wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

History of Earth

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 32mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Age of rock compared to ages of other rocks.

a)

Relative Age

b)

Absolute Age

c)

Radioactive Dating

d)

Radioactive Decay

2.

The number of years that have passed since the rock formed.

a)

Relative Age

b)

Absolute Age

c)

Radioactive Dating

d)

Radioactive Decay

3.

A gap in the geologic record that shows where rock layers have been lost due to erosion

a)

Unconformity

b)

Fossil

c)

Radioactive Dating

d)

Radioactive Decay

4.

The preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past.

a)

Unconformity

b)

Fossil

c)

Radioactive Dating

d)

The Law of Superposition

5.

In undisturbed horizontal sedimentary rock, the oldest is at the bottom and the newest the top.

a)

Unconformity

b)

The Law of Superposition

c)

Radioactive Dating

d)

Radioactive Decay

6.

A record of the geologic events and the evolution of life forms as shown in the rock and fossil record.

a)

Geologic Time Scale

b)

Era

c)

Period

d)

Index Fossil

7.

Geologists divide the time between the Precambrian and the present into 3 long units of time called..

a)

Geologic Time Scale

b)

Eras

c)

Period

d)

Index Fossil

8.

Eras are subdivided into units of geologic time called...

a)

Geologic Time Scale

b)

Eras

c)

Periods

d)

Index Fossil

9.

fossil that is useful for dating and correlating the rock layer in which it was found.

a)

Geologic Time Scale

b)

Eras

c)

Periods

d)

Index Fossil

10.

A vertebrate whose body temperature is determined by the temperature of its environment, and that lives it's early life in water and it's adult life on land

a)

Invertebrate

b)

Vertebrate

c)

Amphibian

d)

Reptile

11.

An animal without a backbone

a)

Invertebrate

b)

Vertebrate

c)

Amphibian

d)

Reptile

12.

An animal with a backbone

a)

Invertebrate

b)

Vertebrate

c)

Amphibian

d)

Reptile

13.

A vertebrate whose temperature is determined by the temperature of it's environment, that has lungs and scaly skin, and that lays eggs on land

a)

Invertebrate

b)

Vertebrate

c)

Amphibian

d)

Reptile

14.

A vertebrate whose body temperature is regulated by it's internal heat, and that has skin covered with hair or fur and glands that produce milk to feed it's young

a)

Mammal

b)

Vertebrate

c)

Amphibian

d)

Reptile

15.

What is the approximate age of Earth?

a)

4.6 billion years

b)

4.6 million years

c)

46,000 years

d)

4600 years

16.

Which of these statements describes a key characteristic of index fossils?

a)

They existed in a unique location.

b)

They are present in very small numbers.

c)

They existed for a short span of time.

d)

They are similar to other fossils.

17.

How was the fossil of this insect formed?

a)

by being petrified

b)

by being trapped in asphalt

c)

by being trapped in hardened tree sap (amber)

d)

by being buried in sediment that slowly decays

18.

Sometimes a fossil is formed as a result of the movement of an organism in soft sediment. What type of fossil is this called?

a)

bone fossil

b)

trace fossil

c)

frozen fossil

d)

petrified fossil

19.

Sedimentary Rock:

a)

Rocks that form from the bonding of rock fragments such as sand, silt, or clay; from organic materials; and from chemicals dissolved in water.

b)

Rocks that form when other rocks are changed by heat and pressure.

c)

Rocks that form from cooling magma or lava

20.

when rock is on the bottom layer it is...

a)

Growing underground

b)

The oldest layer

c)

The youngest layer

d)

Dirt

21.
Which scientists study fossils?
a)
geneticist
b)
paleontologist
c)
biologist
d)
fossilologist
22.
Which rock layer is the youngest?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
23.
What type of rock are fossils usually found in?
a)
volcanic
b)
metamorphic
c)
sedimentary
d)
igneous
24.

Which era is the oldest era?

a)

Paleozoic Era

b)

Mesozoic Era

c)

Cenozoic Era

25.

What is the purpose of the geologic time scale?

a)

to organize the major Era's of Earth's history

b)

to compare very short & very long periods of time

c)

to compare with other non-geologic time scales

d)

to help people understand that planet is really old

26.
_______________ is the long span of time that begins geologic time.
a)
Precambrian Time
b)
Cenozoic Time
27.
The Triassic Period, the Jurassic Period, and the Cretaceous Period occurred in what era?
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Mesozoic
28.

Which Era was the longest?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Precambrian

d)

Mesozoic

29.

What does the picture indicate?

a)

an igneous intrusion

b)

an angular unconformity

c)

an extinction event

d)

an explosion of different organisms

30.

Mass Extinction / Extinción masiva

a)

Times when MANY species on Earth died or became extinct within a short period of time. / Tiempos en los que MUCHAS especies en la Tierra murieron o se extinguieron en un corto período de tiempo.

b)

The remains or traces of ancient living things. / Los restos o rastros de antiguos seres vivos.

c)

If one geologic feature cuts across another feature, the feature that it cuts across is older. / Si una característica geológica atraviesa otra característica, la característica que atraviesa es más antigua.

d)

If one rock contains pieces of another rock, the rock containing the pieces is younger than the pieces. / Si una roca contiene pedazos de otra roca, la roca que contiene los pedazos es más joven que los pedazos.

31.
Steven is 9 years old.  Olivia is 12 years old. 
Olivia is older than Steven. 
What type of dating system is this?
a)
Relative
b)
Absolute
32.

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)

a time of great evolutionary change

b)

a time with multiple periods in it

c)

a time of few fossils

d)

a time that covers 88 percent of Earth's history

33.

The sedimentary layers of rock in Earth

a)

Fossil

b)

Rock Strata

c)

Stratigraphy

d)

Geologic Time Scale

34.

The study of rock layers.

a)

Rock Strata

b)

Fossil Record

c)

Geologic Time Scale

d)

Stratigraphy

35.

This picture shows 4 rock layers and an intrusion of Basalt (a type of molten rock). When molten rock pushes its way into rock layers already formed, it creates an intrusion. This rock strata indicates that the basaltic intrusion must have happened...

a)

After the limestone was deposited

b)

Before the clay was deposited

c)

Before the granite was deposited

d)

Before all 4 layers were formed

36.

This illustration shows rock layers from 3 different locations and fossils the rock layers contain. Which conclusion can be drawn from the information in the illustration?

a)

The fossil F3 appeared most recently of those shown here.

b)

The fossil F1 appeared before all the others.

c)

The fossil F4 is the oldest of all the fossils.

d)

The Fossil F2 appeared most recently of those shown here

37.

What do fossils tell us about the history of the Earth?

a)

They can tell us about organisms that have gone extinct

b)

They can tell us about climates and environments of the past

c)

They can show us how species have evolved over time

d)

All of these statements are true

38.

In what period did the first modern humans evolve?

a)

Cenozoic

b)

Quarternary

c)

Paleogene

d)

Mesozoic

39.

Magma that cuts through the rock strata underground is a(n):

a)

Index fossil

b)

Igneous extrusion

c)

Igneous intrusion

d)

Radioactive fossil

40.
During which era/eon do humans live in?
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Pre-Cambrian
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Mesozoic