Question 1

How have scientists determined the age of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

Eighteenth-century geologists, including

Question 2

In the following quote, who and what was James Huxley criticizing? "Mathematics may be compared to a mill of exquisite workmanship, which grinds you stuff of any degree of fineness; but nevertheless, what you get out depends on what you put in. . . so pages of formulae will not get a definite result of loose data."

Accepted Answer

A)  He thought that Hutton's time scale, based on sedimentation, was too slow. 
B)  He thought that Earth's age, as calculated from biblical stories, was too young. 
C)  He thought that William Thomson's heat-based model was inaccurate. 
D)  He thought that John Joly's salty water calculations were too fastidious. 
A)  He thought that Hutton's time scale, based on sedimentation, was too slow. 
B)  He thought that Earth's age, as calculated from biblical stories, was too young. 
C)  He thought that William Thomson's heat-based model was inaccurate. 
D)  He thought that John Joly's salty water calculations were too fastidious.

Question 3

Each radioactive-decay scheme has its own time range of usefulness depending on the size of the half-life.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

How did William Smith produce a complete picture of the layers in a deep section of local rocks when the layer was not actually exposed in any one place?

Accepted Answer

A)  He made inferences based upon his observations and knowledge of a complete section of exposed rock 150 km away. 
B)  He utilized the chemical compositions of rocks that were brought up by a well-driller's core sampler. 
C)  He drew correlations between different parts of the deep section that were exposed in nearby locations. 
D)  He applied his knowledge of the past history of the local geology and matched up the fossils. 
A)  He made inferences based upon his observations and knowledge of a complete section of exposed rock 150 km away. 
B)  He utilized the chemical compositions of rocks that were brought up by a well-driller's core sampler. 
C)  He drew correlations between different parts of the deep section that were exposed in nearby locations. 
D)  He applied his knowledge of the past history of the local geology and matched up the fossils.

Question 5

What are radioactive decay rates in minerals affected by?

Accepted Answer

A)  temperature and pressure 
B)  nothing 
C)  variations in gravity and magnetism 
D)  heat 
A)  temperature and pressure 
B)  nothing 
C)  variations in gravity and magnetism 
D)  heat

Question 6

Which mineral does not contain abundant potassium?

Accepted Answer

A)  feldspar 
B)  biotite 
C)  muscovite 
D)  calcite 
A)  feldspar 
B)  biotite 
C)  muscovite 
D)  calcite

Question 7

An angular unconformity does not record

Accepted Answer

A)  the order of layers in the upper section. 
B)  the order of layers in the bottom, tilted section. 
C)  the time that passed during erosion and tilting. 
D)  fossils. 
A)  the order of layers in the upper section. 
B)  the order of layers in the bottom, tilted section. 
C)  the time that passed during erosion and tilting. 
D)  fossils.

Question 8

The determination that a granite pluton is not intrusive into overlying sedimentary layers because there are pebbles of granite in the bottom-most layer is an application of the Principle of

Accepted Answer

A)  Superposition. 
B)  Inclusions. 
C)  Cross-cutting relationships. 
D)  Original Horizontality. 
A)  Superposition. 
B)  Inclusions. 
C)  Cross-cutting relationships. 
D)  Original Horizontality.

Question 9

A rock that is 300 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

A rock that is 375 million years old comes from the ________ Period.

Accepted Answer

A)  Tertiary 
B)  Permian 
C)  Cretaceous 
D)  Devonian 
A)  Tertiary 
B)  Permian 
C)  Cretaceous 
D)  Devonian

Question 11

A rock that is 200 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

Accepted Answer

A)  Cenozoic 
B)  Mesozoic 
C)  Paleozoic 
D)  Jurassic/Triassic 
A)  Cenozoic 
B)  Mesozoic 
C)  Paleozoic 
D)  Jurassic/Triassic

How have scientists determined the age of the Earth?

Each radioactive-decay scheme has its own time range of usefulness depending on the size of the half-life.

How did William Smith produce a complete picture of the layers in a deep section of local rocks when the layer was not actually exposed in any one place?

What are radioactive decay rates in minerals affected by?

Which mineral does not contain abundant potassium?

An angular unconformity does not record

The determination that a granite pluton is not intrusive into overlying sedimentary layers because there are pebbles of granite in the bottom-most layer is an application of the Principle of

A rock that is 300 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

A rock that is 375 million years old comes from the ________ Period.

A rock that is 200 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

Why Study Earth

Minerals: Building Blocks of the Planet

Rocks and Rock-Forming Processes

Formation of Magma and Igneous Rocks

Formation of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks

Formation of Metamorphic Rocks

Earth Materials As Time Keepers

Making Earth

Motion Inside Earth

Deformation of Rocks

Global Tectonics: Plates and Plumes

Tectonics and Surface Relief

Soil Formation and Landscape Stability

Mass Movements: Landscapes in Motion

Streams: Flowing Water Shapes the Landscape

Water Flowing Underground

Glaciers: Cold-Climate Sculptors of Continents

Shorelines: Changing Landscapes Where Land Meets Sea

Wind: a Global Geologic Process

Global Warming: Real Time Change in the Earth System

Filters

Exam 7: Earth Materials As Time Keepers

How have scientists determined the age of the Earth?

Each radioactive-decay scheme has its own time range of usefulness depending on the size of the half-life.

How did William Smith produce a complete picture of the layers in a deep section of local rocks when the layer was not actually exposed in any one place?

What are radioactive decay rates in minerals affected by?

Which mineral does not contain abundant potassium?

An angular unconformity does not record

The determination that a granite pluton is not intrusive into overlying sedimentary layers because there are pebbles of granite in the bottom-most layer is an application of the Principle of

A rock that is 300 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

A rock that is 375 million years old comes from the ________ Period.

A rock that is 200 million years old comes from the ________ Era.

Why Study Earth

Minerals: Building Blocks of the Planet

Rocks and Rock-Forming Processes

Formation of Magma and Igneous Rocks

Formation of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks

Formation of Metamorphic Rocks

Earth Materials As Time Keepers

Making Earth

Motion Inside Earth

Deformation of Rocks

Global Tectonics: Plates and Plumes

Tectonics and Surface Relief

Soil Formation and Landscape Stability

Mass Movements: Landscapes in Motion

Streams: Flowing Water Shapes the Landscape

Water Flowing Underground

Glaciers: Cold-Climate Sculptors of Continents

Shorelines: Changing Landscapes Where Land Meets Sea

Wind: a Global Geologic Process

Global Warming: Real Time Change in the Earth System

Filters