ERTH101 Final Review - Exam 3

34. Badlands National Park is made of layers of sedimentary rock. The order of layers tells us that the black Pierre Shale is older than the brown Brule Formation. This is an example of a. geologic time. b. numerical age. c. relative age. d. isotopic age.

c. relative age.

56. The beginning and end points of eras, epochs, and periods on the geologic time scale are set by ____ ages. a. relative b. systematic c. numerical d. closure

c. numerical. I think.

60. How much of a radioactive parent isotope will remain after three half-lives have passed? a. one-third b. three-halves c. one-eighth d. one-sixth

c. one-eighth

2. The scientific model for the Earth's formation is that there was a coalescence of a. moons. b. comets. c. planetesimals. d. other planets.

c. planetesimals.

36.A tilted sequence of sedimentary rocks was first a. eroded. b. weathered. c. deposited horizontally. d. metamorphized.

c. deposited horizontally.

17. The ____ occurred possibly because of the creation of many new ecological niches that formed as a result of the breakup of Pannotia. a. Cambrian explosion b. Phanerozoic expansion c. Cambrian extinction d. Paleozoic diversification

a. Cambrian explosion

29.The Himalayas were produced during the Cenozoic by the collision of southern Asia with a. India. b. Australia. c. Africa. d. South America.

a. India.

38. If a basalt intrusion goes across a fault, what are the relative ages of the basalt and the fault? a. The fault must be older, according to the principle of cross-cutting relationships. b. The basalt must be older, according to the principle of cross-cutting relationships. c. The basalt must be older, according to the principle of original horizontality. d. Their relative ages cannot be determined from the information given.

a. The fault must be older, according to the principle of cross-cutting relationships.

8. A pluton is surrounded by a(n) a. baked contact. b. sediment deposition. c. inclusion. d. nonconformity.

a. baked contact. not sold on this answer, do ur own research

32. The age of the Earth is based on a. isotopic dating of rocks. b. plate tectonics. c. the time it took the Earth to cool. d. the time for the Grand Canyon to form.

a. isotopic dating of rocks.

39. With respect to the diagram below, (input diagram with numbers 1-8 stacked on top of one another like soil horizons, 1 at bottom, 8 on top, water above 8) a. layer 4 must be older than layer 6, according to the principle of superposition. b. layer 6 must be older than layer 4, according to the principle of superposition. c. layer 4 must be older than layer 6, according to the principle of inclusion d. layer 6 must be older than layer 4, according to the principle of inclusion

a. layer 4 must be older than layer 6, according to the principle of superposition.

4. In an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rocks, younger layers overlie older layers, according to the principle of a. superposition. b. original continuity. c. original horizontality. d. uniformitarianism.

a. superposition.

25. How is the half-life of a radioactive parent isotope defined? a. the time it takes for half of the parent isotope to decay to a daughter isotope b. half the time it takes for the parent isotope to completely decay to a daughter isotope c. the time for the parent isotope to undergo half the decay steps to produce daughter isotope d. half of the average rate of decay of the parent isotope

a. the time it takes for half of the parent isotope to decay to a daughter isotope

53.According to the following image, after one half-life has passed, what is the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter isotopes? (Diagram of lines parent and daughter exponentially crossing over eachother) a. 16:0 b. 1:1 c. 1:3 d. 1:8

b. 1:1

1. The Earth formed approximately how long ago? a. 4.54 trillion years b. 4.54 billion years c. 4.54 million years d. 4.54 thousand years

b. 4.54 billion years

52. The Taconic and Alleghenian orogenic events both led to uplift in the region of the a. Rockies. b Appalachians. c. Alps. d. Himalayas.

b. Appalachians.

41. Strata from which eon contain evidence of the first single-celled organism? a. Proterozoic b. Archean c. Hadean d. Cenozoic

b. Archean

6. The Earth finally cooled enough for long-lasting crust, atmosphere, and oceans to survive in which eon of the Precambrian? a. Hadean b. Archean c. Mesozoic d. Proterozoic

b. Archean

55. During the Cenozoic, convergence along the western margin of North America gave way to a transform boundary and rifting forces in the west created the characteristic topography of the a. Coast Ranges. b. Basin and Range Province. c. Colorado Plateau. d. Columbia River Plateau.

b. Basin and Range Province.

50. The oldest fossils of shelled animals are found in strata of the a. Precambrian. b. Cambrian. c. Proterozoic. d. Ordovician.

b. Cambrian.

12. Technology has made it possible for relationships among species to be based on a. physical characteristics. b. DNA. c. habitat. d. niche.

b. DNA. not sold on this answer, do ur own research

9. During which eon was the Earth's climate cool enough for large ice sheets to cover the continents and oceans, forming snowball Earth? a. Archean b. Proterozoic c. Hadean d. Paleozoic

b. Proterozoic

15. If horizontal sedimentary strata overlie tilted strata (and no fault is present), the eroded surface between the horizontal and tilted strata is an) a. conformable sedimentary contact. b. angular unconformity. c. disconformity. d. nonconformity.

b. angular unconformity.

43. Supercontinents formed because a. volcanic land bridges connected continents. b. converging plates caused continental collisions. c. stronger continents grew over weaker continents. d. continents grew by accretion until they touch.

b. converging plates caused continental collisions

11. The theory of evolution provides a basis for explaining a. preservation potential. b. fossil succession. c. lithologic correlation. d. uniformitarianism.

b. fossil succession.

18. Stratigraphic columns can be correlated by matching ___ or ___ a. geologic contacts; rock types b. fossils; unconformities c. rock types; fossils d. marker beds; eras

b. fossils; unconformities

22. Two atoms of a single element that differ in number of neutrons are different a. ions. b. isotopes. c. chemicals. d. ages.

b. isotopes.

21.A layer of shale that contains a distinctive fossil could be used as : a. geologic contact. b. marker bed. c. stratigraphic sequence. d. depositional contact.

b. marker bed.

45. Oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere is derived from a. Volcanic outgassing. b. photosynthesis. c animal respiration. d. evaporation.

b. photosynthesis.

19. The evolution of shells was important for the diversification of life because shells a. provide a food source for organisms higher on the food chain. b. protect organisms from predators and environmental conditions. c. provide protection from the highly acidic ocean water of the time. d. provide a habitat for organisms and protect them from sunlight.

b. protect organisms from predators and environmental conditions.

20. A sequence of similar rocks that can be found across a region comprises a a. geologic contact. b. stratigraphic formation. c. stratigraphic column d. marker bed.

b. stratigraphic formation.

3. The Hadean was a time in the Earth's history when a. the first abundant shelly organisms appeared in the fossil record. b. the Earth's interior was so hot that a solid outer crust was quickly remelted. c. stable continental interiors, termed cratons, first formed. d. the dinosaurs appeared and came to dominate large-scale terrestrial life.

b. the Earth's interior was so hot that a solid outer crust was quickly remelted.

54.If 75% of 238U has decayed to 206Pb, how many half-lives have passed? a. one b. two c. three d. four

b. two

33. The age of the Earth is between a. 4.57 thousand and 4.54 thousand years. b. 4.57 million and 4.54 million years. c. 4.57 billion and 4.54 billion years d. 4.57 trillion and 4.54 trillion years

c. 4.57 billion and 4.54 billion years

31. Some researchers have suggested use of the term ___ to denote the most recent part of the geologic record, which has been characterized by rapid changes in the atmosphere, landscape, and biodiversity as a result of human actions. a. Holocene b. Homosapien c. Anthropocene d. Neogene

c. Anthropocene

16. The supercontinents Rodinia and Pannotia assembled during the ____ and the supercontinent Pangaea assembled during the ____ a. Hadean Eon; Archean Eon b. Archean Eon; Proterozoic Eon c. Proterozoic Eon; Paleozoic Era d. Paleozoic Era; Mesozoic Era

c. Proterozoic Eon; Paleozoic Era

57. In the 1800s, Lord Kelvin estimated the age of the Earth. What did he NOT know, which was the primary reason why his estimate (approximately 20 million years) was so wildly inaccurate? a. The Earth was once hotter than it presently is today. b. The Earth may have been molten when it first formed. c. Radioactive heat generation made the Earth cool more slowly. d. The Earth would lose heat over time through radiation into outer space.

c. Radioactive heat generation made the Earth cool more slowly.

7. Stromatolites, the oldest undisputed fossils, are mats of a. dinosaurs. b. methanogens. c. cyanobacteria. d. green algae.

c. cyanobacteria.

51.A fossil Tiktaalik was discovered in Canada in 2004 and made headlines because a. was preserved with a hook in its mouth and is the oldest evidence of human fishing. b. was the largest shark ever recovered from the fossil record. c. represents a transitional form between lobe-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates. d. was found alive in the modern deep ocean; previously, the fish was thought to be extinct.

c. represents a transitional form between lobe-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates.

46.Oxygen did not build up in the atmosphere until the great oxygenation event, during which a. the ocean and surface rocks could hold no more oxygen. b. there were enough land plants to produce great quantities of oxygen c. the first photosynthetic organisms evolved. d. glaciers melted and released vast amounts of oxygen.

c. the first photosynthetic organisms evolved.

58. In the very distant future, plastic materials may be found in geologic strata currently being laid down. These will be considered a evidence of urbanization. b biodiversity examples. c. trace fossils of humans. d. extinct resources.

c. trace fossils of humans.

27. The most recent interval of Quaternary glaciation gave way to warmer, interglacial conditions ____ years ago. a. 1 million b. 200,000 c. 75,000 d. 11,000

d. 11,000

23.Angiosperms appeared during the ___ period. a. Silurian b. Devonian c. Jurassic d. Cretaceous

d. Cretaceous

28. Modern humans (Homo sapiens) appeared during the a. Paleozoic Era. b. Mesozoic Era. c. Paleogene Period. d. Quaternary Period.

d. Quaternary Period.

5. Uniformitarianism is succinctly summarized by which statement? a. The future is the key to the present. b. The present is the key to the future. c. The past is the key to the present. d. The present is the key to the past.

d. The present is the key to the past.

13. Sedimentary rocks overlie a basement of older intrusive igneous or metamorphic rocks in a(n) d. angular unconformity. b. disconformity. c. nonconformity. d. misconformity.

d. angular unconformity. not sold on this answer, do ur own research

35. The difference between relative and numerical ages is that relative age is a. used only for layers of the same rock type or fossil species, and numerical age is used for all rock types or fossil species. b. used only for fossils found in sedimentary layers, and numerical age is used for fossils found in all igneous and metamorphic layers. c. based on radioactive decay of fossils, and numerical age is based on radioactive decay of igneous and metamorphic rocks. d. based on the layer of strata in which rocks or fossils are found and numerical age is based on radioactive decay in rocks and fossils.

d. based on the layer of strata in which rocks or fossils are found and numerical age is based on radioactive decay in rocks and fossils.

10.A soft organism will most likely become a fossil by forming a a. trace fossil. b. mold. c. cast. d. carbonized impression.

d. carbonized impression. not sold on this answer, do ur own research

37.Where would you be most likely to see a piece of the earliest continental crust? a. southern California b. Iceland c. the ocean floor d. central Canada

d. central Canada

49. Which type of unconformity requires there to have been little to no deformation in the rocks before and after the unconformity was created? a. nonconformity b. angular unconformity c. misconformity d. disconformity

d. disconformity

14. Unconformities represent ____ in the rock record a. iridium layers from meteorites b. continuing sequences c. changes in size of the sediments d. erosion or non-deposition

d. erosion or non-deposition

30.Which of the following is NOT an example of a cyclic change in the Earth system? a. rock cycle b. sea-level cycle c. supercontinent cycle d. faunal succession cycle

d. faunal succession cycle

59. The most likely cause of global sea-level rise currently is a. increase of total volume of water in the Earth system. b. decrease in the capacity of ocean basins. c. continental land masses falling. d. melting of large amounts of glacial ice.

d. melting of large amounts of glacial ice.

24. Which of the following is always the same for different isotopes of a single element? a. number of neutrons b. mass c. weight d. number of protons

d. number of protons

42. When a tree falls into a lake, it may be fossilized by a. carbonized impression. b. freezing. c. recrystallization. d. permineralization.

d. permineralization.

47.According to the fossil record, life developed in the following order: a. single-celled eukaryotic, prokaryotic, Ediacaran fauna, land plants b. single-celled eukaryotic, prokaryotic, land plants, Ediacaran fauna c. prokaryotic, single-celled eukaryotic, land plants, Ediacaran fauna d. prokaryotic, single-celled eukaryotic, Ediacaran fauna, land plants

d. prokaryotic, single-celled eukaryotic, Ediacaran fauna, land plants. not sold on this answer, do ur own research

44. South America and Africa are in the process of separating as result of a. erosion. b. subduction. c. weathering. d. rifting.

d. rifting.

26. The most recent period of glaciation was a. during the Cretaceous. b. before the Age of Mammals. c. only in the southern hemisphere. d. the Pleistocene Ice Age.

d. the Pleistocene Ice Age.

40. With respect to the diagram below, (insert diagram of bendy sedimentary rock with pluton blob on top. That pluton blob is cut by a fault) a. the fault must be older than the pulton, according to the principle of inclusions. b. the pluton must be older than the fault, according to the principle of inclusions. c. the fault must be older than the pulton, according to the principle of crosscutting relationships. d. the pluton must be older than the fault, according to the principal of cross-cutting relationships.

d. the pluton must be older than the fault, according to the principal of cross-cutting relationships.