Question 1

Human beings (homo sapiens)evolved during which geologic era?

Accepted Answer

A) the Cenozoic 
B) the Mesozoic 
C) the Paleozoic 
D) the Precambrian 
A) the Cenozoic 
B) the Mesozoic 
C) the Paleozoic 
D) the Precambrian A

Question 2

Which of the following is used by geologists to determine the relative ages in a rock sequence?

Accepted Answer

A) cross-cutting relations 
B) fossils 
C) stratigraphy 
D) all of the above 
A) cross-cutting relations 
B) fossils 
C) stratigraphy 
D) all of the above D

Question 3

If Earth's history was compressed into a single calendar year,complex organisms (including those with shells)first appeared in

Accepted Answer

A) February. 
B) June. 
C) October. 
D) December. 
A) February. 
B) June. 
C) October. 
D) December. C

Question 4

Which of the following scientists is incorrectly paired with their major discovery?

Accepted Answer

A) Henri Becquerel - radioactivity 
B) Charles Darwin - theory of evolution 
C) James Hutton - rock cycle 
D) Charles Lyell - faunal succession 
A) Henri Becquerel - radioactivity 
B) Charles Darwin - theory of evolution 
C) James Hutton - rock cycle 
D) Charles Lyell - faunal succession

Question 5

Which scientist was the first to date Earth accurately?

Accepted Answer

A) Ernest Rutherford 
B) Henri Becquerel 
C) Marie Curie 
D) Clare Patterson 
A) Ernest Rutherford 
B) Henri Becquerel 
C) Marie Curie 
D) Clare Patterson

Question 6

Which of the following statements about radioactivity is false?

Accepted Answer

A) A radioactive element decays at a constant rate. 
B) Energy is consumed during radioactive decay. 
C) The decay product of a radioactive element is called the daughter product. 
D) Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration of the nucleus of an atom. 
A) A radioactive element decays at a constant rate. 
B) Energy is consumed during radioactive decay. 
C) The decay product of a radioactive element is called the daughter product. 
D) Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration of the nucleus of an atom.

Question 7

When did the Mesozoic era begin?

Accepted Answer

A) 65 million years ago 
B) 543 million years ago 
C) 251 million years ago 
D) 2.5 billion years ago 
A) 65 million years ago 
B) 543 million years ago 
C) 251 million years ago 
D) 2.5 billion years ago

Question 8

How old are the oldest zircon minerals on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) approximately 10,000 years old 
B) approximately 500 million years old 
C) approximately 65 million years old 
D) approximately 4 billion years old 
A) approximately 10,000 years old 
B) approximately 500 million years old 
C) approximately 65 million years old 
D) approximately 4 billion years old

Question 9

The study of ancient life forms preserved in the rock record is referred to as

Accepted Answer

A) stratigraphy. 
B) paleontology. 
C) geochronology. 
D) zoology. 
A) stratigraphy. 
B) paleontology. 
C) geochronology. 
D) zoology.

Question 10

In the Grand Canyon-Zion-Bryce Canyon sequence,which one displays the oldest rocks?

Accepted Answer

A) Zion 
B) Bryce Canyon 
C) Grand Canyon 
D) None.They are all of the same age. 
A) Zion 
B) Bryce Canyon 
C) Grand Canyon 
D) None.They are all of the same age.

Question 11

Radiometric dating is least useful for dating __________ rocks.

Accepted Answer

A) basaltic 
B) granitic 
C) metamorphic 
D) sedimentary 
A) basaltic 
B) granitic 
C) metamorphic 
D) sedimentary

Question 12

Which of the following statements regarding radiometric dating is true?

Accepted Answer

A) After two half-lives,no radioactive atoms remain. 
B) Carbon-14 cannot be used to date material more than 100,000 years old. 
C) Sedimentary rocks can be dated more easily than igneous rocks. 
D) The radioactive decay product is called the parent atom. 
A) After two half-lives,no radioactive atoms remain. 
B) Carbon-14 cannot be used to date material more than 100,000 years old. 
C) Sedimentary rocks can be dated more easily than igneous rocks. 
D) The radioactive decay product is called the parent atom.

Question 13

Changes in global temperature over the last 1.8 million years have been calculated by measuring

Accepted Answer

A) the thickness of glacial deposits. 
B) the amount of carbon-14 in volcanic ash layers. 
C) the stable oxygen isotopes in shelly fossils. 
D) the amount of carbon dioxide in shelly fossils. 
A) the thickness of glacial deposits. 
B) the amount of carbon-14 in volcanic ash layers. 
C) the stable oxygen isotopes in shelly fossils. 
D) the amount of carbon dioxide in shelly fossils.

Question 14

An undeformed sedimentary layer is ______ than the layer above and ______ than the layer below.

Accepted Answer

A) younger; younger 
B) older; younger 
C) younger; older 
D) older; older 
A) younger; younger 
B) older; younger 
C) younger; older 
D) older; older

Question 15

Who was the first to use fossils for cross-correlating sedimentary layers?

Accepted Answer

A) Leonardo da Vinci 
B) William Smith 
C) Nicolaus Steno 
D) James Hutton 
A) Leonardo da Vinci 
B) William Smith 
C) Nicolaus Steno 
D) James Hutton

Question 16

The study of faunal succession allows

Accepted Answer

A) absolute dating of fossil-bearing strata. 
B) correlation of marine fossils with modern mammals. 
C) reconstruction of paleoclimates. 
D) rocks to be correlated from different outcrops. 
A) absolute dating of fossil-bearing strata. 
B) correlation of marine fossils with modern mammals. 
C) reconstruction of paleoclimates. 
D) rocks to be correlated from different outcrops.

Question 17

Which of the following radioactive isotopes is the most useful for dating very young (<10,000 years old)wood and charcoal?

Accepted Answer

A) carbon-14 
B) potassium-40 
C) rubidium-87 
D) uranium-238 
A) carbon-14 
B) potassium-40 
C) rubidium-87 
D) uranium-238

Question 18

Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene ____ belongs to the Neogene _____ of the Cenozoic _____.

Accepted Answer

A) period; epoch; era 
B) era; period; epoch 
C) epoch; period; era 
D) era; epoch; period 
A) period; epoch; era 
B) era; period; epoch 
C) epoch; period; era 
D) era; epoch; period

Question 19

When were Earth's climate,geodynamo,and plate tectonics systems established?

Accepted Answer

A) during the Archean 
B) during the Paleozoic 
C) during the Cenozoic 
D) during the Proterozoic 
A) during the Archean 
B) during the Paleozoic 
C) during the Cenozoic 
D) during the Proterozoic

Question 20

What is an unconformity?

Accepted Answer

A) a gap in the geologic record 
B) a period of deposition 
C) a sedimentary layer of variable thickness 
D) a sequence of deformed rocks 
A) a gap in the geologic record 
B) a period of deposition 
C) a sedimentary layer of variable thickness 
D) a sequence of deformed rocks

Exam 8: Clocks in Rocks: Timing the Geologic Period

Human beings (homo sapiens)evolved during which geologic era?

Which of the following is used by geologists to determine the relative ages in a rock sequence?

If Earth's history was compressed into a single calendar year,complex organisms (including those with shells)first appeared in

Which of the following scientists is incorrectly paired with their major discovery?

Which scientist was the first to date Earth accurately?

Which of the following statements about radioactivity is false?

When did the Mesozoic era begin?

How old are the oldest zircon minerals on Earth?

The study of ancient life forms preserved in the rock record is referred to as

In the Grand Canyon-Zion-Bryce Canyon sequence,which one displays the oldest rocks?

Radiometric dating is least useful for dating __________ rocks.

Which of the following statements regarding radiometric dating is true?

Changes in global temperature over the last 1.8 million years have been calculated by measuring

An undeformed sedimentary layer is ______ than the layer above and ______ than the layer below.

Who was the first to use fossils for cross-correlating sedimentary layers?

The study of faunal succession allows

Which of the following radioactive isotopes is the most useful for dating very young (<10,000 years old)wood and charcoal?

Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene ____ belongs to the Neogene _____ of the Cenozoic _____.

When were Earth's climate,geodynamo,and plate tectonics systems established?

What is an unconformity?

The Earth System

Plate Tectonics: The Unifying Theory

Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks

Igneous Rocks: Solids From Melts

Sedimentation: Rocks Formed by Surface Processes

Metamorphism: Alteration of Rocks by Temperature and Pressure

Deformation: Modification of Rocks by Folding and Fracturing

Early History of the Terrestrial Planets

History of the Continents

Geobiology: Life Interacts With Earth

Volcanoes

Earthquakes

Exploring Earths Interior

The Climate System

Weathering,erosion,and Mass Wasting: Interactions Between the Climate and Plate Tectonic Systems

The Hydrologic Cycle and Groundwater

Stream Transport: From Mountains to Oceans

Winds and Deserts

Coastlines and Ocean Basins

Glaciers: the Work of Ice

Landscapes: Tectonic and Climate Interaction

The Human Impact of Earths Environment

Filters

An undeformed sedimentary layer is than the layer above and than the layer below.

Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene __ belongs to the Neogene _ of the Cenozoic ___.