in the area

15.

What is the approximate percentage of geologic time that humans have existed on Earth since its origin?

a)

less than 1 %

b)

1.8%

c)

11.8%

d)

more than 25%

16.

Approximately 2.2 billion years ago, which gas was first added in large amounts to Earth's atmosphere from life-forms that evolved in the oceans?

a)

carbon dioxide

b)

water vapor

c)

oxygen

d)

nitrogen

17.

Which sequence shows the correct order of Earth’s geologic time intervals from oldest to youngest?

a)

Archean → Mesozoic → Cenozoic → Paleozoic → Proterozoic

b)

Archean → Proterozoic → Paleozoic → Mesozoic → Cenozoic

c)

Cenozoic → Mesozoic → Paleozoic → Proterozoic → Archean

d)

Cenozoic → Paleozoic → Archean → Mesozoic → Proterozoic

18.

Trilobite fossils were recently discovered in Himalayan Mountain bedrock. During which geologic period could these organisms have lived?

a)

Neogene

b)

Cretaceous

c)

Triassic

d)

Cambrian

19.

What is the estimated age of Earth?

a)

4.6 × 106 years

b)

4.6 × 107 years

c)

4.6 × 108 years

d)

4.6 × 109 years

20.

The major source of oxygen in Earth's Early Proterozoic atmosphere is inferred to have been produced by

a)

oceanic cyanobacteria

b)

outgassing from volcanic eruptions

c)

radioactive decay in Earth's inner core

d)

evaporation of ocean water

21.

Which two types of organisms both survived the mass extinction that occurred at the end of the Permian Period

a)

trilobites and nautiloids

b)

corals and vascular plants

c)

placoderm fish and graptolites

d)

gastropods and eurypterids

22.

Which life-forms existed on Earth during the same time period?

a)

trilobites and mastodonts

b)

dinosaurs and early humans

c)

armored fish and flowering plants

d)

ammonoids and Naples trees

23.

Valcouroceras is a New York State index fossil. Which mountain-building event occurred in New York State during the time when Valcouroceras was living in oceans covering parts of New York State?

a)

Alleghenian orogeny

b)

Acadian orogeny

c)

Taconian orogeny

d)

Grenville orogen

24.

Which characteristics of a fossil would make it useful as an index fossil in determining the relative age of widely separated rock layers?

a)

a wide time range and a narrow geographic range

b)

a wide time range and a wide geographic range

c)

a narrow time range and a wide geographic range

d)

a narrow time range and a narrow geographic range

25.

According to the fossil record, which group of organisms has existed for the greatest length of time?

a)

gastropods

b)

corals

c)

mammals

d)

vascular plants

26.

Which important geologic event in New York State occurred just after the Grenville Mountains were starting to erode?

a)

Pangea began to break up.

b)

The Iapetus Ocean began to open.

c)

The Catskill Delta formed

d)

The Taconic Mountains were eroded.

27.

Which New York landscape region is composed primarily of Cretaceous through Pleistocene unconsolidated sediments?

a)

Champlain Lowlands

b)

Erie-Ontario Lowlands

c)

Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands

d)

Atlantic Coastal Lowlands

28.

Which of the following is an EPOCH in the Cenozoic Era?

a)

Miocene

b)

Neogene

c)

Cretaceous

d)

Phanerozoic

29.

Which of the following are Periods in the Mesozoic Era?

Choose all correct answers.

a)

Jurassic

b)

Triassic

c)

Cretaceous

d)

Permian

30.

During which geologic period did Eurypterids go extinct?

a)

Permian

b)

Triassic

c)

Cretaceous

d)

Ordovician

31.

During which geologic period did the Catskill Delta form?

a)

Devonian

b)

Silurian

c)

Cambrian

d)

Paleogene

32.

Surface bedrock is not found in New York State from any time in the _________ Period

a)

Permian

b)

Devonian

c)

Cretaceous

d)

Cambrian

33.

Which index fossil could be found in the same layer as the trilobite fossil Phacops?

a)

Stylonurus

b)

Coelophysis

c)

Lichenaria

d)

Ctenocrinus

34.

Which gas did not exist in significant amounts in Earth's early atmosphere?

a)

oxygen

b)

carbon dioxide

c)

hydrogen

d)

water vapor

35.

The release of gases from volcanoes to make Earth's early atmosphere is called

a)

outgassing

b)

superposition

c)

respiration

d)

igneous intrusion

36.

The earliest insect fossils are approximately _____ million years old.

a)

420

b)

410

c)

365

d)

440

37.

During which time period were most continents furthest from the North Pole?

a)

Ordovician

b)

Paleogene

c)

Triassic

d)

Cretaceous

38.

Which index fossil is most likely to be found in Watertown, NY?

a)

Cryptolithus

b)

Hexameroceras

c)

Manticoceras

d)

Mastodont

39.

Which index fossil is most likely to be found in the Allegheny Plateau landscape region of New York?

a)

Cryptolithus

b)

Hexameroceras

c)

Manticoceras

d)

Mastodont

40.

Slide Mountain in New York is primarily composed of bedrock from the ____________ period.

a)

Devonian

b)

Silurian

c)

Ordovician

d)

Triassic

41.

Which group of organisms still exists today?

a)

Brachiopods

b)

Graptolites

c)

Ammonoids

d)

Placoderm Fish

42.

The New York State index fossil Platyceras is a type of ________.

a)

Gastropod

b)

Brachiopod

c)

Coral

d)

Graptolite

43.

When did the earliest stromatolites exist?

a)

3300 million years ago

b)

2600 million years ago

c)

1300 million years ago

d)

365 million years ago

44.

Which is the largest unit of time?

a)

Eon

b)

Era

c)

Period

d)

Epoch

45.
When an unstable radioactive atom decays, it usually turns into:
a)
a more stable atom
b)
a less stable atom
c)
the exact same atom but with less pure energy
d)
empty space
46.
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
47.
The time it takes for 50% of the nuclei in a radioactive sample to decay to its stable isotope is called _____.
a)
the daughter product
b)
geologic time
c)
the half-life
d)
the half-time
48.
According to the graph, what fraction of the original parent isotope still exists after 3 half lives?
a)
0,5000 g
b)
0,2500 g
c)
0,1250 g
d)
0.0625 g
49.
You find a rock sample with radioactive atoms present.  If 12.5% of the original radioactive atoms were present, how many half-lives has the rock been around for? (Hint, at Half-Life = 0, you start with 100%)
a)
zero
b)
1
c)
2
d)
3
50.
You find a rock sample with radioactive atoms present.  If 25% of the original radioactive atoms were present, how many half-lives has the rock been around for? (Hint, at Half-Life = 0, you start with 100%)
a)
zero
b)
1
c)
2
d)
3
51.
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
52.
Suppose you found a material in which 12.5% of the original radioactive atoms were still present.  If the half-life of an atom is 60 years, how old is the material?
a)
30 years old
b)
60 years old
c)
120 years old
d)
180 years old
53.
If the  half-life of a radioactive group of atoms is 100 years, then how old is the rock if there have been ten half-lives?
a)
10 years
b)
100 years
c)
1000 years
d)
10000 years
54.
Using ESRT (A) [Radioactive Decay Data], what is the half-life in standard notation of carbon-14?
a)
5,700 years
b)
57,000 years
c)
570,000 years
d)
5,700,000 years
55.
Using ESRT (A) [Radioactive Decay Data], what is the half-life in standard notation of Uranium-238?
a)
4,500 years
b)
450,000 years
c)
4,500,000 years
d)
4,500,000,000 years
56.
The table shows the radioactive decay of carbon-14. Part of the table has been left blank. 
 After 22,800 years, approximately what percentage of the original carbon-14 remains? 
a)
15%
b)
12.5%
c)
6.25%
d)
3.125%
57.
The graph shows the generalized rate of decay of radioactive isotopes over 5 half-lives. 
 If the original mass of a radioactive isotope was 24 grams, how many grams would remain after 3 half-lives? 
a)
12
b)
24
c)
3
d)
6
58.
Which radioactive isotope takes the greatest amount of time to undergo radioactive decay? 
a)
Carbon-14
b)
Potassium-40
c)
Uranium-238
d)
Rubidium-87
59.
The graph shows the radioactive decay of a 50-gram sample of a radioactive isotope. 
 According to the graph, what is the half-life of this isotope? 
a)
100 years
b)
150 years
c)
200 years
d)
300 years
60.
Potassium-40 is useful for radioactive dating of Earth's rocks because the half-life of potassium-40 
a)
decreased as the amounts of 40Ar and 40Ca in the rock increased
b)
remained constant during the radioactive decay process
c)
increased as pressure from the overlying sedimentary rock increased
d)
was shortened by the high temperature of the magma that formed the rock 
61.
The graph shows the decay of a radioactive material over time. 
 How long does it take for this radioactive material to decay through 2 half-lives? 
a)
1 x 103 years
b)
5 x 103 years
c)
10 x 103 years
d)
40 x 103 years
62.

The fault is older than?

a)

slate

b)

marble

c)

unconformity

d)

shale

63.

Approximately how many millions of years ago (mya) was the Coconino sandstone deposited?

a)

180 mya

b)

275 mya

c)

330 mya

d)

495 mya

64.

What percentage of Rubidium-87 will remain after 4 half-lives?

a)

25%

b)

12.5%

c)

6.25%

d)

3.125%

65.

The shaded boxes represent the undecayed atoms for Isotope "X". If Isotope X has a half-life of 1,000 years, how old is this sample?

a)

1,000 years

b)

2,000 years

c)

3,000 years

d)

4,000 years

66.

A sample of wood that originally contained 100 grams of Carbon-14 now contains 12.5 grams. How old is this sample?

a)

5.7 x 103

b)

11.4 x 103

c)

17.1 x 103

d)

22.8 x 103

67.

Which rock layer is the youngest?

a)

Sandstone in outcrop 1

b)

breccia in outcrop 2

c)

conglomerate in outcrop 3

d)

Sandstone in outcrop 4

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