Question 1

Some of the best information on climate history over the last several million years is based on the study of:

Accepted Answer

A) amino acids. 
B) foraminifera. 
C) radioisotopes. 
D) dendrochronology. 
A) amino acids. 
B) foraminifera. 
C) radioisotopes. 
D) dendrochronology.

Question 2

The study of what happens to an organism's remains after death is:

Accepted Answer

A) archaeology. 
B) cryptozoology. 
C) forensic biology. 
D) taphonomy. 
A) archaeology. 
B) cryptozoology. 
C) forensic biology. 
D) taphonomy.

Question 3

Scientists can determine the type of plant consumed based on:

Accepted Answer

A) carbon 14. 
B) radioisotopes. 
C) index fossils. 
D) carbon 13 and carbon 12. 
A) carbon 14. 
B) radioisotopes. 
C) index fossils. 
D) carbon 13 and carbon 12.

Question 4

The English surveyor who developed the technique of stratigraphic correlation between regions was:

Accepted Answer

A) William Smith. 
B) Charles Lyell. 
C) Alfred Wallace. 
D) Richard Owen. 
A) William Smith. 
B) Charles Lyell. 
C) Alfred Wallace. 
D) Richard Owen.

Question 5

Fluorine dating is an example of what type of dating method?

Accepted Answer

A) chronometric 
B) nonrelative 
C) chemical 
D) genetic 
A) chronometric 
B) nonrelative 
C) chemical 
D) genetic

Question 6

Studies of temperatures during the Cenozoic era suggest that temperatures have _______ over time.

Accepted Answer

A) steadily increased 
B) steadily decreased 
C) fluctuated, sometimes greatly, 
D) stayed basically the same 
A) steadily increased 
B) steadily decreased 
C) fluctuated, sometimes greatly, 
D) stayed basically the same

Question 7

Differentiate between absolute and relative dating techniques, giving one example of each.

Accepted Answer

Relative dating consists of techniques f

Question 8

In the 1600s Nicolaus Steno proposed:

Accepted Answer

A) the principle of uniformitarianism. 
B) taphonomy. 
C) the law of stratigraphy. 
D) the law of superposition. 
A) the principle of uniformitarianism. 
B) taphonomy. 
C) the law of stratigraphy. 
D) the law of superposition.

Question 9

During the Holocene artifacts like _______ began to appear.

Accepted Answer

A) bones and teeth 
B) ceramics 
C) shells 
D) wooden objects 
A) bones and teeth 
B) ceramics 
C) shells 
D) wooden objects

Question 10

Most of the fossils discovered in Africa come from the eastern and southern parts of the continent.Why is this?

Accepted Answer

A) More populations of species lived in these areas and nowhere else. 
B) Only these areas were conducive to sustaining life. 
C) These areas provided better preservation. 
D) Many villagers in these areas gather fossils to sell. 
A) More populations of species lived in these areas and nowhere else. 
B) Only these areas were conducive to sustaining life. 
C) These areas provided better preservation. 
D) Many villagers in these areas gather fossils to sell.

Question 11

For dating hominin fossils that go back 4 million years, what dating methods might be used?

Accepted Answer

A) electron spin resonance 
B) thermoluminescence 
C) amino acid method 
D) both a.and b. 
A) electron spin resonance 
B) thermoluminescence 
C) amino acid method 
D) both a.and b.

Question 12

Which dating method would be most appropriate for establishing the age of a volcanic ash layer from an early hominid site in eastern Africa?

Accepted Answer

A) carbon 14 dating 
B) amino acid dating 
C) potassium-argon dating 
D) electron spin resonance dating 
A) carbon 14 dating 
B) amino acid dating 
C) potassium-argon dating 
D) electron spin resonance dating

Question 13

Taphonomy is the study of:

Accepted Answer

A) human cultural remains. 
B) human genetics. 
C) the processes that affect an organism's remains after death. 
D) the processes that affect a living organism through life. 
A) human cultural remains. 
B) human genetics. 
C) the processes that affect an organism's remains after death. 
D) the processes that affect a living organism through life.

Question 14

Analysis of stable carbon isotopes in _______ can provide information on ancient diet.

Accepted Answer

A) shell 
B) cloth 
C) bones and teeth 
D) wood 
A) shell 
B) cloth 
C) bones and teeth 
D) wood

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT an ideal environment for fossilization?

Accepted Answer

A) mud 
B) acidic soil (as in a jungle) 
C) sand 
D) rock 
A) mud 
B) acidic soil (as in a jungle) 
C) sand 
D) rock

Question 16

The continent that existed about 200 mya, from which the modern continents ultimately emerged, is called:

Accepted Answer

A) Eurasia. 
B) Afrinesia. 
C) Australasia. 
D) Pangaea. 
A) Eurasia. 
B) Afrinesia. 
C) Australasia. 
D) Pangaea.

Question 17

To reconstruct and interpret evolutionary changes, it is crucial to place each fossil in time.This is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

A) chronological sequence. 
B) era. 
C) period. 
D) phylogeny. 
A) chronological sequence. 
B) era. 
C) period. 
D) phylogeny.

Question 18

Thermoluminescence dating can provide dates when used on which types of materials?

Accepted Answer

A) sediment, stone, and ceramics 
B) bone, wood, and stone 
C) bone, shell, and fabric 
D) shell, ceramics, and wood 
A) sediment, stone, and ceramics 
B) bone, wood, and stone 
C) bone, shell, and fabric 
D) shell, ceramics, and wood

Question 19

The molecular clock has been useful to determine the phylogenetic relationships of species based on the assumption that:

Accepted Answer

A) a species lineage accumulates genetic differences over time at a constant rate. 
B) only some species are genetically related. 
C) DNA is preserved unchanged over long periods of time. 
D) species adapt at specific rates. 
A) a species lineage accumulates genetic differences over time at a constant rate. 
B) only some species are genetically related. 
C) DNA is preserved unchanged over long periods of time. 
D) species adapt at specific rates.

Question 20

Crucial to creating a fossil record of a species is:

Accepted Answer

A) a living form of the fossil species. 
B) a good representation in the fossil record. 
C) the preservation of soft tissue such as muscle. 
D) the lack of dating; knowing the age of the fossil introduces biases. 
A) a living form of the fossil species. 
B) a good representation in the fossil record. 
C) the preservation of soft tissue such as muscle. 
D) the lack of dating; knowing the age of the fossil introduces biases.

Some of the best information on climate history over the last several million years is based on the study of:

The study of what happens to an organism's remains after death is:

Scientists can determine the type of plant consumed based on:

The English surveyor who developed the technique of stratigraphic correlation between regions was:

Fluorine dating is an example of what type of dating method?

Studies of temperatures during the Cenozoic era suggest that temperatures have _______ over time.

Differentiate between absolute and relative dating techniques, giving one example of each.

In the 1600s Nicolaus Steno proposed:

During the Holocene artifacts like _______ began to appear.

Most of the fossils discovered in Africa come from the eastern and southern parts of the continent.Why is this?

For dating hominin fossils that go back 4 million years, what dating methods might be used?

Which dating method would be most appropriate for establishing the age of a volcanic ash layer from an early hominid site in eastern Africa?

Taphonomy is the study of:

Analysis of stable carbon isotopes in _______ can provide information on ancient diet.

Which of the following is NOT an ideal environment for fossilization?

The continent that existed about 200 mya, from which the modern continents ultimately emerged, is called:

To reconstruct and interpret evolutionary changes, it is crucial to place each fossil in time.This is called a(n):

Thermoluminescence dating can provide dates when used on which types of materials?

The molecular clock has been useful to determine the phylogenetic relationships of species based on the assumption that:

Crucial to creating a fossil record of a species is:

What Is Physical Anthropology

Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

Genetics: Reproducing Life and Producing Variation

Genes and Their Evolution: Population Genetics

Biology in the Present: Living People

Biology in the Present: the Other Living Primates

Primate Sociality, Social Behavior, and Culture

Primate Origins and Evolution: the First 50 Million Years

Early Hominin Origins and Evolution: the Roots of Humanity

The Origins and Evolution of Early Homo

The Origins, Evolution, and Dispersal of Modern People

Our Last 10,000 Years: Agriculture, Population, and Biology

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Exam 8: Fossils and Their Place in Time and Nature

Some of the best information on climate history over the last several million years is based on the study of:

The study of what happens to an organism's remains after death is:

Scientists can determine the type of plant consumed based on:

The English surveyor who developed the technique of stratigraphic correlation between regions was:

Fluorine dating is an example of what type of dating method?

Studies of temperatures during the Cenozoic era suggest that temperatures have _______ over time.

Differentiate between absolute and relative dating techniques, giving one example of each.

In the 1600s Nicolaus Steno proposed:

During the Holocene artifacts like _______ began to appear.

Most of the fossils discovered in Africa come from the eastern and southern parts of the continent.Why is this?

For dating hominin fossils that go back 4 million years, what dating methods might be used?

Which dating method would be most appropriate for establishing the age of a volcanic ash layer from an early hominid site in eastern Africa?

Taphonomy is the study of:

Analysis of stable carbon isotopes in _______ can provide information on ancient diet.

Which of the following is NOT an ideal environment for fossilization?

The continent that existed about 200 mya, from which the modern continents ultimately emerged, is called:

To reconstruct and interpret evolutionary changes, it is crucial to place each fossil in time.This is called a(n):

Thermoluminescence dating can provide dates when used on which types of materials?

The molecular clock has been useful to determine the phylogenetic relationships of species based on the assumption that:

Crucial to creating a fossil record of a species is:

What Is Physical Anthropology

Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

Genetics: Reproducing Life and Producing Variation

Genes and Their Evolution: Population Genetics

Biology in the Present: Living People

Biology in the Present: the Other Living Primates

Primate Sociality, Social Behavior, and Culture

Primate Origins and Evolution: the First 50 Million Years

Early Hominin Origins and Evolution: the Roots of Humanity

The Origins and Evolution of Early Homo

The Origins, Evolution, and Dispersal of Modern People

Our Last 10,000 Years: Agriculture, Population, and Biology

Filters