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Earth Science: Geologic Time Review

Total questions: 71

Worksheet time: 2hrs 51mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of these is the best indication of the relative age of a rock layer?

a)

The chemical make-up of the layer

b)

The thickness of the layer

c)

The position of the layer compared to another layer

d)

The distance of the layer extending over Earth

2.
Traces or remains of organisms that lived long ago
a)
Fossil
b)
Unconformity
c)
Superposition
d)
Column
3.
Analyze the seashell found in the white layer.  Which statement is true of the rock layer that contains this fossil?
a)
It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.
b)
It is older than the layers below it.
c)
It is younger than the layers above it.
d)
It is older than the layers above it.
4.
How do geologists use relative dating?
a)
Placing rocks in order from youngest to oldest
b)
Placing rocks in order by minerals they contain
c)
Classifying rocks by different textures
d)
Classifying rocks by different isotopes
5.
What are the relative ages of the features in order from oldest to youngest?
a)
Limestone, Basalt, Fault, Siltstone
b)
Siltstone, Fault, Basalt, Limestone
c)
Limestone, Fault, Basalt, Siltstone
d)
Limestone, Siltstone, Fault, Basalt
6.
The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?
a)
The absolute age of rock layers
b)
The age of fossils
c)
The relative age of rock layers
d)
the super powers of rocks
7.
Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?
a)
F
b)
E
c)
B
d)
A
8.

This picture shows light-colored granite and darker diorite (igneous). Which statement is true?

a)

Granite (light) is younger because it is more continental.

b)

Granite is younger because it crosscuts the diorite.

c)

Diorite is older because its weathered surfaces are darker.

d)

All of these statements are true.

9.

Which of the following geologic events would have happened most recently?

a)

rock formation of 3

b)

rock formation of 6

c)

rock formation of 2

d)

rock formation of 1

10.

Which layer is the oldest?

a)

layer M

b)

layer D

c)

layer B

d)

layer A

11.

What is the correct age order of the rocks from OLDEST to YOUNGEST

a)

A,B,C,D,E

b)

B,C,D,E,A

c)

All are the same age

d)

A,E,D,B,C

12.

What fossil would make a good index fossil?

a)
b)
c)
d)
13.

Carbon 14 has a half life of 5,730 years. If there is 50% of it left, how old is the sample?

a)

5,730

b)

11,460

c)

2,685

d)

17,190

14.

Of the layers listed here, which is the oldest ?

a)
A
b)
E
c)
D
d)
F
15.

Place the layers in order from oldest to youngest.

a)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

b)

7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

c)

1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 5, 6

d)

1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 5, 6

16.

What is the oldest feature?

a)

A

b)

Fault

c)

L

d)

Q

e)

D

17.
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
18.
The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its...
a)
era
b)
age
c)
half-life
d)
eon
19.

Which layer is OLDER? Intrusion M or Layer D?

a)

Intrusion M

b)

Layer D

20.
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
21.
The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...
a)
daughter element
b)
half-life
c)
parent element
d)
carbon-14
22.
What is the half-life of iodine-131?
a)
32 days
b)
8 days
c)
16 days
d)
24 days
23.

What is the Half life of this isotope?

a)

5 seconds

b)

10 seconds

c)

15 seconds

d)

20 seconds

24.

The element that is the product of radioactive decay is known as the...

a)

daughter element

b)

half-life

c)

parent element

d)

carbon-14

25.
Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...
a)
relative time
b)
absolute time
c)
half-lives
d)
time of day
26.

A break in the geologic record that is made when rock layers are ERODED over a long period of time

a)

superposition

b)

relative dating

c)

unconformity

d)

cross-cutting

27.

Is intrusion V older or younger than layer W?

a)

younger

b)

older

28.

Unstable atoms that decay (change) and are considered radioactive

a)

Isotope

b)

Half-Life

c)

Absolute Dating

d)

Radiometric Dating

29.

You have 100 grams of radioactive C-14. The half life of C-14 is 5730 years.

How many grams are left after 1 half life?

a)

100 grams

b)

25 grams

c)

2 grams

d)

50 grams

30.

If 10 mg of iodine 131 is given to a patient, how much is left after 24 days? The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.

a)

1.25mg

b)

1.25g

c)

10g

d)

10mg

31.

If the half-life of uranium-232 is 70 years, how many half-lives will it take for 10 g of it to be reduced to 1.25 g?

a)

1 half-life

b)

2 half-lives

c)

3 half-lives

d)

4 half-lives

32.
The half-life of strontium-90 is 25 years. How much strontium-90 will remain after 100 years if the initial amount is 4.0 g?
a)
3.0g
b)
0.25mg
c)
0.3g
d)
0.25g
33.

The diagram shows 32 atoms.

16 of the Red are parent isotopes

16 of the Green are daughter isotopes

How many half-lives have occurred?

a)

0

b)

1

c)

2

d)

3

34.
The Geologic Time Scale is a record of what?
a)
old geologists
b)
sweet geology music
c)
the known history of rocks and fossils
d)
a list of every living thing ever
35.
Why is the fossil record incomplete?
a)
fossils get eroded away over time
b)
most organisms never became fossils
c)
scavengers and decomposers eat them too quickly
d)
all of the above
36.

Trilobites came before dinosaurs because they were found in a lower rock layer

a)

absolute dating

b)

relative dating

37.

Which Era was mainly dominated by dinosaurs?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Jurassic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Paleozoic

38.

Which Era has the most complex organisms?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Quaternary

39.

Which period is closest to present day?

a)

Cambrian

b)

Devonian

c)

Triassic

d)

Tertiary

40.

What type of environment do you think was present during the Devonian Period?

a)

mostly land

b)

land with some water

c)

mostly water

d)

water with some land

41.

How many years ago did the Mesozoic Era begin?

a)

245 years

b)

245 million years

c)

65 years

d)

65 million years

42.

Mammals are a dominant group in which era?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Cambrianozoic

43.

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

44.

What are the four eras in order from OLDEST to NEWEST?

a)

Pre-Cambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic

b)

Pre-Cambrian, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Cenozoic

c)

Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Pre-Cambrian

d)

Mesozoic, Pre-Cambrian, Cenozoic, Paleozoic

45.

What era did trilobites, fishes, and other marine organisms dominate?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

46.

The dinosaurs and reptiles were dominant in which Era?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Paleozoic

d)

Cenozoic

47.

90% of Earth’s history occurred during which era?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

48.

At the end of this era, multi-cellular organisms like sponges, jellyfish and worms filled the oceans.

a)

Precambrian Era

b)

Paleozoic Era

c)

Mesozoic Era

d)

Cenozoic Era

49.

The second broadest category of geologic time is______________?. The Cenozoic is one of them.

a)

era

b)

eon

c)

epoch

d)

period

50.

The period of geologic time when the biodiversity of life on the planet increased dramatically was

a)

Jurassic

b)

Triassic

c)

Permian

d)

Cambrian

51.

The period when huge land plants were dominant and eventually became the coal and oil we use today.

a)

Cambrian

b)

Carboniferous

c)

Jurassic

d)

Miocene

52.
The disappearance of a species.
a)
Evolution
b)
Extinction
c)
Migration
d)
Mutation
53.

_____ is the Age of the Reptiles.

a)

Paleozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Cenozoic

d)

Archean

54.

What are the names of ALL parts of the geologic time scale in correct order from broadest to narrowest?

a)

era, period, eon

b)

eon, era, period, epoch

c)

era, eon, epoch, period

d)

eon, era, epoch, period

55.
Scientists chose where units of geologic time began and ended based on major changes in life forms at certain times.
a)
true
b)
false
56.

This change in life marked the beginning of the paleozoic era and took us out of precambrian time.

a)

hard parts and exoskeletons

b)

soft parts and exoskeletons

c)

oxygen and soft parts

d)

oxygen and one celled organisms

57.

True or False. The permian extinction wiped out nearly 95% of all life on Earth 251 million years ago.

a)

True

b)

False

58.

When did the first birds appear?

a)

Cambrian

b)

Permian

c)

Cretaceous & Triassic

d)

Mesozoic and Jurassic

59.

The break up of this super continent at the end of the mesozoic era, created large amounts of diversity on Earth

a)

pangea

b)

panthalsia

c)

gondwana

d)

laurasia

60.
What is a fossil that is useful for dating and correlating the strata in which it is found?
a)
a petrified fossil
b)
a trace fossil
c)
a cast fossil
d)
an index fossil
61.
During which geologic era did trilobites, mosses and ferns first appear in the fossil record?
a)
Paleozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Cenozoic
d)
Precambrian
62.

During which periods did the first land plants, vertebrates, and insects appear?

a)

Triassic

b)

Silurian

c)

Cambrian

d)

Devonian

63.

Which type of fossil would look just like the body part of a once-living thing?

a)

mineral

b)

footprint

c)

cast

d)

petrified wood

64.

Which type of rock are most fossils found?

a)

sedimentary rock

b)

metamorphic rock

c)

igneous rock

d)

fossils

65.

What replaces the wood of a once-living thing to form petrified wood?

a)

amber

b)

cast

c)

mold

d)

minerals

66.

This type of fossil forms when a mold is filled with sand or mud that hardens into the shape of the organism.

a)

Mold

b)

Cast

c)

Trace

d)

Petrified

67.

These fossils are distinguishable from other fossils because they were scattered over a large region, very common, and lived during a short span of geologic time

a)

Mold

b)

Cast

c)

Trace

d)

Index

68.

What type of fossil is pictured?

a)

Cast

b)

Mold

c)

Trace

d)

Petrified

69.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Carbon Film
d)
Trace fossil
70.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Preserved remains
b)
Petrified
c)
Mold
d)
Cast
71.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold 
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)

Replaced remains

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