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WorksheetsEarth's History in Layers
Total questions: 48
Worksheet time: 24mins
One of the units of geologic time into which geologists divide eras.
period
amphibian
reptile
mammal
When many types of living things become extinct at the same time.
geological time scale
mass extinction
relative age
absolute age
A gap in the geologic record that shows where rock layers have been lost due to erosion.
unconformity
geological time scale
law of superposition
absolute age
The process of determining the age of an object using the half-life of one or more radioactive isotopes.
geological time scale
relative age
radioactive decay
radioactive dating
A record of the geologic events and life forms in Earth's history.
geological time scale
radioactive dating
absolute age
relative age
A vertebrate whose body temperature is regulated by its internal heat, and that has skin covered with hair or fur and glands that produce milk to feed its young.
mammal
amphibian
reptile
invertebrate
An animal without a backbone.
invertebrate
vertebrate
mammal
reptile
A vertebrate whose body temperature is determined by the temperature of its environment, and that lives its early life in water and its adult life on land.
reptile
mammal
invertebrate
amphibian
A vertebrate whose temperature is determined by the temperature of its environment, that has lungs and scaly skin, and that lays eggs on land.
mammal
reptile
amphibian
invertebrate
One of three long units of geologic time between the Precambrian and the present.
period
absolute age
unconformity
era
The geologic principle that states that in horizontal layers of sedimentary rock, each layer is older than the layer above it and younger than the layer below it.
Absolute Age
Unconformity
Law of Superposition
Geological Time Scale
The age of a rock given as the number of years since the rock formed.
radioactive dating
unconformity
relative age
absolute age
The process in which the nuclei of radioactive elements break down, releasing fast-moving particles and energy.
radioactive decay
radioactive dating
absolute age
relative age
An animal with a backbone.
invertebrate
vertebrate
absolute age
fossil
The age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks.
absolute age
radioactive dating
relative age
unconformity
The preserved remains or traces or an organism that lived in the past.
radioactive decay
unconformity
absolute age
fossil
What do geologists MOSTLY study to develop the geological time scale?
rock layers and index fossils
Earth's rotation
volcanoes and earthquakes
tectonic plate motions
Special fossils that indicate to geologists the boundaries of geological time.
index fossils
trace fossils
mold fossils
cast fossils
What type of fossilization results when the whole animal is preserved?
Carbonization
Replacement
Mold
Ice/Freezing
Which is true about fossils and rocks found in the same layer (strata)?
They are made of the same minerals.
They have the same color and texture.
They are relatively the same age.
They are usually from different eras.
In what type of rock are fossils most commonly found?
sedimentary
igneous
metamorphic
In which time period are we currently living?
Precambrian Time
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
In what time period did Pangaea, the super continent, appear and life forms grew increasingly more complex?
Precambrian Time
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
Ferns, such as the one in the picture, can be found today. They are usually found growing in warmer climates. However, fossils of ferns have been found in places with cold climates where it often snows today. What can we conclude about the places where the fossils of ferns have been found?
Ferns used to live in cold climates.
These places once had a warmer climate.
Someone tried to grow ferns in cold climates.
These places once had a colder climate.
According to the fossil record found in these sedimentary layers, what conclusion can be drawn about animal life in general?
Vertebrates appeared in the oceans before they moved on to land.
Animals did not move on to land until flowering plants evolved.
Shelled animals and fish appeared in the oceans at about the same time.
Vertebrates evolved on land and in the oceans at about the same time.
During this time period, mammals became the dominant land animal & the continents moved to their current positions.
Precambrian Time
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
Chris was creating a poster about the geologic time scale and the major events that occurred during Earth’s history. Number the major events below in the correct order.
4, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1 (The time of few fossils, Cambrian Explosion, abundant earliest plants, age of reptiles, flowering plants arose, humans appeared)
4, 5, 6, 2, 3, 1 (The time of few fossils, abundant earliest plants, Cambrian Explosion, age of reptiles, humans appeared, flowering plants arose)
6, 5, 4, 1, 3, 2 (Abundant earliest plants, the time of few fossils, Cambrian explosion, flowering plants arose, humans appeared, age of reptiles)
5, 6, 4, 3, 1, 2 (Cambrian Explosion, the time of few fossils, abundant earliest plants, flowering plants arose, age of reptiles, humans appeared)
Isabella’s part in a group project on the history of Earth was researching and presenting on the Precambrian time. Which two phrases best characterize the Precambrian time?
a time of great evolutionary change; a time of few fossils
a time with multiple periods in it; a time of great evolutionary change
a time of few fossils; a time that covers 88 percent of Earth’s history
a time that covers 88 percent of Earth’s history; a time with multiple periods in it
Jellyfish are one of the oldest species on Earth and first appeared during this time period, which also happens to be the longest time period.
Precambrian Time
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
Which rock layer is the newest?
A
B
C
D
Which fossil is older than the fish fossil?
A
B
C
D
Saying you are older than your sister is an example of ______________________.
absolute age
relative age
According to the fossil record, five ________________took place, which lowered the variety of species found on Earth today.
mass extinctions
mass cloning
microevolutions
mass revolutions
The information in the diagram BEST supports which hypothesis?
The fossil in layer C is older than the fossil in layer D.
The fossil in layer C is preserved in metamorphic rock.
The fossil in layer C is preserved in igneous rock.
The fossil organism in layer C is more complex than the fossil organism in layer D.
Sedimentary rocks found high in the Himalayan Mountains have been found with fossils of clams and other marine life. What does this indicate about the origin of the Himalayan Mountains?
The Earth's crust that formed these mountains was once covered with an ocean.
Animals that now live on the mountains once lived under water.
There was once a large ocean at top of the mountains.
Continental drift resulted from two tectonic moving away from each other over time.
Fish fossils have been found in some places where there is no longer any water. Sometimes, they are found on tops of mountains. What is the BEST explanation for why the fish fossils were found in these places with no water?
These places were once underwater.
Fish used to live on land.
These places had fish that climbed the mountains.
The fossils caused the water to dry up.
Examine the following diagrams. Columns I and II contain rock layers A, B, C, D, E and F. Both columns were taken from the same dig site at different locations. Which two layers are of approximately the same age?
A & D
B & E
C & D
B & F
Thomas was interested in how the disruption of rock layers can be used to find a rock’s age. Which of the following is NOT an example of how rock layers may be disturbed or changed?
igneous intrusion
superposition
extrusion
fault
Layer B isn't shown due to the absence of index fossils.
Location 4 held index fossils similar to the other locations.
Location 4 had heavy erosion and soon a layer of rock will be deposited on top of it.
Layer B eroded away and layers C and D were deposited on top of layer A at a later time.
Emily was interested in how geologists date rocks, and she learned about two methods. She learned that potassium-40 is used to find the 1. (absolute age / half-life / relative age) of ancient rocks, because it has a long 2. (half-life / absolute age / relative age). Carbon-14 is used for dating much 3. (younger / older) rocks due to its shorter 4. (absolute age / half-life / relative age).
1. absolute age, 2. half-life, 3. younger, 4. half-life
1. relative age, 2. half-life, 3. older, 4. relative age
1. absolute age, 2. relative age, 3. older, 4. half-life
1. relative age, 2. half-life, 3. younger, 4. absolute age
James looked at a picture of rock layers while studying how scientists determine the ages of rocks. He looked at the variety of layers and understood that the law of superposition indicated something about the rock layer ages. What does the law of superposition indicate?
The rock layers can change their position and push younger rock layers under older rock layers.
The rock layers can change their position and push older rock layers under younger rock layers.
The rock layers on top are the youngest layers and the lower rock layers are the oldest layers.
The rock layers on top are the oldest layers and the lower rock layers are the youngest layers.
Index fossils help scientists study rock ages. In what way do index fossils help determine rock ages?
Index fossils are widely distributed but were not around long, and so they show up in only a few rock layers.
Index fossils are widely distributed and were around for a long time, and so they show up in many rock layers.
Index fossils were around only a short time but they show up in many rock layers.
Index fossils are widely distributed and are always found in every sedimentary rock layer.
Angelica saw an example of the geologic time scale in her book while studying the history of the Earth. She is interested in learning more about the geologic time scale, including its purpose. What is the purpose of the geologic time scale?
to organize the eras and periods of major events of fossils
to organize the kinds of plants and animals that lived during those times on Earth
to organize the kinds of rocks in order for people to study the life forms and classify fossils
to organize Earth's history in a record of geologic events and show the evolution of life forms
Ana studied a diagram of the geologic timeline to complete her homework assignment.She became curious about the different divisions that formed the sections of an era. What is the name for the groups into which eras are divided?
sections
periods
divisions
Precambrian
Kim was reading about the Jurassic period in the Mesozoic era. She was especially interested in the rise of the dinosaurs. How did the second mass extinction and the loss of the dinosaurs affect the remaining populations of mammals that did survive?
With less competition, the remaining mammals had to move from their established habitats.
With less competition, the remaining mammals had more food, water, and habitats.
With more competition among the other kinds of populations, the mammals had to struggle to survive.
With more competition among the other kinds of populations, the mammals were able to thrive.
Olivia was reading about the Earth’s history. She grew interested in the Quaternary period in the Cenozoic era and studied it further. The Quaternary period is best known for which two major events?
the rise of reptiles and flowering plants
the rise of mammals and swimming mammals
the ice ages and the rise of humans
the rise of dinosaurs and other reptiles
Which statement is true?
D is younger than B.
C is younger the D.
A is younger than E.
E is the older layer.
Which statement BEST describes one rule for determining the relative age of a rock layer?
A fault is always younger than the rock it cuts through.
An extrusion is always older than the rocks below it.
An index fossil is always younger than the rock layer it occurs in.
An intrusion is always older than the rock layers around it.
