Question 1

This art work shows life on the sea bottom,at a time when fishes and creatures with shells appeared on Earth.What time period is represented?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

Which of the four sedimentary layers in this figure is the oldest?

Accepted Answer

A) the layer on top 
B) the layers in the middle 
C) the layer on bottom 
D) there is not enough information to tell 
A) the layer on top 
B) the layers in the middle 
C) the layer on bottom 
D) there is not enough information to tell C

Question 3

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

Accepted Answer

A) unit 4 
B) unit 5 
C) unit 6 
D) unit 9 
E) unit 11 
A) unit 4 
B) unit 5 
C) unit 6 
D) unit 9 
E) unit 11 D

Question 4

What is a possible cause of the extinction event called the Great Dying?

Accepted Answer

A) a meteorite impact that killed the dinosaurs 
B) a great outpouring of lava at the end of the Paleozoic 
C) a sudden increase in the oxygen content of the atmosphere during the Precambrian 
D) a new kind of super predator that devoured nearly all of the life in the oceans 
A) a meteorite impact that killed the dinosaurs 
B) a great outpouring of lava at the end of the Paleozoic 
C) a sudden increase in the oxygen content of the atmosphere during the Precambrian 
D) a new kind of super predator that devoured nearly all of the life in the oceans

Question 5

Where is the oldest layer in this tilted sequence of sedimentary rocks?

Accepted Answer

A) at the top of the hill in the center of the photograph 
B) the darkest layers will be the oldest 
C) the layers on the lower left part of the photograph 
D) the layers on the right of the photograph 
A) at the top of the hill in the center of the photograph 
B) the darkest layers will be the oldest 
C) the layers on the lower left part of the photograph 
D) the layers on the right of the photograph

Question 6

What was the Cambrian explosion?

Accepted Answer

A) a large volcano that went off in Wales,which the Romans called Cambria 
B) a meteorite impact that struck the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico 
C) a time when a meteorite collided with the center of a supercontinent,melting all the glaciers 
D) a time when many different types of creatures appeared on Earth 
A) a large volcano that went off in Wales,which the Romans called Cambria 
B) a meteorite impact that struck the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico 
C) a time when a meteorite collided with the center of a supercontinent,melting all the glaciers 
D) a time when many different types of creatures appeared on Earth

Question 7

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale and an isotopic age on the granite tell us about the age of the unconformity?

Accepted Answer

A) The unconformity is older than the isotopic age of the granite. 
B) The unconformity is older than the age assigned to the fossils. 
C) The granite is younger than the unconformity. 
D) It is not possible to have fossils preserved so close to granite. 
E) None of these. 
A) The unconformity is older than the isotopic age of the granite. 
B) The unconformity is older than the age assigned to the fossils. 
C) The granite is younger than the unconformity. 
D) It is not possible to have fossils preserved so close to granite. 
E) None of these.

Question 8

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 9

Which of the following time periods were dinosaurs the dominant creatures?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

Upon what basis were the upper and lower boundaries of the Mesozoic Era defined?

Accepted Answer

A) dramatic changes in the color of the rocks from green to tan 
B) major episodes of mountain building 
C) abrupt changes in the types of fossils,representing mass extinctions 
D) the discovery that a meteoroid impact may have killed the dinosaurs 
A) dramatic changes in the color of the rocks from green to tan 
B) major episodes of mountain building 
C) abrupt changes in the types of fossils,representing mass extinctions 
D) the discovery that a meteoroid impact may have killed the dinosaurs

Question 11

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 12

If a rock started with 1,000 atoms of a parent but now contains 250 atoms,how many half lives have passed?

Accepted Answer

A) .25 half lives 
B) .5 half lives 
C) 1 half life 
D) 2 half lives 
E) there is no way to tell 
A) .25 half lives 
B) .5 half lives 
C) 1 half life 
D) 2 half lives 
E) there is no way to tell

Question 13

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?

Accepted Answer

A) limestone in the far right (unit K) 
B) dike (unit 
D)  
C) conglomerate (unit 
C)  
D) lava flow (unit L) 
E) granite (unit G) 
A) limestone in the far right (unit K) 
B) dike (unit 
D)  
C) conglomerate (unit 
C)  
D) lava flow (unit L) 
E) granite (unit G)

Question 14

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 15

What is a principle we use to determine the age of a landscape surface?

Accepted Answer

A) A landscape surface must be older than any rocks onto which it is carved. 
B) A landscape surface is younger than any rock that is deposited on top of the surface. 
C) The highest river terrace is probably the youngest in age. 
D) A surface with a well-developed soil is probably older than a surface with no soil. 
A) A landscape surface must be older than any rocks onto which it is carved. 
B) A landscape surface is younger than any rock that is deposited on top of the surface. 
C) The highest river terrace is probably the youngest in age. 
D) A surface with a well-developed soil is probably older than a surface with no soil.

Question 16

For which of the following resources do geologic ages help us explore?

Accepted Answer

A) mineral deposits related to granites 
B) oil and gas 
C) groundwater 
D) all of these 
A) mineral deposits related to granites 
B) oil and gas 
C) groundwater 
D) all of these

Question 17

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 18

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 19

Which of the four numbered features on this figure is the youngest?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4

Question 20

Using the data in this table,calculate the number of half-lives that have passed for the granite (unit G on this table)?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
E) 5 
A) 1 
B) 2 
C) 3 
D) 4 
E) 5

This art work shows life on the sea bottom,at a time when fishes and creatures with shells appeared on Earth.What time period is represented?

Which of the four sedimentary layers in this figure is the oldest?

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

What is a possible cause of the extinction event called the Great Dying?

Where is the oldest layer in this tilted sequence of sedimentary rocks?

What was the Cambrian explosion?

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale and an isotopic age on the granite tell us about the age of the unconformity?

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

Which of the following time periods were dinosaurs the dominant creatures?

Upon what basis were the upper and lower boundaries of the Mesozoic Era defined?

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

If a rock started with 1,000 atoms of a parent but now contains 250 atoms,how many half lives have passed?

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?

What kind of geologic feature is shown in this photograph?

What is a principle we use to determine the age of a landscape surface?

For which of the following resources do geologic ages help us explore?

What happened between deposition of units 1 and 2?

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

Which of the four numbered features on this figure is the youngest?

Using the data in this table,calculate the number of half-lives that have passed for the granite (unit G on this table)?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

Deformation and Metamorphism

The Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate, weather, and Their Influences on Geology

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

This art work shows life on the sea bottom,at a time when fishes and creatures with shells appeared on Earth.What time period is represented?

Which of the four sedimentary layers in this figure is the oldest?

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

What is a possible cause of the extinction event called the Great Dying?

Where is the oldest layer in this tilted sequence of sedimentary rocks?

What was the Cambrian explosion?

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale and an isotopic age on the granite tell us about the age of the unconformity?

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

Which of the following time periods were dinosaurs the dominant creatures?

Upon what basis were the upper and lower boundaries of the Mesozoic Era defined?

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

If a rock started with 1,000 atoms of a parent but now contains 250 atoms,how many half lives have passed?

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?

What kind of geologic feature is shown in this photograph?

What is a principle we use to determine the age of a landscape surface?

For which of the following resources do geologic ages help us explore?

What happened between deposition of units 1 and 2?

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

Which of the four numbered features on this figure is the youngest?

Using the data in this table,calculate the number of half-lives that have passed for the granite (unit G on this table)?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

Deformation and Metamorphism

The Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate, weather, and Their Influences on Geology

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