Question 1

An advantage of the accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) method of radiocarbon dating is:

Accepted Answer

A)  although not as precise as standard dating methods that count beta decays, AMS dating is less subject to problems caused by atmospheric fluctuations in 14C. 
B)  AMS dating is much cheaper than standard dating methods that count beta decays. 
C)  AMS dating requires much smaller carbon samples than standard dating methods. 
D)  AMS dates are easier to calibrate than standard radiocarbon dates. 
A)  although not as precise as standard dating methods that count beta decays, AMS dating is less subject to problems caused by atmospheric fluctuations in 14C. 
B)  AMS dating is much cheaper than standard dating methods that count beta decays. 
C)  AMS dating requires much smaller carbon samples than standard dating methods. 
D)  AMS dates are easier to calibrate than standard radiocarbon dates.

Question 2

Factors that can affect the utility of radiocarbon dating include:

Accepted Answer

A)  contamination (e.g., by coal). 
B)  atmospheric fluctuations of 14C. 
C)  the length of time wood is useful after it dies ("old wood" problem). 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  contamination (e.g., by coal). 
B)  atmospheric fluctuations of 14C. 
C)  the length of time wood is useful after it dies ("old wood" problem). 
D)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 3

When faced with a choice of wood to use in tree-ring dating, which of the following would yield the best results?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cottonwood 
B)  Sagebrush 
C)  Pine 
D)  All types of wood are equally useful, making tree-ring dating such a powerful tool. 
A)  Cottonwood 
B)  Sagebrush 
C)  Pine 
D)  All types of wood are equally useful, making tree-ring dating such a powerful tool.

Question 4

Seriation differs from the index fossil concept in that:

Accepted Answer

A)  instead of relying on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts, it relies on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles. 
B)  instead of relying on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles, it relies on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts. 
C)  seriation applies only to pottery styles, while the index fossil concept can apply to all artifact facts. 
D)  None of the answers; seriation is the same thing as the index fossil concept. 
A)  instead of relying on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts, it relies on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles. 
B)  instead of relying on changes in the frequencies of artifacts or styles, it relies on the presence or absence of distinctive kinds of artifacts. 
C)  seriation applies only to pottery styles, while the index fossil concept can apply to all artifact facts. 
D)  None of the answers; seriation is the same thing as the index fossil concept.

Question 5

What was revolutionary about Nelson's 1914 excavation methodology at San Cristobal Pueblo in New Mexico?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nelson was aware of the effect of screen mesh size on artifact recovery, and adjusted his screening methods accordingly. 
B)  Nelson used the newly discovered radiocarbon dating technique to provide an absolute date for the occupation of the pueblo. 
C)  Nelson was the first to use dendrochronology, and was able to obtain absolute dates for the construction of the pueblo. 
D)  Nelson excavated in arbitrary stratigraphic levels and developed a master ceramic sequence which allowed for chronological control through the index fossil method. 
A)  Nelson was aware of the effect of screen mesh size on artifact recovery, and adjusted his screening methods accordingly. 
B)  Nelson used the newly discovered radiocarbon dating technique to provide an absolute date for the occupation of the pueblo. 
C)  Nelson was the first to use dendrochronology, and was able to obtain absolute dates for the construction of the pueblo. 
D)  Nelson excavated in arbitrary stratigraphic levels and developed a master ceramic sequence which allowed for chronological control through the index fossil method.

Question 6

Dendrochronology provides a(n) measure of time, while the Law of Superposition allows for a(n) measure of time.

Accepted Answer

A)  relative/absolute 
B)  calibrated/corrected 
C)  long-term/exact 
D)  absolute/relative 
A)  relative/absolute 
B)  calibrated/corrected 
C)  long-term/exact 
D)  absolute/relative

Question 7

After excavating a hearth feature you submit organic material from the hearth for a conventional radiocarbon date. The result comes back as follows: Beta-33003, 3500+/- 100 radiocarbon years BP. You know that:

Accepted Answer

A)  beta represents the Laboratory. 
B)  3500 represents the years before present. 
C)  +/- 100 represents the standard error. 
D)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  beta represents the Laboratory. 
B)  3500 represents the years before present. 
C)  +/- 100 represents the standard error. 
D)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 8

Radiocarbon dating is useful worldwide because the amount of atmospheric 14C has remained constant through time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Which of the following dating techniques helps to bridge the dating gap between radiocarbon and potassium argon dating?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thermoluminescence 
B)  AMS dating 
C)  Argon-argon 
D)  None of the answers; there is no gap as radiocarbon and potassium-argon date the same age range of materials. 
A)  Thermoluminescence 
B)  AMS dating 
C)  Argon-argon 
D)  None of the answers; there is no gap as radiocarbon and potassium-argon date the same age range of materials.

Question 10

Which of the following dating methods provides the most precise date?

Accepted Answer

A)  Potassium-argon 
B)  Radiocarbon 
C)  Dendrochronology 
D)  Thermoluminescence 
A)  Potassium-argon 
B)  Radiocarbon 
C)  Dendrochronology 
D)  Thermoluminescence

Question 11

Which of the following is not a trapped charge dating method?

Accepted Answer

A)  Accelerator mass spectrometry 
B)  Thermoluminescence 
C)  Optically stimulated luminescence 
D)  Electron spin resonance 
A)  Accelerator mass spectrometry 
B)  Thermoluminescence 
C)  Optically stimulated luminescence 
D)  Electron spin resonance

Question 12

At an extremely old site (greater than 500,000 years), such as the older levels at Olduvai Gorge, the best type of dating technique to use would be Potassium-Argon or Argon-Argon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Organisms that obtain carbon from a source that is depleted or enriched in 14C relative to the atmosphere may return ages that are considerably older or younger than they actually are. This is due to:

Accepted Answer

A)  De Vries effect. 
B)  the reservoir effect. 
C)  the effect of different photosynthetic pathways. 
D)  problems with calibrating the radiocarbon curve. 
A)  De Vries effect. 
B)  the reservoir effect. 
C)  the effect of different photosynthetic pathways. 
D)  problems with calibrating the radiocarbon curve.

Question 14

Because different plants use different photosynthetic pathways that discriminate against carbon-13 in different ways, plants that are the same age can produce different radiocarbon ages.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

A tree ring sequence developed in the southwestern United States would be equally as applicable in a region such as the Mediterranean.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

evidence usually provides dates for historical sites.

Accepted Answer

A)  Geomorphological 
B)  Faunal 
C)  Documentary 
D)  Floral 
A)  Geomorphological 
B)  Faunal 
C)  Documentary 
D)  Floral

Question 17

A tree ring sequence is only useful in the region in which it was developed because:

Accepted Answer

A)  trees respond to climate and climate is regionally variable. 
B)  researchers tend not to share their data with one another, and thus each area needs its own specialist. 
C)  tree rings are partially conditioned by soil chemistry which can be highly variable over small distances. 
D)  in order to be useful, tree rings must be calibrated using radiocarbon dating, and calibration curves are regionally specific. 
A)  trees respond to climate and climate is regionally variable. 
B)  researchers tend not to share their data with one another, and thus each area needs its own specialist. 
C)  tree rings are partially conditioned by soil chemistry which can be highly variable over small distances. 
D)  in order to be useful, tree rings must be calibrated using radiocarbon dating, and calibration curves are regionally specific.

Question 18

The "battleship" shape that the text mentions when discussing seriation refers to changes in the 'popularity' of a morphological type.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

When documentary evidence is not available, known ages of artifact types are generated to create age-range or median ages for historical features or sites using

Accepted Answer

A)  TPQ. 
B)  mean ceramic age dates. 
C)  radiocarbon dates. 
D)  TPQ and mean ceramic age dates. 
A)  TPQ. 
B)  mean ceramic age dates. 
C)  radiocarbon dates. 
D)  TPQ and mean ceramic age dates.

Question 20

The index fossil concept was introduced to archaeology by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Oscar Montelius. 
B)  A. E. Douglas. 
C)  Willard Libby. 
D)  Jeffrey Dean. 
A)  Oscar Montelius. 
B)  A. E. Douglas. 
C)  Willard Libby. 
D)  Jeffrey Dean.

An advantage of the accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) method of radiocarbon dating is:

Factors that can affect the utility of radiocarbon dating include:

When faced with a choice of wood to use in tree-ring dating, which of the following would yield the best results?

Seriation differs from the index fossil concept in that:

What was revolutionary about Nelson's 1914 excavation methodology at San Cristobal Pueblo in New Mexico?

Dendrochronology provides a(n) measure of time, while the Law of Superposition allows for a(n) measure of time.

After excavating a hearth feature you submit organic material from the hearth for a conventional radiocarbon date. The result comes back as follows: Beta-33003, 3500+/- 100 radiocarbon years BP. You know that:

Radiocarbon dating is useful worldwide because the amount of atmospheric 14C has remained constant through time.

Which of the following dating techniques helps to bridge the dating gap between radiocarbon and potassium argon dating?

Which of the following dating methods provides the most precise date?

Which of the following is not a trapped charge dating method?

At an extremely old site (greater than 500,000 years), such as the older levels at Olduvai Gorge, the best type of dating technique to use would be Potassium-Argon or Argon-Argon.

Organisms that obtain carbon from a source that is depleted or enriched in 14C relative to the atmosphere may return ages that are considerably older or younger than they actually are. This is due to:

Because different plants use different photosynthetic pathways that discriminate against carbon-13 in different ways, plants that are the same age can produce different radiocarbon ages.

A tree ring sequence developed in the southwestern United States would be equally as applicable in a region such as the Mediterranean.

evidence usually provides dates for historical sites.

A tree ring sequence is only useful in the region in which it was developed because:

The "battleship" shape that the text mentions when discussing seriation refers to changes in the 'popularity' of a morphological type.

When documentary evidence is not available, known ages of artifact types are generated to create age-range or median ages for historical features or sites using

The index fossil concept was introduced to archaeology by:

Meet Some New Archaeologists

The Structure Of Archaeological Inquiry

Doing Fieldwork Surveying For Archaeological Sites

Doing Fieldwork Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes

Geoarchaeology and Site Formation Processes

The Dimensions Of Archaeology Time Space And Form

Taphonomy Experimental Archaeology And Ethnoarchaeology

People Plants and Animals In The Past

Bioarchaeological Approaches To The Past

Reconstructing Social And Political Systems Of The Past

The Archaeology Of The Mind

Understanding Key Transitions In World Prehistory

Historial Archaeology Insights On American History

Caring For Our Cultural Heritage

Archaeology Apos S Future

Filters

Exam 6: Chronology Building How To Get A Date

An advantage of the accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) method of radiocarbon dating is:

Factors that can affect the utility of radiocarbon dating include:

When faced with a choice of wood to use in tree-ring dating, which of the following would yield the best results?

Seriation differs from the index fossil concept in that:

What was revolutionary about Nelson's 1914 excavation methodology at San Cristobal Pueblo in New Mexico?

Dendrochronology provides a(n) measure of time, while the Law of Superposition allows for a(n) measure of time.

After excavating a hearth feature you submit organic material from the hearth for a conventional radiocarbon date. The result comes back as follows: Beta-33003, 3500+/- 100 radiocarbon years BP. You know that:

Radiocarbon dating is useful worldwide because the amount of atmospheric 14C has remained constant through time.

Which of the following dating techniques helps to bridge the dating gap between radiocarbon and potassium argon dating?

Which of the following dating methods provides the most precise date?

Which of the following is not a trapped charge dating method?

At an extremely old site (greater than 500,000 years), such as the older levels at Olduvai Gorge, the best type of dating technique to use would be Potassium-Argon or Argon-Argon.

Organisms that obtain carbon from a source that is depleted or enriched in 14C relative to the atmosphere may return ages that are considerably older or younger than they actually are. This is due to:

Because different plants use different photosynthetic pathways that discriminate against carbon-13 in different ways, plants that are the same age can produce different radiocarbon ages.

A tree ring sequence developed in the southwestern United States would be equally as applicable in a region such as the Mediterranean.

evidence usually provides dates for historical sites.

A tree ring sequence is only useful in the region in which it was developed because:

The "battleship" shape that the text mentions when discussing seriation refers to changes in the 'popularity' of a morphological type.

When documentary evidence is not available, known ages of artifact types are generated to create age-range or median ages for historical features or sites using

The index fossil concept was introduced to archaeology by:

Meet Some New Archaeologists

The Structure Of Archaeological Inquiry

Doing Fieldwork Surveying For Archaeological Sites

Doing Fieldwork Why Archaeologists Dig Square Holes

Geoarchaeology and Site Formation Processes

The Dimensions Of Archaeology Time Space And Form

Taphonomy Experimental Archaeology And Ethnoarchaeology

People Plants and Animals In The Past

Bioarchaeological Approaches To The Past

Reconstructing Social And Political Systems Of The Past

The Archaeology Of The Mind

Understanding Key Transitions In World Prehistory

Historial Archaeology Insights On American History

Caring For Our Cultural Heritage

Archaeology Apos S Future

Filters