Question 1

What is the main geologic feature for which Siccar Point in Scotland is famous?

Accepted Answer

A) a boundary between steep gray layers below and gently dipping red layer above 
B) an unconformity 
C) an ancient erosion surface 
D) all of these 
E) none of these 
A) a boundary between steep gray layers below and gently dipping red layer above 
B) an unconformity 
C) an ancient erosion surface 
D) all of these 
E) none of these

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT accurately dated at between 4 and 4.6 billion years old?

Accepted Answer

A) the oldest dates on mineral grains on Earth 
B) age of the oldest meteorites 
C) age of moon rocks returned to Earth and dated 
D) isotopic ages on Earth's oldest known fossil shell 
A) the oldest dates on mineral grains on Earth 
B) age of the oldest meteorites 
C) age of moon rocks returned to Earth and dated 
D) isotopic ages on Earth's oldest known fossil shell

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

Accepted Answer

A) a sedimentary layer (2) 
B) the fault and fault scarp (3) 
C) a sedimentary layer (5) 
D) the volcano and lava flow (9) 
E) the highest sedimentary layer (11) 
A) a sedimentary layer (2) 
B) the fault and fault scarp (3) 
C) a sedimentary layer (5) 
D) the volcano and lava flow (9) 
E) the highest sedimentary layer (11)

Question 6

What type of feature is represented by the boundary between geologic units 2 and 3?

Accepted Answer

A) cleavage 
B) unconformity 
C) anticline 
D) joint 
A) cleavage 
B) unconformity 
C) anticline 
D) joint

Question 7

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale tell us about the age of this unconformity?

Accepted Answer

A) The unconformity is younger than the fossil ages on the tilted bed. 
B) The unconformity is older than the fossil ages in layers above the unconformity. 
C) The amount of time represented by the unconformity can be approximately bracketed by the ages of the fossils above and below. 
D) All of these. 
A) The unconformity is younger than the fossil ages on the tilted bed. 
B) The unconformity is older than the fossil ages in layers above the unconformity. 
C) The amount of time represented by the unconformity can be approximately bracketed by the ages of the fossils above and below. 
D) All of these.

Question 8

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 9

Using the data in this table,determine the age of the granite (unit G on this table).

Accepted Answer

A) 500 
B) 750 
C) 50,000,000 
D) 1,000,000,000 
E) 1,500,000,000 
A) 500 
B) 750 
C) 50,000,000 
D) 1,000,000,000 
E) 1,500,000,000

Question 10

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 11

Which of the following would be LEAST useful in correlating the ages of these two sequences of rocks?

Accepted Answer

A) numeric ages on the volcanic rocks on top 
B) the pattern of magnetic reversals (R and N) 
C) the overall sequence of the upper three layers 
D) the type of material present in the landslide at the bottom of the right column 
A) numeric ages on the volcanic rocks on top 
B) the pattern of magnetic reversals (R and N) 
C) the overall sequence of the upper three layers 
D) the type of material present in the landslide at the bottom of the right column

Question 12

Unit C is present in the left column but not the right column because:

Accepted Answer

A) rocks in the right column were tilted and eroded 
B) it was not deposited or was eroded away 
C) it has different kinds of fossils than rocks in the right column 
D) all of these 
A) rocks in the right column were tilted and eroded 
B) it was not deposited or was eroded away 
C) it has different kinds of fossils than rocks in the right column 
D) all of these

Question 13

Which numbered layer in this photograph represents the oldest layer?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

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

Question 15

The term half life represents the time it takes:

Accepted Answer

A) to dissolve half of the atoms in the lattice 
B) for the parent atoms to decay into atoms half their original size 
C) for half of the parent atoms to decay into daughter atoms 
D) for the Sun to decrease its size by 50 percent 
A) to dissolve half of the atoms in the lattice 
B) for the parent atoms to decay into atoms half their original size 
C) for half of the parent atoms to decay into daughter atoms 
D) for the Sun to decrease its size by 50 percent

Question 16

Which of the following collection of fossils would be LEAST useful for determining the age of a section of rocks?

Accepted Answer

A) fossils that are large and distinctive 
B) fossils that are widely distributed across different parts of Earth 
C) the fossil of a family of creatures that lived unchanged for a very long time 
D) index fossils 
A) fossils that are large and distinctive 
B) fossils that are widely distributed across different parts of Earth 
C) the fossil of a family of creatures that lived unchanged for a very long time 
D) index fossils

Question 17

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

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 18

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 19

This figure shows the geologic timescale.Which period listed below would be part of the Cenozoic?

Accepted Answer

A) Neogene 
B) Jurassic 
C) Triassic 
D) Pennsylvanian 
E) Cambrian 
A) Neogene 
B) Jurassic 
C) Triassic 
D) Pennsylvanian 
E) Cambrian

What is the main geologic feature for which Siccar Point in Scotland is famous?

Which of the following is NOT accurately dated at between 4 and 4.6 billion years old?

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

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

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

What type of feature is represented by the boundary between geologic units 2 and 3?

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale tell us about the age of this unconformity?

How does an angular unconformity form?

Using the data in this table,determine the age of the granite (unit G on this table).

Which numbered feature in this figure is the youngest?

Which of the following would be LEAST useful in correlating the ages of these two sequences of rocks?

Unit C is present in the left column but not the right column because:

Which numbered layer in this photograph represents the oldest layer?

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

The term half life represents the time it takes:

Which of the following collection of fossils would be LEAST useful for determining the age of a section of rocks?

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

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?

This figure shows the geologic timescale.Which period listed below would be part of the Cenozoic?

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

Exam 9: Geologic Time

What is the main geologic feature for which Siccar Point in Scotland is famous?

Which of the following is NOT accurately dated at between 4 and 4.6 billion years old?

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

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

Of the following numbered units,which is the youngest?

What type of feature is represented by the boundary between geologic units 2 and 3?

What would fossil ages from the geologic timescale tell us about the age of this unconformity?

How does an angular unconformity form?

Using the data in this table,determine the age of the granite (unit G on this table).

Which numbered feature in this figure is the youngest?

Which of the following would be LEAST useful in correlating the ages of these two sequences of rocks?

Unit C is present in the left column but not the right column because:

Which numbered layer in this photograph represents the oldest layer?

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

The term half life represents the time it takes:

Which of the following collection of fossils would be LEAST useful for determining the age of a section of rocks?

Which numbered feature in this figure is the oldest?

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?

This figure shows the geologic timescale.Which period listed below would be part of the Cenozoic?

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