Question 1

The remains or traces of prehistoric life are called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The remains or traces of prehistoric life...

Question 2

A worm would stand a poor chance of being fossilized because ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  worms have been rare during the geologic past 
B)  worms have no hard parts 
C)  worms contain no carbon-14 
D)  all of these 
A)  worms have been rare during the geologic past 
B)  worms have no hard parts 
C)  worms contain no carbon-14 
D)  all of these

Question 3

Rapid burial and possession of hard parts are necessary conditions for the preservation of plant or animal remains as fossils.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Assume that man's recorded history can be stretched back to 4600 years before the present. This is approximately what fraction of geologic time?

Accepted Answer

A)  one ten-thousandth 
B)  one millionth 
C)  one billionth 
D)  one hundred-thousandth 
A)  one ten-thousandth 
B)  one millionth 
C)  one billionth 
D)  one hundred-thousandth

Question 5

By applying the law of superposition ________ dates can be determined.

Accepted Answer

A)  conventional 
B)  radiometric 
C)  relative 
D)  both relative and radiometric 
A)  conventional 
B)  radiometric 
C)  relative 
D)  both relative and radiometric

Question 6

The half-life of carbon-14 is about 6000 years. Assume that a sample of charcoal formed by burning of living wood 15,000 years ago. How much of the original carbon-14 would remain today?

Accepted Answer

A)  more than one-half 
B)  between one-fourth and one-eighth 
C)  between one-half and one-fourth 
D)  between one-half and one-third 
A)  more than one-half 
B)  between one-fourth and one-eighth 
C)  between one-half and one-fourth 
D)  between one-half and one-third

Question 7

When a beta particle is emitted, the mass number of the isotope remains unchanged.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following is not a very long-lived, radioactive isotope?

Accepted Answer

A)  U-238 
B)  K-40 
C)  Rb-87 
D)  C-14 
A)  U-238 
B)  K-40 
C)  Rb-87 
D)  C-14

Question 9

What is the age of the Earth accepted by most scientists today?

Accepted Answer

A)  6.4 billion years 
B)  4.5 million years 
C)  4.5 billion years 
D)  6.4 million years 
A)  6.4 billion years 
B)  4.5 million years 
C)  4.5 billion years 
D)  6.4 million years

Question 10

Consider the names of the eras in the geologic time scale. What is meant by "zoic"?

Accepted Answer

A)  life; living things 
B)  rocks; lithified strata 
C)  time; recording of events 
D)  places; geographic references 
A)  life; living things 
B)  rocks; lithified strata 
C)  time; recording of events 
D)  places; geographic references

Question 11

Radiometric dating means placing events in their proper sequence.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

What is the inert gas, daughter product of the radioactive isotope, K-40?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the inert gas, daughter product...

Question 13

Which of the following geologic observations would not bear directly on working out the sequence of geologic events in an area?

Accepted Answer

A)  inclusions of sandstone in a granite pluton 
B)  a well-exposed dike of basalt in sandstone 
C)  the feldspar and quartz contents of a granite 
D)  an unconformity between a granite and sandstone 
A)  inclusions of sandstone in a granite pluton 
B)  a well-exposed dike of basalt in sandstone 
C)  the feldspar and quartz contents of a granite 
D)  an unconformity between a granite and sandstone

Question 14

Which of the following describes radioactive decay by beta particle emission?

Accepted Answer

A)  The atomic number of the daughter isotope is one more than the parent; the mass numbers are the same. 
B)  The mass number of the daughter isotope is one more than the parent, and both isotopes have the same atomic number. 
C)  The daughter isotope has an atomic number two less than the parent and a mass number four less. 
D)  The daughter isotope has an atomic number one less than the parent and a mass number two less. 
A)  The atomic number of the daughter isotope is one more than the parent; the mass numbers are the same. 
B)  The mass number of the daughter isotope is one more than the parent, and both isotopes have the same atomic number. 
C)  The daughter isotope has an atomic number two less than the parent and a mass number four less. 
D)  The daughter isotope has an atomic number one less than the parent and a mass number two less.

Question 15

The era of "ancient life" is the ________ era.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

An unconformity involving older metamorphic rocks and younger sedimentary strata is termed a nonconformity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The radioactive isotope, potassium-40, has argon-40 as a daughter product.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The remains or traces of prehistoric life are called ________.

A worm would stand a poor chance of being fossilized because ________.

Rapid burial and possession of hard parts are necessary conditions for the preservation of plant or animal remains as fossils.

Assume that man's recorded history can be stretched back to 4600 years before the present. This is approximately what fraction of geologic time?

By applying the law of superposition ________ dates can be determined.

The half-life of carbon-14 is about 6000 years. Assume that a sample of charcoal formed by burning of living wood 15,000 years ago. How much of the original carbon-14 would remain today?

When a beta particle is emitted, the mass number of the isotope remains unchanged.

Which of the following is not a very long-lived, radioactive isotope?

What is the age of the Earth accepted by most scientists today?

Consider the names of the eras in the geologic time scale. What is meant by "zoic"?

Radiometric dating means placing events in their proper sequence.

What is the inert gas, daughter product of the radioactive isotope, K-40?

Which of the following geologic observations would not bear directly on working out the sequence of geologic events in an area?

Which of the following describes radioactive decay by beta particle emission?

The era of "ancient life" is the ________ era.

An unconformity involving older metamorphic rocks and younger sedimentary strata is termed a nonconformity.

The radioactive isotope, potassium-40, has argon-40 as a daughter product.

Introduction to Earth Science

Minerals: Building Blocks of Rocks

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Wasting

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Winds

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Theory Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Weather

Climate

Origin of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Light, Astronomical Observations, and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters

Exam 11: Geologic Time

The remains or traces of prehistoric life are called ________.

A worm would stand a poor chance of being fossilized because ________.

Rapid burial and possession of hard parts are necessary conditions for the preservation of plant or animal remains as fossils.

Assume that man's recorded history can be stretched back to 4600 years before the present. This is approximately what fraction of geologic time?

By applying the law of superposition ________ dates can be determined.

The half-life of carbon-14 is about 6000 years. Assume that a sample of charcoal formed by burning of living wood 15,000 years ago. How much of the original carbon-14 would remain today?

When a beta particle is emitted, the mass number of the isotope remains unchanged.

Which of the following is not a very long-lived, radioactive isotope?

What is the age of the Earth accepted by most scientists today?

Consider the names of the eras in the geologic time scale. What is meant by "zoic"?

Radiometric dating means placing events in their proper sequence.

What is the inert gas, daughter product of the radioactive isotope, K-40?

Which of the following geologic observations would not bear directly on working out the sequence of geologic events in an area?

Which of the following describes radioactive decay by beta particle emission?

The era of "ancient life" is the ________ era.

An unconformity involving older metamorphic rocks and younger sedimentary strata is termed a nonconformity.

The radioactive isotope, potassium-40, has argon-40 as a daughter product.

Introduction to Earth Science

Minerals: Building Blocks of Rocks

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Wasting

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Winds

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Theory Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Weather

Climate

Origin of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Light, Astronomical Observations, and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters