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Age of the Earth

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which layers are correctly paired by age?

a)

R and II

b)

P and VI

c)

R and VI

d)

P and II

2.

Which is true about Absolute Dating?

a)

Using a radioactive sample to determine the age in years of a sample

b)

Using a radioactive sample to determine the approximate age of a sample

c)

Only samples of Carbon-14 can be used

d)

Only samples of Uranium can be used

3.

Which is the correct order of events? OLDEST TO YOUNGEST

a)

C, B, A, D, E

b)

E, D, A, B, C

c)

B, D, E, A, C

d)

A, B, C, D, E

4.

Carbon has half life of 1,500 years. You determine a sample of Carbon to be 1,500 years old, how much of the isotope REMAINS?

a)

50%

b)

100%

c)

25%

d)

12.5%

5.

The age of the Earth is __________.

a)

4.6 billion years old

b)

3.6 billion years old

c)

5.6 million years old

d)

4.6 trillion years old

6.

What is the approximate age of the Earth?

a)

4.6 Billion Years

b)

100 years

c)

500 Million years

d)

2.5 Trillion Years

7.

How old is the Earth?

a)

4.6 billion years

b)

13.7 billion years

c)

4.6 million years

d)

13.7 million years

8.

The earth is approximately _____ years old.

a)

3.2 million

b)

4.5 billion

c)

1.7 billion

d)

6.8 million

9.

The geologic time scale represents Earth's ________ year history.

a)

2.5 million

b)

9 million

c)

1 billion

d)

4.6 billion

10.

Earth's age is...

a)

4,000 years old

b)

4.6 Billion years old

c)

4.6 million years old

d)

400,000 years old

11.

Scientist think the Earth is ___ years old.

a)

4,500

b)

45,000

c)

4.5 million

d)

4.5 billion

12.

T/F: Geologist use radioactive dating to find the absolute age of rocks

a)

True

b)

False

13.

What is the estimated age of the Earth according to scientific consensus?

a)

4.5 billion years

b)

3.5 billion years

c)

2.5 billion years

d)

1.5 billion years

14.

Which method is commonly used to determine the age of the Earth?

a)

Radiometric dating

b)

Carbon dating

c)

Dendrochronology

d)

Thermoluminescence

15.

What element is primarily used in radiometric dating to estimate the age of the Earth?

a)

Uranium

b)

Carbon

c)

Potassium

d)

Argon

16.

The age of the Earth is determined by dating which type of rocks?

a)

Igneous rocks

b)

Sedimentary rocks

c)

Metamorphic rocks

d)

Limestone

17.

Which isotope of Uranium is used in dating the age of the Earth?

a)

Uranium-238

b)

Uranium-235

c)

Uranium-234

d)

Uranium-236

18.

What is the half-life of Uranium-238, used in dating the Earth?

a)

4.5 billion years

b)

1.5 billion years

c)

2.5 billion years

d)

3.5 billion years

19.

Which scientist is credited with first proposing the Earth is billions of years old?

a)

James Hutton

b)

Charles Darwin

c)

Isaac Newton

d)

Albert Einstein

20.

What is the significance of zircon crystals in determining the Earth's age?

a)

They contain uranium, which can be used for radiometric dating

b)

They are the oldest known minerals on Earth

c)

They are found in all types of rocks

d)

They are used in carbon dating

21.

How does the decay of radioactive isotopes help in determining the age of the Earth?

a)

By measuring the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes

b)

By measuring the amount of carbon-14

c)

By analyzing the color change in rocks

d)

By observing the physical size of the crystals

22.

What is the primary reason scientists believe the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old?

a)

Radiometric dating of meteorites

b)

Carbon dating of fossils

c)

Dendrochronology of ancient trees

d)

Thermoluminescence of pottery

23.

Which of the following is NOT a method used to estimate the age of the Earth?

a)

Carbon dating

b)

Radiometric dating

c)

Dendrochronology

d)

Ice core sampling

24.

What role do meteorites play in determining the age of the Earth?

a)

They provide a reference age for the solar system

b)

They contain fossils that can be dated

c)

They are used in carbon dating

d)

They are used to measure Earth's magnetic field

25.

Why is carbon dating not used to determine the age of the Earth?

a)

Carbon dating is only effective for dating materials up to about 50,000 years old

b)

Carbon dating is inaccurate

c)

Carbon dating requires living organisms

d)

Carbon dating is too expensive