Question 1

When were Earth's climate,geodynamo,and plate tectonics systems established?

Accepted Answer

A)  during the Archean
B)  during the Paleozoic
C)  during the Cenozoic
D)  during the ProterozoicE) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 2

Changes in global temperature over the last 1.8 million years have been calculated by measuring

Accepted Answer

A)  the thickness of glacial deposits.
B)  the amount of carbon-14 in volcanic ash layers.
C)  the stable oxygen isotopes in shelly fossils.
D)  the amount of carbon dioxide in shelly fossils.E) B) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 3

In the Grand Canyon-Zion-Bryce Canyon sequence,which one displays the oldest rocks?

Accepted Answer

A)  Zion
B)  Bryce Canyon
C)  Grand Canyon
D)  None.They are all of the same age.E) All of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 4

Which of the following radioactive isotopes is the most useful for dating very young (<10,000 years old) wood and charcoal?

Accepted Answer

A)  carbon-14
B)  potassium-40
C)  rubidium-87
D)  uranium-238E) C) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 5

Which of the following scientists is incorrectly paired with their major discovery?

Accepted Answer

A)  Henri Becquerel - radioactivity
B)  Charles Darwin - theory of evolution
C)  James Hutton - rock cycle
D)  Charles Lyell - faunal successionE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 6

If Earth's history was compressed into a single calendar year,complex organisms (including those with shells) first appeared in

Accepted Answer

A)  February.
B)  June.
C)  October.
D)  December.E) A) and C)
F) A) and D) C

Question 7

Radiometric dating is least useful for dating __________ rocks.

Accepted Answer

A)  basaltic
B)  granitic
C)  metamorphic
D)  sedimentaryE) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 8

Human beings (homo sapiens) evolved during which geologic era?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Cenozoic
B)  the Mesozoic
C)  the Paleozoic
D)  the PrecambrianE) A) and B)
F) A) and C) A

Question 9

Which of the following statements about radioactivity is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  A radioactive element decays at a constant rate.
B)  Energy is consumed during radioactive decay.
C)  The decay product of a radioactive element is called the daughter product.
D)  Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration of the nucleus of an atom.E) B) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 10

What is an unconformity?

Accepted Answer

A)  a gap in the geologic record
B)  a period of deposition
C)  a sedimentary layer of variable thickness
D)  a sequence of deformed rocksE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 11

Who was the first to use fossils for cross-correlating sedimentary layers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Leonardo da Vinci
B)  William Smith
C)  Nicolaus Steno
D)  James HuttonE) B) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 12

Which of the following statements regarding radiometric dating is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  After two half-lives,no radioactive atoms remain.
B)  Carbon-14 cannot be used to date material more than 100,000 years old.
C)  Sedimentary rocks can be dated more easily than igneous rocks.
D)  The radioactive decay product is called the parent atom.E) None of the above
F) All of the above

Question 13

Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene ____ belongs to the Neogene _____ of the Cenozoic _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  period; epoch; era
B)  era; period; epoch
C)  epoch; period; era
D)  era; epoch; periodE) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 14

Which scientist was the first to date Earth accurately?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ernest Rutherford
B)  Henri Becquerel
C)  Marie Curie
D)  Clare PattersonE) C) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 15

How old are the oldest zircon minerals on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  approximately 10,000 years old
B)  approximately 500 million years old
C)  approximately 65 million years old
D)  approximately 4 billion years oldE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

The study of ancient life forms preserved in the rock record is referred to as

Accepted Answer

A)  stratigraphy.
B)  paleontology.
C)  geochronology.
D)  zoology.E) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 17

When did the Mesozoic era begin?

Accepted Answer

A)  65 million years ago
B)  543 million years ago
C)  251 million years ago
D)  2.5 billion years agoE) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 18

An undeformed sedimentary layer is ______ than the layer above and ______ than the layer below.

Accepted Answer

A)  younger; younger
B)  older; younger
C)  younger; older
D)  older; olderE) None of the above
F) All of the above

Question 19

Which of the following is used by geologists to determine the relative ages in a rock sequence?

Accepted Answer

A)  cross-cutting relations
B)  fossils
C)  stratigraphy
D)  all of the aboveE) A) and C)
F) B) and C) D

Question 20

The study of faunal succession allows

Accepted Answer

A)  absolute dating of fossil-bearing strata.
B)  correlation of marine fossils with modern mammals.
C)  reconstruction of paleoclimates.
D)  rocks to be correlated from different outcrops.E) None of the above
F) B) and D)

Exam 8: Clocks in Rocks: Timing the Geologic Period

When were Earth's climate,geodynamo,and plate tectonics systems established?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Changes in global temperature over the last 1.8 million years have been calculated by measuring

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the Grand Canyon-Zion-Bryce Canyon sequence,which one displays the oldest rocks?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following radioactive isotopes is the most useful for dating very young (<10,000 years old) wood and charcoal?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following scientists is incorrectly paired with their major discovery?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If Earth's history was compressed into a single calendar year,complex organisms (including those with shells) first appeared in

Correct AnswerverifiedC

Radiometric dating is least useful for dating __________ rocks.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Human beings (homo sapiens) evolved during which geologic era?

Correct AnswerverifiedA

Which of the following statements about radioactivity is false?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is an unconformity?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Who was the first to use fossils for cross-correlating sedimentary layers?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements regarding radiometric dating is true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene ____ belongs to the Neogene _____ of the Cenozoic _____.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which scientist was the first to date Earth accurately?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How old are the oldest zircon minerals on Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The study of ancient life forms preserved in the rock record is referred to as

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When did the Mesozoic era begin?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

An undeformed sedimentary layer is ______ than the layer above and ______ than the layer below.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is used by geologists to determine the relative ages in a rock sequence?

Correct AnswerverifiedD

The study of faunal succession allows

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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C

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A

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Find the right match in the following statement: The Pleistocene __ belongs to the Neogene _ of the Cenozoic ___.

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An undeformed sedimentary layer is than the layer above and than the layer below.

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D

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