Question 1

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 tellE) A) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 2

What were some of the earliest forms of life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)   land plants and insects
B)   corals and other bottom-dwelling sea creatures
C)   microscopic creatures that built mound-shaped structures called stromatolites
D)   sharksE) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 3

Groundwater can be dated using:

Accepted Answer

A)   isotopes
B)   microscopic fossils
C)   dye tracingD) All of the above
E) A) and B)

Question 4

What strategies do we use to investigate human origins?

Accepted Answer

A)   the same relative-dating principles we apply to older rocks
B)   finding pieces of an older wall in younger deposits
C)   determining carbon-14 ages on bones, wood, and charcoal
D)   dating interbedded volcanic rocks
E)   all of theseF) B) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 5

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 EarthE) None of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 6

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 dinosaursE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 7

Which factor would help ensure survival of one species over another?

Accepted Answer

A)   Adaptable to environmental change
B)   Being a food source for other animals
C)   Having to compete for sparse resourcesD) None of the above
E) A) and B)

Question 8

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 11F) C) and D)
G) C) and E)

Question 9

In this diagram the contact between the granite unit 1)  and the lowest layer unit 2)  is depositional. What is the youngest unit?

Accepted Answer

A)   the lava flow unit 11) 
B)   the fault unit 10) 
C)   highest layer unit 5) 
D)   lowest layer unit 2) 
E)   granite unit 1) F) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 10

If you were trying to correlate these two sequences of rocks, what would probably be the most straightforward strategy to use?

Accepted Answer

A)   determine numeric ages on pieces of rock in the landslide on top
B)   compare the fossils of the middle layers
C)   compare the thicknesses of the middle layer
D)   compare the thicknesses of the lower layerE) None of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 11

This figure shows two sections of rocks. Which of the following is NOT a valid way to correlate one of the numbered units from one section to another?

Accepted Answer

A)   Units at the top of two sections will automatically be correlative.
B)   A distinctive rock type breccia in unit 4)  is probably equivalent to the same rock type in the other section.
C)   Match units that contain the same types of index fossils as in unit 3) .
D)   The shale in unit 2 is part of a distinctive sequence that is overlain by the same type of fossils.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 12

Which principle of relative dating can be used at Siccar Point in Scotland to determine that the rocks below the unconformity were tilted to vertical before erosion occurred?

Accepted Answer

A)   Original horizontality
B)   Contact effects
C)   Lateral continuity
D)   InclusionsE) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 13

To what does the term evolution refer?

Accepted Answer

A)   observed changes in the fossil record
B)   to one or more theories that help explain observed changes
C)   as a general term to describe how something, such as a landscape, has changed over time
D)   all of theseE) All of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 14

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)   PaleozoicE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 15

This photograph shows light-colored granite and darker diorite both igneous rocks) . Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)   the light-colored unit is younger because granite is more continental than diorite
B)   the diorite is older because its weathered surfaces are darker
C)   the granite is younger because it crosscuts the diorite
D)   all of theseE) B) and D)
F) A) and D)

Question 16

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.F) A) and E)
G) None of the above

Question 17

This figure shows two sections that represent the same age range and contain some of the same fossils. If you compare the two sections, what conclusions do you come to?

Accepted Answer

A)   Some of the fossils must have had a limited geographic distribution.
B)   Some units were deposited in the left section but not in the right one or were eroded away.
C)   The thickness of the units are consistent between the two sections.
D)   All of these.
E)   None of these.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 18

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 columnE) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Neogene
B)   Jurassic
C)   Pennsylvanian
D)   Mississippian
E)   CambrianF) A) and B)
G) A) and E)

Question 20

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.E) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Exam 9: Geologic Time

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

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Which principle of relative dating can be used at Siccar Point in Scotland to determine that the rocks below the unconformity were tilted to vertical before erosion occurred?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

To what does the term evolution refer?

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What strategies do we use to investigate human origins?

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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?

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

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Which factor would help ensure survival of one species over another?

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If you were trying to correlate these two sequences of rocks, what would probably be the most straightforward strategy to use?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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What were some of the earliest forms of life on Earth?

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Of the following numbered units, which is the youngest?

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This figure shows two sections of rocks. Which of the following is NOT a valid way to correlate one of the numbered units from one section to another?

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What was the Cambrian explosion?

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This photograph shows light-colored granite and darker diorite both igneous rocks) . Which of the following statements is true?

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In this diagram the contact between the granite unit 1) and the lowest layer unit 2) is depositional. What is the youngest unit?

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

This figure shows two sections that represent the same age range and contain some of the same fossils. If you compare the two sections, what conclusions do you come to?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Groundwater can be dated using:

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