Time is on your side. Use the practice exam on Geologic Time (Chapter 8) to test your expertise regarding concepts of deep time.
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| 1 | |
"Geological processes operating at the present time are the same processes that have operated in the past" is a statement of:
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| | A) | the Principle of Cross-cutting Relationships |
| | B) | the Principle of Original Horizontality |
| | C) | the Principle of Uniformitarianism |
| | D) | the Principle of Faunal Succession |
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| 2 | |
If rock A cross-cuts rock B, then rock A is:
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| | A) | older than rock B |
| | B) | younger than rock B |
| | C) | the same age as rock B |
| | D) | on top of rock B |
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| 3 | |
Which of the following is a method of correlation?
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| | A) | physical continuity |
| | B) | similarity of rock types |
| | C) | similar fossil assemblages |
| | D) | all of these can be used for correlation |
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| 4 | |
Eras of the Standard Geologic Time Scale are subdivided into:
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| | A) | Eons |
| | B) | Epochs |
| | C) | Ages |
| | D) | None of these |
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| 5 | |
Which subdivision of geologic time is the longest?
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| | A) | Precambrian |
| | B) | Mesozoic Era |
| | C) | Teritiary Period |
| | D) | Miocene Epoch |
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| 6 | |
Which is a useful radioactive decay scheme?
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| | A) | U-238/Pb206 |
| | B) | U-235/Pb-207 |
| | C) | K-40/Ar-40 |
| | D) | all of these |
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| 7 | |
Radiocarbon dating is a useful technique for all samples below except:
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| | A) | wood |
| | B) | bone |
| | C) | shells |
| | D) | granite |
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| 8 | |
Radon is a gas derived from the natural radioactive decay of:
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| | A) | Uranium |
| | B) | Lead |
| | C) | Potassium |
| | D) | Plutonium |
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| 9 | |
Concentrations of radon are highest in areas where the bedrock is:
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| | A) | sandstone |
| | B) | basalt |
| | C) | phyllite |
| | D) | black shale |
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| 10 | |
Which of the following is not a type of unconformity?
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| | A) | nonconformity |
| | B) | disconformity |
| | C) | uniformity |
| | D) | angular unconformity |
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| 11 | |
A geologist could use the Principle of Inclusions to determine the relative age of:
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| | A) | fossils |
| | B) | metamorphism |
| | C) | xenoliths |
| | D) | shale layers |
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| 12 | |
A contact between parallel sedimentary rock layers that records missing geologic time is:
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| | A) | a disconformity |
| | B) | an angular unconformity |
| | C) | a uniformity |
| | D) | a nonconformity |
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| 13 | |
The oldest abundant fossils of multicellular life forms are observed in rocks from:
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| | A) | the Archean Eon |
| | B) | The Mesozoic Era |
| | C) | The Cambrian Period |
| | D) | The Paleocene Epoch |
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| 14 | |
Geologists are reasonably convinced that Earth is:
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| | A) | 4,500,000,000,000 yrs. old |
| | B) | 4,500,000,000 yrs. old |
| | C) | 450,000,000 yrs. old |
| | D) | 45,000,000 yrs.old |
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| 15 | |
Methods used by geologists to determine the general sequence of geologic events from oldest to youngest are known as:
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| | A) | geochronology |
| | B) | absolute dating |
| | C) | general dating |
| | D) | relative dating |
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| 16 | |
Undisturbed sedimentary rock layers occur in horizontal layers. This is a statement of:
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| | A) | The Principle of Superposition |
| | B) | The Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships |
| | C) | The Principle of Original Horizontality |
| | D) | The Principle of Faunal Succession |
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| 17 | |
In the 1600’s, Archbishop Ussher declared that:
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| | A) | Earth was created in 4004 B.C. |
| | B) | Earth was, perhaps, “millions of years old |
| | C) | Earth history could be understood by observing modern processes |
| | D) | organisms had changed over time |
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| 18 | |
James Hutton was:
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| | A) | the founder of modern Geology |
| | B) | a Scotsman |
| | C) | a university professor |
| | D) | all of these |
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| 19 | |
In the late 1700’s, Hutton declared that
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| | A) | Earth could be “millions” of years old |
| | B) | Earth history could be understood by studying modern geologic processes |
| | C) | he could see “…no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end...” to Earth’s history |
| | D) | all of these |
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| 20 | |
Which of the following will affect the half-life of a radioactive element?
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| | A) | extreme pressure deep in the Earth |
| | B) | extreme heat deep within the Earth |
| | C) | bombardment of Earth by cosmic rays |
| | D) | the half-life of a radioactive element is invariant |
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