Question 1

Lack of fossils in Pre-Cambrian rocks means that very little life existed in this era.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 2

The fossilization process by which the original material is dissolved and new materials added is called

Accepted Answer

A) replacement. 
B) carbonization. 
C) mineralization. 
D) replication. 
A) replacement. 
B) carbonization. 
C) mineralization. 
D) replication. A

Question 3

-Which of the following descriptions of this formation is most likely?

Accepted Answer

A) The limestone and shale layers were deposited on the slope of a mountain. 
B) The basalt is crystallized magma that nearly reached the sandstone layer. 
C) The limestone and shale layers were eroded long before the sandstone was deposited. 
D) All of these descriptions are possible. 
A) The limestone and shale layers were deposited on the slope of a mountain. 
B) The basalt is crystallized magma that nearly reached the sandstone layer. 
C) The limestone and shale layers were eroded long before the sandstone was deposited. 
D) All of these descriptions are possible. C

Question 4

Reptiles were the dominant life form in the Mesozoic Era.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following is not a common way for fossils to form?

Accepted Answer

A) preservation of skeletal remains 
B) preservation of an organism's shape 
C) preservation of signs of activity 
D) preservation of soft parts by entombment in amber 
A) preservation of skeletal remains 
B) preservation of an organism's shape 
C) preservation of signs of activity 
D) preservation of soft parts by entombment in amber

Question 6

The Geologic Time Scale defines eras in terms of

Accepted Answer

A) major worldwide extinctions of life on Earth. 
B) reversals in Earth's magnetic field. 
C) the beginning of the radioactive decay of elements in minerals. 
D) major plate tectonic events. 
A) major worldwide extinctions of life on Earth. 
B) reversals in Earth's magnetic field. 
C) the beginning of the radioactive decay of elements in minerals. 
D) major plate tectonic events.

Question 7

-Which is likely to be the oldest rock in the formation?

Accepted Answer

A) sandstone 
B) shale 
C) limestone 
D) basalt 
A) sandstone 
B) shale 
C) limestone 
D) basalt

Question 8

Fossils are generally best preserved in metamorphic rock layers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Index fossils are fossils of distinctive plant or animal species that lived in a specific location for a long time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Fossils are useful for all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) correlating rocks in one location with those in another. 
B) determining the former environment of a region. 
C) determining the former climate of a region. 
D) determining the exact age of Earth. 
A) correlating rocks in one location with those in another. 
B) determining the former environment of a region. 
C) determining the former climate of a region. 
D) determining the exact age of Earth.

Question 11

Estimations of the age of Earth based on its present rate of cooling from a molten mass yielded times that are close to current estimates.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the granite in center of the formation below is false?

Accepted Answer

A) The granite is a crystallized intrusion of magma. 
B) The granite formed after the sedimentary layers were deposited. 
C) The intrusion of the magma probably produced some metamorphism in the 
D) sedimentary layers. 
E) The sedimentary layers formed later, burying the granite outcrop. 
A) The granite is a crystallized intrusion of magma. 
B) The granite formed after the sedimentary layers were deposited. 
C) The intrusion of the magma probably produced some metamorphism in the 
D) sedimentary layers. 
E) The sedimentary layers formed later, burying the granite outcrop.

Question 13

The Cenozoic is known as the Age of the

Accepted Answer

A) Mammals. 
B) Dinosaurs. 
C) Amphibians. 
D) Algae. 
A) Mammals. 
B) Dinosaurs. 
C) Amphibians. 
D) Algae.

Question 14

Correlation and relative dating through the use of index fossils is limited because

Accepted Answer

A) index fossils are extremely rare. 
B) many sedimentary layers do not contain index fossils at all. 
C) index fossils appeared for too short a time in the geologic record to be very helpful. 
D) index fossils are rarely found in other than sedimentary rocks. 
A) index fossils are extremely rare. 
B) many sedimentary layers do not contain index fossils at all. 
C) index fossils appeared for too short a time in the geologic record to be very helpful. 
D) index fossils are rarely found in other than sedimentary rocks.

Question 15

The process that has yielded the most accurate estimate of the age of Earth is measurement of

Accepted Answer

A) the rate of sedimentation. 
B) the radioactive decay of elements in minerals. 
C) rate of increase of salinity of the oceans. 
D) the rate of the cooling of Earth from a molten mass. 
A) the rate of sedimentation. 
B) the radioactive decay of elements in minerals. 
C) rate of increase of salinity of the oceans. 
D) the rate of the cooling of Earth from a molten mass.

Question 16

You would expect to find fossils that most closely resembled current life forms in rocks from which era?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

Correlating and relative dating of rock units is made possible by application of the principle of

Accepted Answer

A) cross-cutting relationships. 
B) faunal succession. 
C) superposition. 
D) All of the above. 
A) cross-cutting relationships. 
B) faunal succession. 
C) superposition. 
D) All of the above.

Question 18

The Rocky Mountains

Accepted Answer

A) were uplifted about the time the dinosaurs died out. 
B) are older than the Appalachian Mountains. 
C) formed when Pangaea began to break up. 
D) are more than 200 million years old. 
A) were uplifted about the time the dinosaurs died out. 
B) are older than the Appalachian Mountains. 
C) formed when Pangaea began to break up. 
D) are more than 200 million years old.

Question 19

Minerals replaced the wood in trees over a very long period making petrified wood.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The diagram below illustrates which of the following principles?

Accepted Answer

A) principle of uniformity 
B) principle of superposition 
C) principle of original horizontality 
D) principle of cross-cutting 
A) principle of uniformity 
B) principle of superposition 
C) principle of original horizontality 
D) principle of cross-cutting

Exam 21: Geologic Time

Lack of fossils in Pre-Cambrian rocks means that very little life existed in this era.

The fossilization process by which the original material is dissolved and new materials added is called

-Which of the following descriptions of this formation is most likely?

Reptiles were the dominant life form in the Mesozoic Era.

Which of the following is not a common way for fossils to form?

The Geologic Time Scale defines eras in terms of

-Which is likely to be the oldest rock in the formation?

Fossils are generally best preserved in metamorphic rock layers.

Index fossils are fossils of distinctive plant or animal species that lived in a specific location for a long time.

Fossils are useful for all of the following except

Estimations of the age of Earth based on its present rate of cooling from a molten mass yielded times that are close to current estimates.

Which of the following statements about the granite in center of the formation below is false?

The Cenozoic is known as the Age of the

Correlation and relative dating through the use of index fossils is limited because

The process that has yielded the most accurate estimate of the age of Earth is measurement of

You would expect to find fossils that most closely resembled current life forms in rocks from which era?

Correlating and relative dating of rock units is made possible by application of the principle of

The Rocky Mountains

Minerals replaced the wood in trees over a very long period making petrified wood.

The diagram below illustrates which of the following principles?

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