Question 1

The oldest intact rocks found on Earth date back to approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  4.5 billion years ago 
B)  3.85 billion years ago 
C)  3.5 billion years ago 
D)  4.0 billion years ago 
A)  4.5 billion years ago 
B)  3.85 billion years ago 
C)  3.5 billion years ago 
D)  4.0 billion years ago

Question 2

A fossil is found in a layer of strata above another layer dated at 10 million years and below another layer dated at 5 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

Accepted Answer

A)  older than 10 million years 
B)  younger than 5 million years 
C)  we can tell nothing about the fossil's age from this data 
D)  between 5 and 10 million years old 
A)  older than 10 million years 
B)  younger than 5 million years 
C)  we can tell nothing about the fossil's age from this data 
D)  between 5 and 10 million years old

Question 3

In electron capture,

Accepted Answer

A)  a proton turns into a neutron 
B)  a helium nucleus is ejected 
C)  a proton turns into an electron 
D)  a neutron turns into a proton 
A)  a proton turns into a neutron 
B)  a helium nucleus is ejected 
C)  a proton turns into an electron 
D)  a neutron turns into a proton

Question 4

Rocks are found on the surface of another planet which appear to have been formed from the solidification of molten lava. Given this, they are most likely to be classified as

Accepted Answer

A)  Meteoritic 
B)  Metamorphic 
C)  Sedimentary 
D)  Igneous 
A)  Meteoritic 
B)  Metamorphic 
C)  Sedimentary 
D)  Igneous

Question 5

Analysis of rocks returned from the lunar maria during the Apollo program suggest they formed

Accepted Answer

A)  during the period of early bombardment constituting the first few hundred million years of the Earth's history 
B)  fairly recently during the last million years or so 
C)  roughly 65 million years ago 
D)  between 3.9 and 3.0 billion years ago 
A)  during the period of early bombardment constituting the first few hundred million years of the Earth's history 
B)  fairly recently during the last million years or so 
C)  roughly 65 million years ago 
D)  between 3.9 and 3.0 billion years ago

Question 6

Radiometric dating of a rock reveals an age of 1.52 billion years. Given that the half-life of the parent isotope used is 14.0 billion years, what percentage of the parent isotope is still present in the rock?

Accepted Answer

A)  92.8% 
B)  10.9% 
C)  76.4% 
D)  7.26% 
A)  92.8% 
B)  10.9% 
C)  76.4% 
D)  7.26%

Question 7

The Himalayas were formed by

Accepted Answer

A)  two pieces of continental crust colliding 
B)  two pieces of oceanic crust colliding 
C)  two pieces of continental crust separating 
D)  pieces of oceanic and continental crust colliding 
A)  two pieces of continental crust colliding 
B)  two pieces of oceanic crust colliding 
C)  two pieces of continental crust separating 
D)  pieces of oceanic and continental crust colliding

Question 8

The deep interior of the Earth is studied using

Accepted Answer

A)  drills 
B)  electromagnetic waves 
C)  seismic waves 
D)  gravitational waves 
A)  drills 
B)  electromagnetic waves 
C)  seismic waves 
D)  gravitational waves

Question 9

Which type or types of rock can be dated radiometrically?

Accepted Answer

A)  igneous and metamorphic 
B)  all rocks can be dated radiometrically 
C)  metamorphic only 
D)  igneous only 
A)  igneous and metamorphic 
B)  all rocks can be dated radiometrically 
C)  metamorphic only 
D)  igneous only

Question 10

The dark maria on the moon are

Accepted Answer

A)  layers of dark meteoritic debris from impacts 
B)  layers of darker rock just beneath the surface which have been uncovered by impacts 
C)  huge impact basins filled in by lava flows 
D)  oceans of liquid water covering the surface 
A)  layers of dark meteoritic debris from impacts 
B)  layers of darker rock just beneath the surface which have been uncovered by impacts 
C)  huge impact basins filled in by lava flows 
D)  oceans of liquid water covering the surface

Question 11

In which eon of Earth's history did dinosaurs and mammals first appear?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hadean 
B)  Archean 
C)  Phanerozoic 
D)  Proterozoic 
A)  Hadean 
B)  Archean 
C)  Phanerozoic 
D)  Proterozoic

Question 12

On the surfaces of which terrestrial planets is plate tectonics observed?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth, Venus, and Mars 
B)  on all of the terrestrial planets 
C)  Earth and Venus 
D)  only on the Earth 
A)  Earth, Venus, and Mars 
B)  on all of the terrestrial planets 
C)  Earth and Venus 
D)  only on the Earth

Question 13

Fossils of the earliest life are very difficult to identify in very old rocks because it

Accepted Answer

A)  was very simple and microscopic in size 
B)  was not made of organic material that could be replaced by minerals 
C)  was so different to life found on Earth today that we are not capable of identifying it 
D)  did not leave behind any fossilized remains 
A)  was very simple and microscopic in size 
B)  was not made of organic material that could be replaced by minerals 
C)  was so different to life found on Earth today that we are not capable of identifying it 
D)  did not leave behind any fossilized remains

Question 14

A rock sample contains 1/4 micrograms of the parent radioactive isotope Potassium-40 and 3/4 micrograms of its daughter isotope Argon-40. If the half-life of this decay is 1.25 billion years, how old is this rock?

Accepted Answer

A)  5.00 billion years 
B)  3.75 billion years 
C)  1.25 billion years 
D)  2.50 billion years 
A)  5.00 billion years 
B)  3.75 billion years 
C)  1.25 billion years 
D)  2.50 billion years

Question 15

One observation that suggests that the Earth has a dense central core is that

Accepted Answer

A)  the Earth has plate tectonics 
B)  surface rocks have the same density as the overall density of the planet 
C)  surface rocks have a lower density than overall density of the planet 
D)  surface rocks have a higher density than the overall density of the planet 
A)  the Earth has plate tectonics 
B)  surface rocks have the same density as the overall density of the planet 
C)  surface rocks have a lower density than overall density of the planet 
D)  surface rocks have a higher density than the overall density of the planet

Question 16

The geological record contains fewer older rocks than younger rocks because older rocks

Accepted Answer

A)  are mostly found deep within the Earth 
B)  have been transformed by life processes that have occurred inside them 
C)  have been destroyed by geological processes such as plate tectonics and erosion 
D)  have been destroyed by recent meteorite impacts 
A)  are mostly found deep within the Earth 
B)  have been transformed by life processes that have occurred inside them 
C)  have been destroyed by geological processes such as plate tectonics and erosion 
D)  have been destroyed by recent meteorite impacts

Question 17

The mantle of the Earth is mostly made of

Accepted Answer

A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock 
A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock

Question 18

The lithosphere of the Earth is mostly made of

Accepted Answer

A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock 
A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock

Question 19

Although fossils can be made in numerous ways, only a tiny fraction of living organisms leave behind any kind of fossil remnant because

Accepted Answer

A)  most minerals that replace organic material are soluble in water and so dissolve away 
B)  the vast majority of dead organisms decay long before any mineral replacement can occur 
C)  the organic material is destroyed by radioactivity 
D)  they are destroyed by geological processes before mineral replacement can occur 
A)  most minerals that replace organic material are soluble in water and so dissolve away 
B)  the vast majority of dead organisms decay long before any mineral replacement can occur 
C)  the organic material is destroyed by radioactivity 
D)  they are destroyed by geological processes before mineral replacement can occur

Question 20

Which type of rock is the easiest to date radiometrically?

Accepted Answer

A)  sedimentary 
B)  all three types of rock are equally easy to date 
C)  metamorphic 
D)  igneous 
A)  sedimentary 
B)  all three types of rock are equally easy to date 
C)  metamorphic 
D)  igneous

The oldest intact rocks found on Earth date back to approximately

A fossil is found in a layer of strata above another layer dated at 10 million years and below another layer dated at 5 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

In electron capture,

Rocks are found on the surface of another planet which appear to have been formed from the solidification of molten lava. Given this, they are most likely to be classified as

Analysis of rocks returned from the lunar maria during the Apollo program suggest they formed

Radiometric dating of a rock reveals an age of 1.52 billion years. Given that the half-life of the parent isotope used is 14.0 billion years, what percentage of the parent isotope is still present in the rock?

The Himalayas were formed by

The deep interior of the Earth is studied using

Which type or types of rock can be dated radiometrically?

The dark maria on the moon are

In which eon of Earth's history did dinosaurs and mammals first appear?

On the surfaces of which terrestrial planets is plate tectonics observed?

Fossils of the earliest life are very difficult to identify in very old rocks because it

A rock sample contains 1/4 micrograms of the parent radioactive isotope Potassium-40 and 3/4 micrograms of its daughter isotope Argon-40. If the half-life of this decay is 1.25 billion years, how old is this rock?

One observation that suggests that the Earth has a dense central core is that

The geological record contains fewer older rocks than younger rocks because older rocks

The mantle of the Earth is mostly made of

The lithosphere of the Earth is mostly made of

Although fossils can be made in numerous ways, only a tiny fraction of living organisms leave behind any kind of fossil remnant because

Which type of rock is the easiest to date radiometrically?

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 4: The Habitability of Earth

The oldest intact rocks found on Earth date back to approximately

A fossil is found in a layer of strata above another layer dated at 10 million years and below another layer dated at 5 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

In electron capture,

Rocks are found on the surface of another planet which appear to have been formed from the solidification of molten lava. Given this, they are most likely to be classified as

Analysis of rocks returned from the lunar maria during the Apollo program suggest they formed

Radiometric dating of a rock reveals an age of 1.52 billion years. Given that the half-life of the parent isotope used is 14.0 billion years, what percentage of the parent isotope is still present in the rock?

The Himalayas were formed by

The deep interior of the Earth is studied using

Which type or types of rock can be dated radiometrically?

The dark maria on the moon are

In which eon of Earth's history did dinosaurs and mammals first appear?

On the surfaces of which terrestrial planets is plate tectonics observed?

Fossils of the earliest life are very difficult to identify in very old rocks because it

A rock sample contains 1/4 micrograms of the parent radioactive isotope Potassium-40 and 3/4 micrograms of its daughter isotope Argon-40. If the half-life of this decay is 1.25 billion years, how old is this rock?

One observation that suggests that the Earth has a dense central core is that

The geological record contains fewer older rocks than younger rocks because older rocks

The mantle of the Earth is mostly made of

The lithosphere of the Earth is mostly made of

Although fossils can be made in numerous ways, only a tiny fraction of living organisms leave behind any kind of fossil remnant because

Which type of rock is the easiest to date radiometrically?

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters