Question 1

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neogene 
B)  Paleogene 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Triassic 
E)  Cambrian 
A)  Neogene 
B)  Paleogene 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Triassic 
E)  Cambrian

Question 2

This photograph shows an upper unit with fragments and a lower unit with tilted layers. Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  the upper unit is younger because it is on top 
B)  the upper unit is younger because it contains pieces of the underlying unit 
C)  the lower unit is older because it was tilted and eroded before deposition of the upper unit 
D)  all of these 
A)  the upper unit is younger because it is on top 
B)  the upper unit is younger because it contains pieces of the underlying unit 
C)  the lower unit is older because it was tilted and eroded before deposition of the upper unit 
D)  all of these

Question 3

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Permian 
B)  Pennsylvanian 
C)  Mississippian 
D)  Cambrian 
E)  all of these 
A)  Permian 
B)  Pennsylvanian 
C)  Mississippian 
D)  Cambrian 
E)  all of these

Question 4

What kind of geologic feature is shown in this photograph?

Accepted Answer

A)  contact metamorphism 
B)  unconformity 
C)  desert varnish 
D)  desert pavement 
E)  none of these 
A)  contact metamorphism 
B)  unconformity 
C)  desert varnish 
D)  desert pavement 
E)  none of these

Question 5

Which of the following chapters in geologic time occurred before there were abundant animals with hard parts?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT something we can learn by determining isotopic ages?

Accepted Answer

A)  the age of a volcanic eruption 
B)  the age when a rock is uplifted toward the surface 
C)  the age of material from which clasts in a sedimentary rock were derived 
D)  the cooling history by using different types of isotopic ages 
E)  we can determine all of these 
A)  the age of a volcanic eruption 
B)  the age when a rock is uplifted toward the surface 
C)  the age of material from which clasts in a sedimentary rock were derived 
D)  the cooling history by using different types of isotopic ages 
E)  we can determine all of these

Question 7

What type of feature is shown in this photograph of Siccar Point, Scotland?

Accepted Answer

A)  monocline 
B)  thrust fault 
C)  normal fault 
D)  unconformity 
A)  monocline 
B)  thrust fault 
C)  normal fault 
D)  unconformity

Question 8

Where are the oldest rocks in the column of sedimentary rocks shown in the diagram?

Accepted Answer

A)  At the bottom 
B)  At the top 
C)  In the middle 
A)  At the bottom 
B)  At the top 
C)  In the middle

Question 9

In which of the following time periods did coral, clams, fish, plants and insects become abundant?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

This figure shows the main subdivisions of the geologic timescale. Which of these is the Mesozoic?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D

Question 11

The fossil fern in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

Accepted Answer

A)  by the wind 
B)  in the deep ocean 
C)  in the shallow ocean 
D)  on land 
A)  by the wind 
B)  in the deep ocean 
C)  in the shallow ocean 
D)  on land

Question 12

This figure shows two sections of rocks. What is the youngest unit?

Accepted Answer

A)  unit 1 
B)  unit 4 
C)  unit 6 
D)  unit 9 
E)  none of these 
A)  unit 1 
B)  unit 4 
C)  unit 6 
D)  unit 9 
E)  none of these

Question 13

This photograph shows an upper light-colored conglomerate and a lower dark basalt. Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  the conglomerate is older because it overlies the dark basalt 
B)  the conglomerate is younger because it contains clasts of the dark basalt 
C)  the basalt is younger because it is crosscut by fractures filled with conglomerate 
D)  none of these 
A)  the conglomerate is older because it overlies the dark basalt 
B)  the conglomerate is younger because it contains clasts of the dark basalt 
C)  the basalt is younger because it is crosscut by fractures filled with conglomerate 
D)  none of these

Question 14

A hypothesis that explains how new organisms or new characteristics can appear suddenly in the fossil record is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  punctuated equilibrium 
B)  natural selection 
C)  evolution 
A)  punctuated equilibrium 
B)  natural selection 
C)  evolution

Question 15

If the contact between the upper light-colored sedimentary layers and the lower dark-colored metamorphic rocks is a depositional contact, what type of feature is present?

Accepted Answer

A)  a surface representing missing geologic time 
B)  an angular unconformity 
C)  an ancient erosion surface 
D)  all of these 
A)  a surface representing missing geologic time 
B)  an angular unconformity 
C)  an ancient erosion surface 
D)  all of these

Question 16

Which of the following might help determine the age of the volcanic features in this figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  numeric ages 
B)  how well the shapes of the volcanoes are preserved 
C)  how well developed soil is on the lava flows 
D)  all of these 
A)  numeric ages 
B)  how well the shapes of the volcanoes are preserved 
C)  how well developed soil is on the lava flows 
D)  all of these

Question 17

Early Earth would have been inhospitable to many life forms of today because:

Accepted Answer

A)  the atmosphere lacked oxygen 
B)  the seas were warmer 
C)  the sunlight was weaker 
A)  the atmosphere lacked oxygen 
B)  the seas were warmer 
C)  the sunlight was weaker

Question 18

Which principle of relative dating can be used to determine when the minerals associated with the granite intrusion in the diagram formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  cross-cutting relations 
B)  superposition 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  inclusions 
A)  cross-cutting relations 
B)  superposition 
C)  original horizontality 
D)  inclusions

Question 19

Finding several species of fossils, rather than just one, in the same rock layer is more useful to geologists because:

Accepted Answer

A)  It indicates the sediments must have been deposited at the same time when all the species were present. 
B)  If some of the fossils are broken, others could be used as index species. 
C)  If the conditions were not right for fossilization for one species, maybe the conditions were better for other fossil species. 
A)  It indicates the sediments must have been deposited at the same time when all the species were present. 
B)  If some of the fossils are broken, others could be used as index species. 
C)  If the conditions were not right for fossilization for one species, maybe the conditions were better for other fossil species.

Question 20

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

Accepted Answer

A)  the upper volcanic unit 1) 
B)  limestone 2) 
C)  sandstone 3) 
D)  metamorphic rocks 4) 
E)  granite 5) 
A)  the upper volcanic unit 1) 
B)  limestone 2) 
C)  sandstone 3) 
D)  metamorphic rocks 4) 
E)  granite 5)

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

This photograph shows an upper unit with fragments and a lower unit with tilted layers. Which of the following statements is true?

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

What kind of geologic feature is shown in this photograph?

Which of the following chapters in geologic time occurred before there were abundant animals with hard parts?

Which of the following is NOT something we can learn by determining isotopic ages?

What type of feature is shown in this photograph of Siccar Point, Scotland?

Where are the oldest rocks in the column of sedimentary rocks shown in the diagram?

In which of the following time periods did coral, clams, fish, plants and insects become abundant?

This figure shows the main subdivisions of the geologic timescale. Which of these is the Mesozoic?

The fossil fern in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

This figure shows two sections of rocks. What is the youngest unit?

This photograph shows an upper light-colored conglomerate and a lower dark basalt. Which of the following statements is true?

A hypothesis that explains how new organisms or new characteristics can appear suddenly in the fossil record is called:

If the contact between the upper light-colored sedimentary layers and the lower dark-colored metamorphic rocks is a depositional contact, what type of feature is present?

Which of the following might help determine the age of the volcanic features in this figure?

Early Earth would have been inhospitable to many life forms of today because:

Which principle of relative dating can be used to determine when the minerals associated with the granite intrusion in the diagram formed?

Finding several species of fossils, rather than just one, in the same rock layer is more useful to geologists because:

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

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Exam 9: Geologic Time

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

This photograph shows an upper unit with fragments and a lower unit with tilted layers. Which of the following statements is true?

This figure shows the geologic timescale. Which period listed below would be part of the Paleozoic?

What kind of geologic feature is shown in this photograph?

Which of the following chapters in geologic time occurred before there were abundant animals with hard parts?

Which of the following is NOT something we can learn by determining isotopic ages?

What type of feature is shown in this photograph of Siccar Point, Scotland?

Where are the oldest rocks in the column of sedimentary rocks shown in the diagram?

In which of the following time periods did coral, clams, fish, plants and insects become abundant?

This figure shows the main subdivisions of the geologic timescale. Which of these is the Mesozoic?

The fossil fern in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

This figure shows two sections of rocks. What is the youngest unit?

This photograph shows an upper light-colored conglomerate and a lower dark basalt. Which of the following statements is true?

A hypothesis that explains how new organisms or new characteristics can appear suddenly in the fossil record is called:

If the contact between the upper light-colored sedimentary layers and the lower dark-colored metamorphic rocks is a depositional contact, what type of feature is present?

Which of the following might help determine the age of the volcanic features in this figure?

Early Earth would have been inhospitable to many life forms of today because:

Which principle of relative dating can be used to determine when the minerals associated with the granite intrusion in the diagram formed?

Finding several species of fossils, rather than just one, in the same rock layer is more useful to geologists because:

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters