What relatively recent epoch ended roughly 12,000 years ago?
The Pliocene Epoch
The Holocene Epoch
The Pleistocene Epoch
The Miocene Epoch
A geologist who asserts that evolution patterns in the Earth occur following a consistent pattern over long periods of time belongs to what family of theorists?
Utilitarian
Progressive
Uniformitarian
Catastrophism
Which geological principle only applies to sedimentary rock layers?
Superposition
Original horizontality
Succession
cutting
Not all parts of a creature are likely to be fossilized. Paleontologists typically find fossils made from a creature's _____.
Shells
Teeth
Bones
All answers choices are correct
A particular radioactive isotope has a half-life of 200 years. At what time will there be 25% of the isotope left?
1,400 years
800 years
600 years
400 years
What characteristics are observed via correlation, which is a relative dating process used in determining the age of rock layers?
Observing similarities types fossils at different locations
Observing similarities in weather patterns
Observing similar vegetation patterns
None of these answers are correct.
The change from catastrophism to uniformitarianism made scientists decide that Earth must be _____ than previously thought.
older
less populated
younger
more populated
Today, geologists believe mostly in _____, with a little bit of _____.
catastrophism; uniformitarianism
catastrophism; evolution
uniformitarianism; catastrophism
evolution; catastrophism
A large nucleus may get to a more stable state by emitting two protons and two neutrons. This describes which type of radioactive decay?
Delta Decay
Gamma Decay
Alpha Decay
Beta Decay
Which of the following is the term used for the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by releasing radiation?
Gamma ray reduction
Radioactive decay
Radioactive detection
Radioactive neutralization
If Fossil A is found in a lower rock layer, and Fossil B is found in an upper rock layer, then Species A most likely _____.
existed less recently than Species B
existed for a relatively short period of time
existed more recently than Species B
evolved from Species B
An interface between discontinuous layers of rock is called _____.
a cross-cut
an unconformity
an inclusion
an intrusion
Any fault lines or igneous intrusions that cut across a set of rock strata must be _____ that set of rock.
creating an inclusion in
the same age as
younger than
older than
Rock Strata A contains Fossil X. It is below Rock Strata C which contains Fossil Z. Rock Strata B contains Fossil Y. It is above Rock Strata C. Which of the following is the correct order of the fossils (from oldest to youngest)?
X, Z, Y
X, Y, Z
Z, X, Y
Y, X, Z
The statement Rock A is fifty years older than Rock B is an example of _____.
relative dating
numerical dating
radiometric dating
fossil dating
The Mesozoic Era was the Age of Dinosaurs, and the current Cenozoic Era is the Age of _____.
Ice
Mammals
Birds
Humans
