Unit Test HISTORY OF THE EARTH

Which best describes eras and periods? Eras have a smaller time span than periods. Eras and periods are independent of each other. Eras and periods both appear at the start of the Cambrian period. Eras were more recently established on the time scale than periods.

Eras have a smaller time span than periods.

A scientist has a fossil that was found in a layer of rock close to Earth's surface. He believes that the fossil is around 12,000 years old. Which method would best allow the scientist to confirm the actual age of the fossil? finding another fossil in a deeper layer of rock finding another fossil in the same layer of rock using carbon/nitrogen absolute dating using potassium/argon absolute dating

using carbon/nitrogen absolute dating

Study this image of a geologic time scale. How long ago did invertebrates become common on Earth? 1.6 million years ago 132 million years ago 410 million years ago 520 million years ago

520 million years ago

In which situation is the principle of cross-cutting relationships useful in determining relative age? A fault breaks through sedimentary layers. Fossils of two different species are found in different rock layers. Sedimentary layers form over millions of years in a lake bottom. Lava flows form on top of one another from several eruptions over time.

A fault breaks through sedimentary layers.

Which statement best compares a trace fossil to a fossil that forms as a result of an entire organism being trapped in amber? Both show the exact structure of the organism. Both require that the hard parts of the organism dissolve. Both form as a result of the organism leaving imprints in sediment. Both can possibly be used to study the organism's size.

Both show the exact structure of the organism.

The image shows cross-cutting relationships. B, W, E, and K represent rock layers, and Q represents a fault. Which statement describes the geologic features? Layer K is the oldest. Layer W is the youngest. Fault Q occurred before layer K was deposited. Layers B, W, and E were deposited after fault Q occurred.

Fault Q occurred before layer K was deposited.

Jonas drew a diagram to compare two types of fossils. Which label belongs in the area marked Z? Involves minerals replacing remains of organism Takes millions of years to form Gives evidence of organism's activity Forms as sediment hardens

Gives evidence of organism's activity

Ariel drew the cladogram shown. Which best describes species C? It has jaws, but no hollow bones. It has hollow bones, but no jaws. It has neither hollow bones nor jaws. It has hollow bones and jaws.

It has neither hollow bones nor jaws.

Which is a feature of a cladogram? The characteristics must be shared among the organisms. The characteristics must be different among the organisms. It must contain at least three different shared characteristics. It must contain at least three different groups of organisms.

It must contain at least three different shared characteristics.

Mason drew the cladogram shown. Which statements best describe the cladogram? Select three options. Reptiles are the most primitive. Birds and reptiles are most closely related. Frogs are more closely related to fish than birds. Frogs are more closely related to birds than fish. Fish are the most primitive.

Reptiles are the most primitive. Birds and reptiles are most closely related. Frogs are more closely related to birds than fish.

Study the diagram of the geologic time scale. Which method is most likely used to identify what happened before the start of the Paleozoic era? Scientists study fossils from the Jurassic period. Scientists observe index fossil records of the Mesozoic era. Scientists examine fossil evidence during the Precambrian time. Scientists explore the emergence of mammals and humans in the Cenozoic era.

Scientists examine fossil evidence during the Precambrian time.

A scientist observes fossil evidence that leads her to believe that certain organisms have a common ancestor. Which observation most likely led to this conclusion? She observed older fossils that contained many of the same minerals as the newer ones. She found skeletons of modern organisms in the same area as fossilized organisms. She observed a fossil with skeletal structures similar to certain modern organisms. She found several fossils in rock layers directly below other fossils of similar size.

She observed a fossil with skeletal structures similar to certain modern organisms.

Kelli drew a diagram to compare cast and imprint fossils. Which label belongs in the area marked Y? Involves minerals replacing remains of organism Takes millions of years to form Gives evidence of organism's activity Involves mold filling with minerals and sediment

Takes millions of years to form

The diagram shows fossils buried in layers of sediment. Which statement is supported by the information in the diagram? The fossil in layer Z is the youngest. The fossils in layers Y and Z are younger than the fossil in layer V. The fossil in layer Y is older than the fossil in layer W. The fossil in layer X is older than the fossil in layer Z.

The fossil in layer Y is older than the fossil in layer W.

The image shows two siblings with their grandparents. Which best explains why the siblings look more like each other and less like their grandparents? The siblings are more closely related to each other than they are to their grandparents. Each sibling is more closely related to the grandparents than to the other sibling. The grandparents do not have any shared characteristics in common with the siblings. The grandparents do not have any shared characteristics with one another.

The siblings are more closely related to each other than they are to their grandparents.

Which feature causes a gap in the geologic record? extrusion fault intrusion erosion

extrusion

Three organisms have four shared characteristics. They all have a backbone and scales, lay eggs, and walk on land. What can be determined based on this information alone? They are members of different species. They are members of the same species. Their common ancestor has the same four shared characteristics. Their common ancestor has none of the shared characteristics.

Their common ancestor has the same four shared characteristics.

Compared to absolute dating, what is an advantage of relative dating? A single fossil can be dated by itself. The actual age of a fossil can be determined. Fossils do not need to be arranged in different layers of rock. There is no limit to the age range of the fossils being dated.

There is no limit to the age range of the fossils being dated.

The diagram shows a football field that represents a geological time scale. Why are no organisms labeled between the end zone and 30 yard line on the left side of the field? Scientists disagree about the fossils from this time period. Scientists have not studied that part of the time scale. There is very little fossil evidence for this time period. There are too many fossils to name.

There is very little fossil evidence for this time period.

The image shows flat sedimentary rock layers in the foreground and angled sedimentary rock layers in the background. According to the principle of original horizontality, what most likely happened to the rock layers in the background? They cracked at an angle. They were deposited at an angle. They were deposited vertically and then shifted by a geologic event. They were deposited horizontally and then shifted by a geologic event.

They were deposited horizontally and then shifted by a geologic event.

A geologist finds some tilted sedimentary rock layers. Which conclusion can the geologist draw by looking at the rock layers? Their absolute age is 600 million years. They were tilted before they were deposited. They were originally deposited horizontally. The youngest layer was originally deposited as the bottom layer.

They were originally deposited horizontally.

Which best explains a primary reason for the inability of life to exist in Earth's early atmosphere? There was insufficient energy from material collisions to change their density. High temperatures during Precambrian time caused surface water evaporation. Volcanic eruptions and comet collisions added different gases to the atmosphere. Available oxygen was used to help create an ozone layer within Earth's atmosphere.

Volcanic eruptions and comet collisions added different gases to the atmosphere.

The diagram shows two different types of fossils from the same kind of ancient organism. Which labels complete the diagram? X: moldY: cast X: castY: mold X: traceY: imprint X: imprintY: trace

X: castY: mold

Which phrase describes the relative age of a rock? uses the law of superposition to determine which rock is older or younger can determine the age based on location of a rock within the same layer requires only one rock to determine the age can provide the exact age of a rock

can determine the age based on location of a rock within the same layer

Which phrase describes the absolute age of a rock? does not provide an exact age is the number of years since it formed is the age compared to other rocks around it indicates whether it is younger or older than the rocks above it

is the number of years since it formed