Question 1

To date relatively young rocks and materials,we use the decay of

Accepted Answer

A) uranium-238 to lead-206. 
B) potassium-40 to argon-40. 
C) carbon-14 to nitrogen-14. 
D) uranium-235 to lead-207. 
A) uranium-238 to lead-206. 
B) potassium-40 to argon-40. 
C) carbon-14 to nitrogen-14. 
D) uranium-235 to lead-207. C

Question 2

What type of igneous formation would agree with the principle of superposition?

Accepted Answer

Lava flows.When volcanoes or fissures erupt,lava flows outward; with each eruption new lava flows on top of older lava flows.Although magma also flows,magma can intrude between existing layers.

Question 3

The most noteworthy highlight of the Cenozoic era was the

Accepted Answer

A) break-up of Pangaea. 
B) emergence of humans. 
C) Pleistocene extinction. 
D) ice age. 
A) break-up of Pangaea. 
B) emergence of humans. 
C) Pleistocene extinction. 
D) ice age. B

Question 4

The Paleozoic era begins with the Cambrian and concludes with the

Accepted Answer

A) Ordovician period. 
B) Silurian period. 
C) Permian period. 
D) Triassic period. 
A) Ordovician period. 
B) Silurian period. 
C) Permian period. 
D) Triassic period.

Question 5

Fossils can be used to determine the relative age of rock layers because they are

Accepted Answer

A) found in a definite order. 
B) deposited horizontally,one fossil at time. 
C) radioactive. 
D) found in sedimentary rocks. 
A) found in a definite order. 
B) deposited horizontally,one fossil at time. 
C) radioactive. 
D) found in sedimentary rocks.

Question 6

The beginning of the Paleozoic is marked by the emergence of

Accepted Answer

A) organisms with hard parts. 
B) fish and fungi. 
C) extensive glaciated deposits. 
D) none of these 
A) organisms with hard parts. 
B) fish and fungi. 
C) extensive glaciated deposits. 
D) none of these

Question 7

Large deposits of gypsum and other evaporite minerals are evidence of

Accepted Answer

A) volcanic activity during the Cambrian period. 
B) dried up shallow seas from the Silurian period. 
C) seafloor spreading during the Permian period. 
D) glaciation during the Triassic period. 
A) volcanic activity during the Cambrian period. 
B) dried up shallow seas from the Silurian period. 
C) seafloor spreading during the Permian period. 
D) glaciation during the Triassic period.

Question 8

The most noteworthy event that occurred during the Pleistocene was the

Accepted Answer

A) emergence of the early humans. 
B) ice age. 
C) appearance of the grasslands. 
D) divergence of horses. 
A) emergence of the early humans. 
B) ice age. 
C) appearance of the grasslands. 
D) divergence of horses.

Question 9

Why are periods the most fundamental time unit?

Accepted Answer

Periods are small enough time

Question 10

What types of changes occurred in land-dwelling animals during the Mesozoic?

Accepted Answer

Land animals began to greatly

Question 11

Ancient geologic processes as revealed in Paleozoic rock layers were

Accepted Answer

A) predominantly volcanic in origin. 
B) primarily glacial. 
C) predominantly processes of erosion and sedimentation. 
D) very similar to processes seen today. 
A) predominantly volcanic in origin. 
B) primarily glacial. 
C) predominantly processes of erosion and sedimentation. 
D) very similar to processes seen today.

Question 12

Why is it believed that large parts of the United States were once covered by shallow seas?

Accepted Answer

Marine fossils found

Question 13

In a sequence of rock layers we find trilobite fossils at the bottom of the rock sequence and dinosaur fossils directly above the trilobite fossils.We conclude that

Accepted Answer

A) trilobites survived up to the time of the dinosaurs. 
B) the beds are overturned. 
C) the processes of erosion created a gap between the age of trilobites and the age of dinosaurs. 
D) dinosaurs fed on trilobites. 
A) trilobites survived up to the time of the dinosaurs. 
B) the beds are overturned. 
C) the processes of erosion created a gap between the age of trilobites and the age of dinosaurs. 
D) dinosaurs fed on trilobites.

Question 14

Rocks from the Carboniferous period are significant because they

Accepted Answer

A) contain diamonds. 
B) provide gold and silver deposits. 
C) have large deposits of coal and oil. 
D) are a source of cement. 
A) contain diamonds. 
B) provide gold and silver deposits. 
C) have large deposits of coal and oil. 
D) are a source of cement.

Question 15

In radioactive decay,when the parent material decays to one-half of its original amount,the time is

Accepted Answer

A) one half-life. 
B) two half-lives. 
C) three half-lives. 
D) four half-lives. 
A) one half-life. 
B) two half-lives. 
C) three half-lives. 
D) four half-lives.

Question 16

Conditions for the preservation of fossils are best achieved

Accepted Answer

A) in desert environments. 
B) in glaciated environments. 
C) in shallow river beds. 
D) on the floors of shallow seas. 
A) in desert environments. 
B) in glaciated environments. 
C) in shallow river beds. 
D) on the floors of shallow seas.

Question 17

Walking along a dry river bed,you find a conglomerate rock.What can you say about the rock's relative age?

Accepted Answer

A) The rock formed in place,at the river bed. 
B) The rock and mineral fragments that make up the rock are older than the actual rock. 
C) The rock is relatively young since it contains lots of small rock fragments. 
D) The rock and mineral fragments that make up the rock are younger than the actual rock. 
A) The rock formed in place,at the river bed. 
B) The rock and mineral fragments that make up the rock are older than the actual rock. 
C) The rock is relatively young since it contains lots of small rock fragments. 
D) The rock and mineral fragments that make up the rock are younger than the actual rock.

Question 18

Changes in Earth's history are recorded

Accepted Answer

A) in the rock record. 
B) in magnetic tape at the bottom of the oceans. 
C) by rocks at the Library of Congress. 
D) Moon rocks. 
A) in the rock record. 
B) in magnetic tape at the bottom of the oceans. 
C) by rocks at the Library of Congress. 
D) Moon rocks.

Question 19

The ordering of rocks in sequence by their comparative ages is called

Accepted Answer

A) faunal succession. 
B) original horizontality. 
C) relative dating. 
D) uniformitarianism. 
A) faunal succession. 
B) original horizontality. 
C) relative dating. 
D) uniformitarianism.

Question 20

The break-up of Pangaea began in the Mesozoic era

Accepted Answer

A) with the rifting apart of North America and Africa. 
B) with the collision of North America with Africa. 
C) with the formation of the Himalayan Mountains. 
D) at the end of the Ordovician. 
A) with the rifting apart of North America and Africa. 
B) with the collision of North America with Africa. 
C) with the formation of the Himalayan Mountains. 
D) at the end of the Ordovician.

Exam 23: Geologic Time - Reading the Rock Record

To date relatively young rocks and materials,we use the decay of

What type of igneous formation would agree with the principle of superposition?

The most noteworthy highlight of the Cenozoic era was the

The Paleozoic era begins with the Cambrian and concludes with the

Fossils can be used to determine the relative age of rock layers because they are

The beginning of the Paleozoic is marked by the emergence of

Large deposits of gypsum and other evaporite minerals are evidence of

The most noteworthy event that occurred during the Pleistocene was the

Why are periods the most fundamental time unit?

What types of changes occurred in land-dwelling animals during the Mesozoic?

Ancient geologic processes as revealed in Paleozoic rock layers were

Why is it believed that large parts of the United States were once covered by shallow seas?

In a sequence of rock layers we find trilobite fossils at the bottom of the rock sequence and dinosaur fossils directly above the trilobite fossils.We conclude that

Rocks from the Carboniferous period are significant because they

In radioactive decay,when the parent material decays to one-half of its original amount,the time is

Conditions for the preservation of fossils are best achieved

Walking along a dry river bed,you find a conglomerate rock.What can you say about the rock's relative age?

Changes in Earth's history are recorded

The ordering of rocks in sequence by their comparative ages is called

The break-up of Pangaea began in the Mesozoic era

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

The Solar System

Stars and Galaxies

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: The Nature of Science

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