Question 1

Which of the following forms different layers from season to season and can be used to determine how many years the layers represent?

Accepted Answer

A)  tree rings 
B)  layers in ice cores 
C)  varves 
D)  all of these 
A)  tree rings 
B)  layers in ice cores 
C)  varves 
D)  all of these

Question 2

Which numbered feature in this figure is the youngest?

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)

Question 3

Which fossils provide information as to the mode of formation of an oxygen-rich atmosphere by about 2 billion years ago?

Accepted Answer

A)  stromatolites 
B)  trilobites 
C)  dinosaurs 
A)  stromatolites 
B)  trilobites 
C)  dinosaurs

Question 4

This figure shows two sections that partially overlap in age. Dashed lines show how the two sections correlate. What can you conclude from these correlations?

Accepted Answer

A)  the oldest unit is unit 4 
B)  the youngest unit is unit 6 
C)  the rate at which unit 5 was deposited was constant across the area 
D)  the left section represents older rocks than the right section 
E)  none of these 
A)  the oldest unit is unit 4 
B)  the youngest unit is unit 6 
C)  the rate at which unit 5 was deposited was constant across the area 
D)  the left section represents older rocks than the right section 
E)  none of these

Question 5

The impressions of fossil shells in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

Accepted Answer

A)  by the wind 
B)  in the sea 
C)  in a dry climate 
D)  in a forest 
A)  by the wind 
B)  in the sea 
C)  in a dry climate 
D)  in a forest

Question 6

Which of the following is evidence that Earth's history is not short?

Accepted Answer

A)  millions of layers of light- and dark-colored sediment that record yearly cycles 
B)  rates of seafloor spreading compared to the width of the Atlantic Ocean 
C)  a 4-billion-year age on a rock in Canada 
D)  thousands of isotopic ages measured by different methods 
E)  all of these 
A)  millions of layers of light- and dark-colored sediment that record yearly cycles 
B)  rates of seafloor spreading compared to the width of the Atlantic Ocean 
C)  a 4-billion-year age on a rock in Canada 
D)  thousands of isotopic ages measured by different methods 
E)  all of these

Question 7

The first organisms on Earth included:

Accepted Answer

A)  trilobites 
B)  algae 
C)  complex multicellular organisms 
D)  dinosaurs 
A)  trilobites 
B)  algae 
C)  complex multicellular organisms 
D)  dinosaurs

Question 8

Who came up with the concept that geologic processes operating at present are the same processes that operated in the past?

Accepted Answer

A)  Charles Darwin 
B)  James Hutton 
C)  Nicolaus Copernicus 
D)  Nicolaus Steno 
A)  Charles Darwin 
B)  James Hutton 
C)  Nicolaus Copernicus 
D)  Nicolaus Steno

Question 9

Which of the numbered features is the youngest?

Accepted Answer

A)  conglomerate 1) 
B)  unconformity 2) 
C)  shale layer 3) 
D)  lower sedimentary units 4) 
E)  formation of the fold 5) 
A)  conglomerate 1) 
B)  unconformity 2) 
C)  shale layer 3) 
D)  lower sedimentary units 4) 
E)  formation of the fold 5)

Question 10

What marks the boundary between the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic called the K-P boundary)?

Accepted Answer

A)  the extinction of the dinosaurs 
B)  the start of a rise to dominance of mammals 
C)  a meteorite impact in Mexico 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these 
A)  the extinction of the dinosaurs 
B)  the start of a rise to dominance of mammals 
C)  a meteorite impact in Mexico 
D)  all of these 
E)  none of these

Question 11

How does an angular unconformity form?

Accepted Answer

A)  rocks are folded into an angle and the top is removed by faulting 
B)  older rocks are tilted, eroded, and overlain by younger rocks 
C)  rock layers are turned upside down at an angle 
D)  angular rocks are deposited on top of flat-lying layers 
E)  any of these 
A)  rocks are folded into an angle and the top is removed by faulting 
B)  older rocks are tilted, eroded, and overlain by younger rocks 
C)  rock layers are turned upside down at an angle 
D)  angular rocks are deposited on top of flat-lying layers 
E)  any of these

Question 12

What is the youngest event represented in this block diagram?

Accepted Answer

A)  formation of the lowest layer 
B)  deposition of the top layer 
C)  erosion of a canyon by a river 
D)  retreat of the seas 
A)  formation of the lowest layer 
B)  deposition of the top layer 
C)  erosion of a canyon by a river 
D)  retreat of the seas

Question 13

Which of the following features look like fossils but are not?

Accepted Answer

A)  footprints from dinosaurs and other creatures 
B)  burrows excavated by worms and other creatures and filled by other sediment 
C)  leaves and other plants formed on land 
D)  dark minerals that grow in branching patterns 
E)  all of these are fossils 
A)  footprints from dinosaurs and other creatures 
B)  burrows excavated by worms and other creatures and filled by other sediment 
C)  leaves and other plants formed on land 
D)  dark minerals that grow in branching patterns 
E)  all of these are fossils

Question 14

This figure has rock units and geologic features that are assigned letters that are not in any particular order. From the geologic relations, what is the oldest unit or feature of those listed below?

Accepted Answer

A)  the canyon feature N) 
B)  lava flow unit L) 
C)  dike unit 
D)  
D)  fault feature F) 
E)  old river channels feature R) 
A)  the canyon feature N) 
B)  lava flow unit L) 
C)  dike unit 
D)  
D)  fault feature F) 
E)  old river channels feature R)

Question 15

What time period is represented by this scene?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

In geology, determining time equivalency in rocks is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  correlation 
B)  corresponding 
C)  continuity 
A)  correlation 
B)  corresponding 
C)  continuity

Question 17

Which principle can be used to determine the relative age of an igneous intrusion called a dike?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

Which of the following is a reason why rock units may change from one section to another?

Accepted Answer

A)  facies change 
B)  restricted aerial distribution 
C)  removed along an unconformity or disconformity 
D)  eroded away 
E)  all of these 
A)  facies change 
B)  restricted aerial distribution 
C)  removed along an unconformity or disconformity 
D)  eroded away 
E)  all of these

Question 19

What happened between deposition of units 1 and 2?

Accepted Answer

A)  erosion and weathering 
B)  mineralization as expressed by the zone around the granite 
C)  solidification of magma into granite 
D)  all of these 
A)  erosion and weathering 
B)  mineralization as expressed by the zone around the granite 
C)  solidification of magma into granite 
D)  all of these

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

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

Which of the following forms different layers from season to season and can be used to determine how many years the layers represent?

Which numbered feature in this figure is the youngest?

Which fossils provide information as to the mode of formation of an oxygen-rich atmosphere by about 2 billion years ago?

This figure shows two sections that partially overlap in age. Dashed lines show how the two sections correlate. What can you conclude from these correlations?

The impressions of fossil shells in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

Which of the following is evidence that Earth's history is not short?

The first organisms on Earth included:

Who came up with the concept that geologic processes operating at present are the same processes that operated in the past?

Which of the numbered features is the youngest?

What marks the boundary between the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic called the K-P boundary)?

How does an angular unconformity form?

What is the youngest event represented in this block diagram?

Which of the following features look like fossils but are not?

This figure has rock units and geologic features that are assigned letters that are not in any particular order. From the geologic relations, what is the oldest unit or feature of those listed below?

What time period is represented by this scene?

In geology, determining time equivalency in rocks is called:

Which principle can be used to determine the relative age of an igneous intrusion called a dike?

Which of the following is a reason why rock units may change from one section to another?

What happened between deposition of units 1 and 2?

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

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

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Exam 9: Geologic Time

Which of the following forms different layers from season to season and can be used to determine how many years the layers represent?

Which numbered feature in this figure is the youngest?

Which fossils provide information as to the mode of formation of an oxygen-rich atmosphere by about 2 billion years ago?

This figure shows two sections that partially overlap in age. Dashed lines show how the two sections correlate. What can you conclude from these correlations?

The impressions of fossil shells in this photograph probably indicate that the rock was deposited:

Which of the following is evidence that Earth's history is not short?

The first organisms on Earth included:

Who came up with the concept that geologic processes operating at present are the same processes that operated in the past?

Which of the numbered features is the youngest?

What marks the boundary between the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic called the K-P boundary)?

How does an angular unconformity form?

What is the youngest event represented in this block diagram?

Which of the following features look like fossils but are not?

This figure has rock units and geologic features that are assigned letters that are not in any particular order. From the geologic relations, what is the oldest unit or feature of those listed below?

What time period is represented by this scene?

In geology, determining time equivalency in rocks is called:

Which principle can be used to determine the relative age of an igneous intrusion called a dike?

Which of the following is a reason why rock units may change from one section to another?

What happened between deposition of units 1 and 2?

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

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