WorksheetsFossils
Total questions: 17
Worksheet time: 10mins
Traces of starch from wild barley (Hordem) and wheat (Triticum) species were found on a 23 000-year-old seed-grinding stone used by ancient humans in Israel. The method which would have been used to date these ancient starch grains is
radioactive carbon-14 dating
radioactive uranium-235 dating.
relative dating by comparing rock strata.
the use of a molecular clock.
An index fossil may be used for identifying
the oldest rocks in a series of strata.
the age of rocks from the Jurassic period only
the absolute age of a sedimentary rock stratum.
sedimentary rocks of the same age in different locations
Potassium-40 has a half-life of 1.25 billion years. In igneous rocks closely associated with a fossil layer, the ratio of potassium-40 to its radioactive breakdown product, argon-40, is approximately 1:1. The age of the fossils in the fossil layer will be close to
125 million years.
310 million years
1.25 billion years.
2.5 billion years.
Which of these organisms is the oldest?
Coral
Crinoid
Ammonite
Trilobite
Which of these organisms from the diagram would make the most suitable index fossil?
Gastropod
Crinoid
Ammonite
Trilobite
The half-life of Cobalt-60 is 5.27 years. What percentage of the initial Co-60 will remain after two half-lives?
50%
25%
5g
2.5g
Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons are called
ions
isotopes
electrons
carbon
What term describes the time required for one half the atoms of a given amount of a radioactive substance to decay?
Half-life
Isotope
Carbon
Radioactive
Which of the following conditions are NOT required for fossilisation to occur?
Presence of decay organisms
Alkaline soil
Hard body parts (bones, teeth, shells)
low oxygen conditions
What is the term for the relative dating technique concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering?
Absolute dating
Seriation
Paleozoic
Stratigraphy
The fossil record gives us _____.
accurate data on the number of life-forms that lived.
accurate insight on how animals reproduced.
information on past life and environments on Earth.
information on past life and environments on Earth.
Which conditions are suitable for fossilisation. Select all that apply.
Absence of decay organisms.
Presence of soft tissues
alkaline soils
Slow burial process
In radiocarbon dating, if three half lives have passed what would be the age of the fossil?
5730
11460
22920
17190
Which ratio is important in determining the age of a fossil in radiocarbon dating?
C14:N14
C14:C12
C14:C13
C12:N14
Which of the following statements is true in relation to potassium-argon dating?
Potassium has a half life of 1.25 million years.
Argon decays to potassium.
Volcanic rock needs to be older than 100,000-200,000 years.
It can provide an absolute date of organic fossils.
