Chapter 1

. Tectonic plates move toward one another at what type of plate boundary? a. convergent b. divergent c. transform

A

Gravity is an example of a/an a. law. c. principle. b. theory. d. hypothesis.

A

Humans have penetrated and explored the deep interior of Antarctica for only the last ___________ years. a. 100 c. 10,000 b. 1,000 d. 100,000

A

The actual age of a rock in years is also called the a. absolute age. c. real age. b. comparative age. d. relative age.

A

The boundary that is formed when two or more plates move toward one another is called a. convergent boundary. c. joint boundary. b. divergent boundary. d. transform boundary.

A

The great unifying theory of biology is a. evolution. c. meiosis. b. natural selection. d. inheritance.

A

The plastic, easily deformed layer of the Earth that the plates rest on is called the a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere. b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere

A

To discover how the Earth was formed, geologists identify the minerals in a. meteorites. c. rock strata in various locations on Earth. b. lunar samples. d. rocks extruded in volcanic eruptions

A

Plants and animals of each geologic era arose from earlier species by what process? a. scientific method b. organic evolution c. radioactive decay d. plate movement e. transform movement

B

The boundary that is formed where two or more plates move apart from one another is called a. convergent boundary. c. joint boundary. b. divergent boundary. d. transform boundary

B

The branch of geology that deals with Earth materials and processes is: a. geochronology. b. physical geology. c. paleontology. d. historical geology. e. molecular biology.

B

The great unifying theory in geology is a. the Big Bang theory. c. continental drift. b. plate tectonics. d. rock cycle.

B

The human species of primates (Homo sapiens) evolved on Earth between a. 0 and 150,000 years ago. c. 4.03 and 4.38 billion years ago. b. 150,000 and 300,000 years ago. d. 4.56 and 4.6 billion years ago.

B

The study of the Earth's materials (rocks and minerals) and the varied processes that occur both on the surface and deep in the interior of the Earth is called a. Earth science. c. historical geology. b. physical geology. d. geological sciences

B

The time required for one half the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay is called a. atomic mass time. c. decomposition time. b. half-life. d. degradation time

B

To a scientist, knowledge that has a very high probability of being correct is called a. data. c. hypothesis. b. theory. d. law.

B

When did Homo sapiens appear on Earth? a. 65 to 66 million years ago b. 150,000 to 300,000 years ago c. about 1 million years ago d. 15,000 to 30,000 years ago e. 4,000 to 6,000 years ago

B

An hypothesis that survives close examination and repeated challenges, and is supported by a large body of evidence, with a very high probability of being correct is called a: a. scientific law. b. hypothesis. c. theory. d. observation. e. good guess.

C

The Earth's age is approximately a. 300,000 to 150,000 years. c. 4,560,000,000 years. b. 4,560,000 years. d. 5,600,000,000 years

C

The crust and the mantle of the Earth make up the a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere. b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere

C

The oldest rocks found on the Earth were located in a. the Himalayas. c. the Canadian Rockies. b. the Alps. d. the Appalachians

C

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, which is roughly 100 kilometers, thick is called the a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere. b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere.

C

The study of the Earth's origin and evolution, changes in the distribution of lands and seas, the growth and reduction of mountains, and the succession of animals and plants is called a. Earth science. c. historical geology. b. physical geology. d. geological science

C

Using the scientific method, geologists were able to determine that which body of water was once a desert with a giant salt lake? a. Black Sea b. Baltic Sea c. Mediterranean Sea d. Caribbean Sea e. Atlantic Ocean

C

The branch of geology that deals with the origin and changes of Earth and life through time and space is: a. geochronology. b. physical geology. c. paleontology. d. historical geology. e. molecular biology.

D

The discovery of radioactivity in 1896 eventually gave us the tools to find: a. the relative age of a rock. b. the force that moves the tectonic plates. c. a mechanism for evolution. d. the absolute age of a rock. e. changes in the chemistry of oceans and the atmosphere.

D

The easily deformed or partially molten part of mantle, below the lithosphere, is called the: a. plate. b. crust. c. transform. d. asthenosphere. e. lithosphere.

D

The rock age that is based on whether particular layers or bodies are older or younger than others is called a. absolute age. c. real age. b. comparative age. d. relative age.

D

The systematic way to find answers to questions, solutions to problems, and evidence to prove or disprove ideas and beliefs is called a. hypothesis. c. theory. b. law. d. scientific method

D

What is a half-life? a. half of the time it takes a parent radioactive element to decay b. the midpoint in the life of an organism c. the midpoint in the duration of a species d. the time it takes for half of the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay e. the time it takes for half of the original quantity of daughter atoms to decay

D

Which one of these statements about evolution is incorrect? a. Fossils provide direct evidence for changes in life in rocks of different ages. b. Certain organs or structures are present in a variety of species, but they are modified to function differently. Differences in structures can help an organism be more competitive. c. Modern organisms contain useless organs that had a useful function in ancestral species. d. Animals that are very different have very different-looking embryos. e. Biochemistry of closely-related organism is similar, but very different from more distantly related organisms.

D

. Natural selection is supported by which of the following? a. Any given species produces more offspring than can survive to maturity. b. Variations exist among the offspring. c. Offspring must compete with one another for food and habitat. d. Offspring with the most favorable characteristics are more likely to survive to reproduce, and pass those traits along to the next generation. e. All of the above supports natural

E

Convectional flow in the Earth's mantle causes: a. genetic variations in organisms. b. Earth's magnetic field. c. Earth's gravitational field. d. radioactive decay of the elements. e. movement of tectonic plates.

E

T/F Charles Darwin was the first individual to propose the theory of evolution.

F

T/F Geology is the study of Earth and does not include the study of any other planet.

F

T/F The Earth is a relativity static ball of rock that is orbiting the sun

F

T/F The asthenosphere is closer to the surface of the Earth than the lithosphere.

F

T/F A geologic time scale was developed using relative time dating.

T

T/F Data collection is the first step in the scientific method

T

T/F Geology is an eclectic science drawing principles from many areas

T

T/F The discovery of radioactivity enabled geologists to find the absolute age of rocks.

T

T/F The statement "the Mediterranean Sea was once a desert" is an example of a hypothesis

T

T/F There is conclusive evidence that the Mediterranean Sea was once a desert.

T

The original way of determining which rocks are older and which are younger is called: a. relative age. b. absolute age. c. natural selection. d. plate tectonics. e. method of multiple working hypotheses.

a