Question 1

All of the following are important causes of mass extinction EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  volcanic flood basalts. 
B)  methane emissions from the sea floor. 
C)  ice ages. 
D)  meteorite impact. 
A)  volcanic flood basalts. 
B)  methane emissions from the sea floor. 
C)  ice ages. 
D)  meteorite impact.

Question 2

The most dramatic mass extinction event on Earth occurred:

Accepted Answer

A)  10,000 years ago (Pleistocene- Holocene). 
B)  65 million years ago (Cretaceous- Tertiary). 
C)  55 million years ago (Paleocene- Eocene). 
D)  250 million years ago (Permo- Triassic). 
A)  10,000 years ago (Pleistocene- Holocene). 
B)  65 million years ago (Cretaceous- Tertiary). 
C)  55 million years ago (Paleocene- Eocene). 
D)  250 million years ago (Permo- Triassic).

Question 3

Describe the basic principles of radiometric dating.

Accepted Answer

Many rocks and minerals contain radioact

Question 4

Evidence of the Earth's early atmosphere was contained in the:

Accepted Answer

A)  3.46- billion- year- old sedimentary rocks. 
B)  paleosols preserved on the unconformity surface. 
C)  3.96- billion- year- old gneisses. 
D)  3.52- billion- year- old granites and greenstones. 
A)  3.46- billion- year- old sedimentary rocks. 
B)  paleosols preserved on the unconformity surface. 
C)  3.96- billion- year- old gneisses. 
D)  3.52- billion- year- old granites and greenstones.

Question 5

The oldest remains of life have been found in:

Accepted Answer

A)  3.77- billion- year- old chert in Australia. 
B)  3.96- billion- year- old gneiss of Canada. 
C)  3.46- billion- year- old chert in Australia. 
D)  670- million- year- old sandstone of Australia. 
A)  3.77- billion- year- old chert in Australia. 
B)  3.96- billion- year- old gneiss of Canada. 
C)  3.46- billion- year- old chert in Australia. 
D)  670- million- year- old sandstone of Australia.

Question 6

Dendrochronology can be used to date all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  landslides. 
B)  droughts. 
C)  house posts. 
D)  an ax handle. 
A)  landslides. 
B)  droughts. 
C)  house posts. 
D)  an ax handle.

Question 7

Dendrochronology is most useful in which regions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Polar regions. 
B)  Desert regions. 
C)  Temperate climates. 
D)  Equatorial regions. 
A)  Polar regions. 
B)  Desert regions. 
C)  Temperate climates. 
D)  Equatorial regions.

Question 8

A rock or mineral becomes a closed system when it completely cools and crystallizes. Which rock type would become a closed system most rapidly?

Accepted Answer

A)  Basalt. 
B)  Gneiss. 
C)  Schist. 
D)  Granite. 
A)  Basalt. 
B)  Gneiss. 
C)  Schist. 
D)  Granite.

Question 9

If the half- life of a radioactive isotope is 1 billion years, and we measure a parent- to- daughter ratio of 1:3 in a particular sample, the age of the sample would be about:

Accepted Answer

A)  1 billion years old. 
B)  3 billion years old. 
C)  4 billion years old. 
D)  2 billion years old. 
A)  1 billion years old. 
B)  3 billion years old. 
C)  4 billion years old. 
D)  2 billion years old.

Question 10

The half- life of a radioactive isotope refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)  the time it takes for half of the parent isotopes to decay to daughter isotopes. 
B)  the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 1:2 (half as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes). 
C)  one- half of the total lifespan of a parent isotope. 
D)  the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 2:1 (twice as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes). 
A)  the time it takes for half of the parent isotopes to decay to daughter isotopes. 
B)  the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 1:2 (half as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes). 
C)  one- half of the total lifespan of a parent isotope. 
D)  the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 2:1 (twice as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes).

Question 11

If a mineral sample is dated using the potassium- argon dating method, and if some of the argon- 40 gas has escaped, the mineral's age:

Accepted Answer

A)  will appear to be younger than it really is. 
B)  will not be affected. 
C)  will appear to be older than it really is. 
D)  can be determined by measuring the quantity of parent material present. 
A)  will appear to be younger than it really is. 
B)  will not be affected. 
C)  will appear to be older than it really is. 
D)  can be determined by measuring the quantity of parent material present.

Question 12

What qualities make a radioactive isotope unsuitable or suitable for use in radiometric dating?

Accepted Answer

Most radioactive isotopes are unsuitable

Question 13

Which type of rock is most likely to contain fossils?

Accepted Answer

A)  Metamorphic rocks. 
B)  Igneous rocks. 
C)  Sedimentary rocks. 
D)  All of the above. 
A)  Metamorphic rocks. 
B)  Igneous rocks. 
C)  Sedimentary rocks. 
D)  All of the above.

Question 14

All of the following examples illustrate preservation of original parts EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  preservation in frozen permafrost. 
B)  preservation in underground burrows. 
C)  preservation in hardened tree sap. 
D)  preservation in tar pits. 
A)  preservation in frozen permafrost. 
B)  preservation in underground burrows. 
C)  preservation in hardened tree sap. 
D)  preservation in tar pits.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about carbon- 14 dating is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The bodies of organisms take in carbon- 14 throughout their lives and after death until they are isolated from the atmosphere by burial. 
B)  Carbon- 14 dates are determined by measuring the activity of carbon- 14 and comparing to the initial activity. 
C)  Rocks dated by the carbon- 14 method are generally in the 100- to 70,000- year age range. 
D)  Cosmic bombardment changes the rate of production of carbon- 14. 
A)  The bodies of organisms take in carbon- 14 throughout their lives and after death until they are isolated from the atmosphere by burial. 
B)  Carbon- 14 dates are determined by measuring the activity of carbon- 14 and comparing to the initial activity. 
C)  Rocks dated by the carbon- 14 method are generally in the 100- to 70,000- year age range. 
D)  Cosmic bombardment changes the rate of production of carbon- 14.

Question 16

The earliest known life forms on Earth are believed to have lived:

Accepted Answer

A)  3.96 billion years ago. 
B)  3.77 billion years ago. 
C)  570 million years ago. 
D)  4.6 billion years ago. 
A)  3.96 billion years ago. 
B)  3.77 billion years ago. 
C)  570 million years ago. 
D)  4.6 billion years ago.

Question 17

What causes are proposed for the several mass extinction events in the Earth's past?

Accepted Answer

The majority of mass extinction events i

Question 18

The divisions of the geologic time scale were based primarily on:

Accepted Answer

A)  differences in fossil assemblages. 
B)  differences in sedimentary rock structures. 
C)  differences in types of rocks. 
D)  differences in minerals. 
A)  differences in fossil assemblages. 
B)  differences in sedimentary rock structures. 
C)  differences in types of rocks. 
D)  differences in minerals.

Question 19

According to the principle of faunal succession, one would expect:

Accepted Answer

A)  very old rocks to contain fossils of complex organisms, while younger rocks would contain fossils of both simple and complex organisms. 
B)  simple organisms to be found in sedimentary rocks more often than complex organisms. 
C)  the success of an organism determines the abundance of its fossils. 
D)  very old rocks to contain fossils of only simple organisms, while younger rocks would contain fossils of both simple and complex organisms. 
A)  very old rocks to contain fossils of complex organisms, while younger rocks would contain fossils of both simple and complex organisms. 
B)  simple organisms to be found in sedimentary rocks more often than complex organisms. 
C)  the success of an organism determines the abundance of its fossils. 
D)  very old rocks to contain fossils of only simple organisms, while younger rocks would contain fossils of both simple and complex organisms.

Question 20

Discuss how unconformities develop and describe the three types of unconformities.

Accepted Answer

Unconformities are boundaries that separ

All of the following are important causes of mass extinction EXCEPT:

The most dramatic mass extinction event on Earth occurred:

Describe the basic principles of radiometric dating.

Evidence of the Earth's early atmosphere was contained in the:

The oldest remains of life have been found in:

Dendrochronology can be used to date all of the following EXCEPT:

Dendrochronology is most useful in which regions?

A rock or mineral becomes a closed system when it completely cools and crystallizes. Which rock type would become a closed system most rapidly?

If the half- life of a radioactive isotope is 1 billion years, and we measure a parent- to- daughter ratio of 1:3 in a particular sample, the age of the sample would be about:

The half- life of a radioactive isotope refers to:

If a mineral sample is dated using the potassium- argon dating method, and if some of the argon- 40 gas has escaped, the mineral's age:

What qualities make a radioactive isotope unsuitable or suitable for use in radiometric dating?

Which type of rock is most likely to contain fossils?

All of the following examples illustrate preservation of original parts EXCEPT:

Which of the following statements about carbon- 14 dating is NOT true?

The earliest known life forms on Earth are believed to have lived:

What causes are proposed for the several mass extinction events in the Earth's past?

The divisions of the geologic time scale were based primarily on:

According to the principle of faunal succession, one would expect:

Discuss how unconformities develop and describe the three types of unconformities.

A First Look at Planet Earth - Its Origins, Systems, and Tectonic Plates

Minerals

Igneous Rocks and Processes

Volcanoes and Volcanism

Weathering - the Breakdown of Rocks

Sedimentary Processes, Environments, and Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Earth Structures - Folds, Faults, and Fabrics

Earthquakes

The Earths Interior - Whats Going on Down There

Plate Tectonics and the Formation of the Earths Oceans

Continental Tectonics and the Formation of the Earths Continents

Mass Movement

Streams and Floods

Groundwater

Glaciers and Ice Ages

Deserts and the Work of Winds

Shores and Coastal Processes

Human Use of the Earths Resources Appendices Glossary

Filters

Exam 8: Telling Time Geologically

All of the following are important causes of mass extinction EXCEPT:

The most dramatic mass extinction event on Earth occurred:

Describe the basic principles of radiometric dating.

Evidence of the Earth's early atmosphere was contained in the:

The oldest remains of life have been found in:

Dendrochronology can be used to date all of the following EXCEPT:

Dendrochronology is most useful in which regions?

A rock or mineral becomes a closed system when it completely cools and crystallizes. Which rock type would become a closed system most rapidly?

If the half- life of a radioactive isotope is 1 billion years, and we measure a parent- to- daughter ratio of 1:3 in a particular sample, the age of the sample would be about:

The half- life of a radioactive isotope refers to:

If a mineral sample is dated using the potassium- argon dating method, and if some of the argon- 40 gas has escaped, the mineral's age:

What qualities make a radioactive isotope unsuitable or suitable for use in radiometric dating?

Which type of rock is most likely to contain fossils?

All of the following examples illustrate preservation of original parts EXCEPT:

Which of the following statements about carbon- 14 dating is NOT true?

The earliest known life forms on Earth are believed to have lived:

What causes are proposed for the several mass extinction events in the Earth's past?

The divisions of the geologic time scale were based primarily on:

According to the principle of faunal succession, one would expect:

Discuss how unconformities develop and describe the three types of unconformities.

A First Look at Planet Earth - Its Origins, Systems, and Tectonic Plates

Minerals

Igneous Rocks and Processes

Volcanoes and Volcanism

Weathering - the Breakdown of Rocks

Sedimentary Processes, Environments, and Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Earth Structures - Folds, Faults, and Fabrics

Earthquakes

The Earths Interior - Whats Going on Down There

Plate Tectonics and the Formation of the Earths Oceans

Continental Tectonics and the Formation of the Earths Continents

Mass Movement

Streams and Floods

Groundwater

Glaciers and Ice Ages

Deserts and the Work of Winds

Shores and Coastal Processes

Human Use of the Earths Resources Appendices Glossary

Filters