Question 1

To help determine the age of rock layers over a large area we can use the principle of

Accepted Answer

A) original horizontality. 
B) lateral continuity. 
C) superposition. 
D) fossil assemblage. 
A) original horizontality. 
B) lateral continuity. 
C) superposition. 
D) fossil assemblage.

Question 2

The formation of the supercontinent of Pangaea

Accepted Answer

A) resulted from the collision of all major land masses. 
B) produced widespread mountain building in the Himalayas. 
C) resulted in extensive volcanic activity and flood basalts. 
D) all of these 
A) resulted from the collision of all major land masses. 
B) produced widespread mountain building in the Himalayas. 
C) resulted in extensive volcanic activity and flood basalts. 
D) all of these

Question 3

The most noteworthy highlight of the Mesozoic 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.

Question 4

The San Andreas fault is still active today as the northwest moving

Accepted Answer

A) North American Plate grinds against the southwest moving Pacific Plate. 
B) Pacific Plate grinds against the southwest moving North American Plate. 
A) North American Plate grinds against the southwest moving Pacific Plate. 
B) Pacific Plate grinds against the southwest moving North American Plate.

Question 5

The process where an element spontaneously changes into a different element (transmutation)by a change in the nucleus of an atom is called

Accepted Answer

A) radiometric dating. 
B) radioactive decay. 
C) radiometric decay. 
D) none of these 
A) radiometric dating. 
B) radioactive decay. 
C) radiometric decay. 
D) none of these

Question 6

At the end of the Paleozoic era,all

Accepted Answer

A) dinosaurs became extinct. 
B) flowering plants grew to great heights. 
C) fish species became extinct. 
D) trilobites became extinct. 
A) dinosaurs became extinct. 
B) flowering plants grew to great heights. 
C) fish species became extinct. 
D) trilobites became extinct.

Question 7

The banded iron formations began to form when

Accepted Answer

A) carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater. 
B) varying oxygen levels allowed the precipitation of alternating layers of iron oxide. 
C) oxide minerals were deposited on the ocean bottom. 
D) iron from lava flows settled into layered formations. 
A) carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater. 
B) varying oxygen levels allowed the precipitation of alternating layers of iron oxide. 
C) oxide minerals were deposited on the ocean bottom. 
D) iron from lava flows settled into layered formations.

Question 8

The ultimate truth of any radiometric date depends on the

Accepted Answer

A) size of the given sample. 
B) chemical composition of the sample being tested. 
C) precision and accuracy of the lab techniques. 
D) reset date of the sample. 
A) size of the given sample. 
B) chemical composition of the sample being tested. 
C) precision and accuracy of the lab techniques. 
D) reset date of the sample.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a presumed cause of ice ages?

Accepted Answer

A) The arrangement of continents around the globe. 
B) The amount of sunlight being reflected back into space. 
C) The geometry of Earth's rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun. 
D) Volcanic eruptions blocking the sunlight with clouds. 
A) The arrangement of continents around the globe. 
B) The amount of sunlight being reflected back into space. 
C) The geometry of Earth's rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun. 
D) Volcanic eruptions blocking the sunlight with clouds.

Question 10

The break-up of Pangaea began in the Mesozoic era

Accepted Answer

A) during the Jurassic. 
B) during the Triassic. 
C) at the end of the Triassic. 
D) at the end of the Ordovician. 
A) during the Jurassic. 
B) during the Triassic. 
C) at the end of the Triassic. 
D) at the end of the Ordovician.

Question 11

All continental landmasses joined together as Pangaea resulted in

Accepted Answer

A) a reduction in shallow marine habitats. 
B) a long duration of high sea level. 
C) an increase of seafloor spreading. 
D) increased species diversification. 
A) a reduction in shallow marine habitats. 
B) a long duration of high sea level. 
C) an increase of seafloor spreading. 
D) increased species diversification.

Question 12

In any sequence of sedimentary rock layers that have not been subjected to stress,you would expect to find

Accepted Answer

A) horizontal layers. 
B) older layers at the bottom and younger layers at the top. 
C) fossils in the bottom layers and inclusions in the upper layers. 
D) older horizontal layers at the bottom with younger horizontal layers at the top. 
A) horizontal layers. 
B) older layers at the bottom and younger layers at the top. 
C) fossils in the bottom layers and inclusions in the upper layers. 
D) older horizontal layers at the bottom with younger horizontal layers at the top.

Question 13

Most coal deposits were formed in the

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

The great height of the Himalayas is due to

Accepted Answer

A) continental-continental convergence where neither plate undergoes subduction. 
B) the continuing after affect of the collision between the Alps and the Urals. 
C) convergence of the Farallon Plate with India. 
D) the subduction of India beneath Asia. 
A) continental-continental convergence where neither plate undergoes subduction. 
B) the continuing after affect of the collision between the Alps and the Urals. 
C) convergence of the Farallon Plate with India. 
D) the subduction of India beneath Asia.

Question 15

The formation of the early Appalachian Mountains began as a result of tectonic activity during the

Accepted Answer

A) Paleozoic era. 
B) Triassic era. 
C) Mesozoic era. 
D) Cenozoic era. 
A) Paleozoic era. 
B) Triassic era. 
C) Mesozoic era. 
D) Cenozoic era.

Question 16

To date a rock thought to be many millions of years old,you should not use the decay of

Accepted Answer

A) uranium to lead. 
B) potassium to argon. 
C) carbon-14. 
A) uranium to lead. 
B) potassium to argon. 
C) carbon-14.

Question 17

The emergence of terrestrial life-for example,land plants,came about during the

Accepted Answer

A) Triassic. 
B) Silurian. 
C) Ordovician. 
D) Carboniferous era. 
A) Triassic. 
B) Silurian. 
C) Ordovician. 
D) Carboniferous era.

Question 18

Coal is composed of

Accepted Answer

A) petrified wood. 
B) buried plant material that has partially decayed. 
C) buried animal material that has partially decayed. 
D) a combination of oil-rich sediments and calcareous ooze. 
A) petrified wood. 
B) buried plant material that has partially decayed. 
C) buried animal material that has partially decayed. 
D) a combination of oil-rich sediments and calcareous ooze.

Question 19

The migration of humans from Asia to North America was aided by

Accepted Answer

A) herds of woolly mammoths. 
B) the collision of the Pacific Plate with the North American Plate. 
C) land bridges due to lowered sea level. 
D) glacial moraines that extended across the Bering Strait. 
A) herds of woolly mammoths. 
B) the collision of the Pacific Plate with the North American Plate. 
C) land bridges due to lowered sea level. 
D) glacial moraines that extended across the Bering Strait.

Question 20

Why are scientists saying that we are entering a new epoch-the Anthropocene epoch?

Accepted Answer

The Holocene epoch-the last 10,000 years

Exam 23: Geologic Time - Reading the Rock Record

To help determine the age of rock layers over a large area we can use the principle of

The formation of the supercontinent of Pangaea

The most noteworthy highlight of the Mesozoic era was the

The San Andreas fault is still active today as the northwest moving

The process where an element spontaneously changes into a different element (transmutation)by a change in the nucleus of an atom is called

At the end of the Paleozoic era,all

The banded iron formations began to form when

The ultimate truth of any radiometric date depends on the

Which of the following is not a presumed cause of ice ages?

The break-up of Pangaea began in the Mesozoic era

All continental landmasses joined together as Pangaea resulted in

In any sequence of sedimentary rock layers that have not been subjected to stress,you would expect to find

Most coal deposits were formed in the

The great height of the Himalayas is due to

The formation of the early Appalachian Mountains began as a result of tectonic activity during the

To date a rock thought to be many millions of years old,you should not use the decay of

The emergence of terrestrial life-for example,land plants,came about during the

Coal is composed of

The migration of humans from Asia to North America was aided by

Why are scientists saying that we are entering a new epoch-the Anthropocene epoch?

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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