Question 1

Concerning the relative ages of the granite and sandstone,the ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  granite must be older, according to the principle of superposition 
B)  sandstone must be older, according to the principle of superposition 
C)  granite must be older, according to the principle of components 
D)  Their relative ages cannot be determined from the information given. 
A)  granite must be older, according to the principle of superposition 
B)  sandstone must be older, according to the principle of superposition 
C)  granite must be older, according to the principle of components 
D)  Their relative ages cannot be determined from the information given.

Question 2

As understood by modern geologists,the principle of uniformitarianism implies that ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth has always had the same basic appearance that it has today, with the distributions of ocean basins and continents identical to what we see today 
B)  igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are uniformly mixed throughout the crust of Earth 
C)  physical processes observed today (such as erosion and volcanic eruption) have been active in the past and are responsible for the geologic history we see preserved in the rock record 
D)  physical processes observed today (such as erosion and volcanic eruption) have been occurring throughout Earth history at constant rates; for example, no eruption in geologic time would have been greater than the 1815 Tambora eruption 
A)  Earth has always had the same basic appearance that it has today, with the distributions of ocean basins and continents identical to what we see today 
B)  igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are uniformly mixed throughout the crust of Earth 
C)  physical processes observed today (such as erosion and volcanic eruption) have been active in the past and are responsible for the geologic history we see preserved in the rock record 
D)  physical processes observed today (such as erosion and volcanic eruption) have been occurring throughout Earth history at constant rates; for example, no eruption in geologic time would have been greater than the 1815 Tambora eruption

Question 3

The surfaces named contacts #2 and #3 are examples of ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  conformable sedimentary contacts 
B)  faults 
C)  baked contacts 
D)  unconformities 
A)  conformable sedimentary contacts 
B)  faults 
C)  baked contacts 
D)  unconformities

Question 4

If the lithology and fossil content of two bodies of rock on opposite sides of a canyon are identical,then these remaining outcrops were likely physically connected at one time and formed part of an extensive,sheet-like layer of rock.This idea summarizes the principle of ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  superposition 
B)  original continuity 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  uniformitarianism 
A)  superposition 
B)  original continuity 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  uniformitarianism

Question 5

Presented with an outcrop containing a succession of beds and only the knowledge of relative-age dating,which of the following would be the best to look for to determine the story of the outcrop?

Accepted Answer

A)  a fossil that could be found in all of the beds 
B)  an intrusion, as it would be older than the surrounding rock 
C)  a fossil found in only a few layers 
D)  a fault, as it would be older than the surrounding rock 
A)  a fossil that could be found in all of the beds 
B)  an intrusion, as it would be older than the surrounding rock 
C)  a fossil found in only a few layers 
D)  a fault, as it would be older than the surrounding rock

Question 6

Uniformitarianism is succinctly summarized by which phrase?

Accepted Answer

A)  The future is the key to the present. 
B)  The present is the key to the past. 
C)  The past is the key to the present. 
D)  The present is the key to the future. 
A)  The future is the key to the present. 
B)  The present is the key to the past. 
C)  The past is the key to the present. 
D)  The present is the key to the future.

Question 7

Why did James Hutton deduce that there must have been a long time before human history began?

Accepted Answer

A)  He found no physical remains of humans in his geologic investigations. 
B)  No human had seen the full process of sediment deposition to mountain formation. 
C)  He found no signs of humans in the ancient rock record. 
D)  No human had observed continents in different locations. 
A)  He found no physical remains of humans in his geologic investigations. 
B)  No human had seen the full process of sediment deposition to mountain formation. 
C)  He found no signs of humans in the ancient rock record. 
D)  No human had observed continents in different locations.

Question 8

Two atoms of a single element that differ in number of neutrons are said to represent two distinct ____________ of that element.

Accepted Answer

A)  isomers 
B)  isotopes 
C)  isotherms 
D)  atomic species 
A)  isomers 
B)  isotopes 
C)  isotherms 
D)  atomic species

Question 9

Which statement best summarizes the development of the geologic time scale?

Accepted Answer

A)  Numerical ages for rocks were known well before the relative sequence of sedimentary layers was established. 
B)  Relative ages for sedimentary strata were known well before accurate numerical dates for these rocks could be provided. 
C)  Names of relative ages (such as Silurian) and accurate numerical dates for these ages appeared at about the same time. 
A)  Numerical ages for rocks were known well before the relative sequence of sedimentary layers was established. 
B)  Relative ages for sedimentary strata were known well before accurate numerical dates for these rocks could be provided. 
C)  Names of relative ages (such as Silurian) and accurate numerical dates for these ages appeared at about the same time.

Question 10

Why is radiocarbon dating only rarely applied in geological work?

Accepted Answer

A)  No substances on Earth contain significant amounts of carbon-14. 
B)  The half-life of carbon-14 is so long that it is effectively a stable isotope. 
C)  The half-life of carbon-14 is so short that it can only be used to date materials that are less than 70,000 years old. 
A)  No substances on Earth contain significant amounts of carbon-14. 
B)  The half-life of carbon-14 is so long that it is effectively a stable isotope. 
C)  The half-life of carbon-14 is so short that it can only be used to date materials that are less than 70,000 years old.

Question 11

Precisely speaking,a measured radiometric age for a mineral crystal within an igneous rock denotes the amount of time that has passed since the ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  atoms within the crystal were part of a body of molten magma 
B)  crystal solidified 
C)  temperature of the crystal became equal to the Curie point for the mineral 
D)  temperature of the crystal became equal to the closure temperature for the mineral 
A)  atoms within the crystal were part of a body of molten magma 
B)  crystal solidified 
C)  temperature of the crystal became equal to the Curie point for the mineral 
D)  temperature of the crystal became equal to the closure temperature for the mineral

Question 12

What principle allows geologists to deduce that folds in beds occurred after deposition?

Accepted Answer

A)  principle of uniformitarianism 
B)  principle of superposition 
C)  principle of lateral continuity 
D)  principle of original horizontality 
A)  principle of uniformitarianism 
B)  principle of superposition 
C)  principle of lateral continuity 
D)  principle of original horizontality

Question 13

James Hutton,the "father of geology," put forth the principle of ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  superposition 
B)  original continuity 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  uniformitarianism 
A)  superposition 
B)  original continuity 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  uniformitarianism

Question 14

Which proportion of a radioactive isotope is expected to remain in an unaltered (unreacted)state after the passage of three half-lives?

Accepted Answer

A)  one-third 
B)  three-halves 
C)  one-eighth 
D)  one-sixth 
A)  one-third 
B)  three-halves 
C)  one-eighth 
D)  one-sixth

Question 15

Within the world's undisturbed sequences of sedimentary rocks,fossils ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  are rarely, if ever, found 
B)  are randomly distributed 
C)  occur in an ordered sequence 
A)  are rarely, if ever, found 
B)  are randomly distributed 
C)  occur in an ordered sequence

Question 16

When radioactively dating a rock,which of the following would NOT result in an inaccurate age reading?

Accepted Answer

A)  using weathered rocks 
B)  homogenizing the rock material 
C)  using all of the minerals present 
D)  using only the daughter isotopes 
A)  using weathered rocks 
B)  homogenizing the rock material 
C)  using all of the minerals present 
D)  using only the daughter isotopes

Question 17

Attempts to measure the age of Earth by extrapolating modern riverine influx rates into the past to produce modern marine salinity from an initially freshwater ocean failed to take into account that ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  salt is removed through precipitation, balancing riverine input 
B)  dissolved salts from weathering of rock only rarely are transported all the way to the ocean 
C)  salts derived from the weathering of rock are insoluble in water 
A)  salt is removed through precipitation, balancing riverine input 
B)  dissolved salts from weathering of rock only rarely are transported all the way to the ocean 
C)  salts derived from the weathering of rock are insoluble in water

Question 18

If a geologist wished to date an outcrop of sandstone beds that he or she found,which of the following should they look for to yield a specific date?

Accepted Answer

A)  a fossil known to have a wide geographic distribution and to have existed over a long range of time 
B)  a sedimentary layer constrained by igneous or metamorphic rocks 
C)  a fossil known to have a small geographic distribution and to have existed over a short range of time 
D)  a sedimentary layer cut across by a fault 
A)  a fossil known to have a wide geographic distribution and to have existed over a long range of time 
B)  a sedimentary layer constrained by igneous or metamorphic rocks 
C)  a fossil known to have a small geographic distribution and to have existed over a short range of time 
D)  a sedimentary layer cut across by a fault

Question 19

The oldest geologic unit in the cross section is the ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  granite 
B)  marble 
C)  limestone 
D)  sandstone 
A)  granite 
B)  marble 
C)  limestone 
D)  sandstone

Question 20

Which of the following always varies among multiple isotopes of a single element?

Accepted Answer

A)  atomic number 
B)  atomic mass number 
C)  tendency to decay radioactively 
D)  None of the above are correct. 
A)  atomic number 
B)  atomic mass number 
C)  tendency to decay radioactively 
D)  None of the above are correct.

Exam 10: Deep Time: How Old Is Old

Concerning the relative ages of the granite and sandstone,the ____________.

As understood by modern geologists,the principle of uniformitarianism implies that ____________.

The surfaces named contacts #2 and #3 are examples of ____________.

If the lithology and fossil content of two bodies of rock on opposite sides of a canyon are identical,then these remaining outcrops were likely physically connected at one time and formed part of an extensive,sheet-like layer of rock.This idea summarizes the principle of ____________.

Presented with an outcrop containing a succession of beds and only the knowledge of relative-age dating,which of the following would be the best to look for to determine the story of the outcrop?

Uniformitarianism is succinctly summarized by which phrase?

Why did James Hutton deduce that there must have been a long time before human history began?

Two atoms of a single element that differ in number of neutrons are said to represent two distinct ____________ of that element.

Which statement best summarizes the development of the geologic time scale?

Why is radiocarbon dating only rarely applied in geological work?

Precisely speaking,a measured radiometric age for a mineral crystal within an igneous rock denotes the amount of time that has passed since the ____________.

What principle allows geologists to deduce that folds in beds occurred after deposition?

James Hutton,the "father of geology," put forth the principle of ____________.

Which proportion of a radioactive isotope is expected to remain in an unaltered (unreacted)state after the passage of three half-lives?

Within the world's undisturbed sequences of sedimentary rocks,fossils ____________.

When radioactively dating a rock,which of the following would NOT result in an inaccurate age reading?

Attempts to measure the age of Earth by extrapolating modern riverine influx rates into the past to produce modern marine salinity from an initially freshwater ocean failed to take into account that ____________.

If a geologist wished to date an outcrop of sandstone beds that he or she found,which of the following should they look for to yield a specific date?

The oldest geologic unit in the cross section is the ____________.

Which of the following always varies among multiple isotopes of a single element?

The Earth in Context

The Way the Earth Works: Plate Tectonics

Patterns in Nature: Minerals

Up From the Inferno: Magma and Igneous Rocks

The Wrath of Vulcan: Volcanic Eruptions

Pages of Earths Past: Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism: a Process of Change

A Violent Pulse: Earthquakes

Crags, cracks, and Crumples: Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

A Biography of Earth

Riches in Rock: Energy and Mineral Resources

Unsafe Ground: Landslides and Other Mass Movements

Streams and Floods: the Geology of Running Water

Restless Realm: Oceans and Coasts

A Hidden Reserve: Groundwater

Dry Regions: the Geology of Deserts

Amazing Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages

Global Change in the Earth System

Rock Groups

A Surface Veneer: Sediments and Soils

The Rock Cycle

The Earths Interior Revisited: Insights From Geophysics

Memories of Past Life: Fossils and Evolution

An Introduction to Landscapes and the Hydrologic Cycle

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