Not all parts of a creature are likely to be fossilized. Paleontologists typically find fossils made from a creature's _____.
Shells
Teeth
All answers choices are correct
Bones
A scientist would not be able to use radiocarbon dating to find the age of which of the following samples?
Wood from a 2,000-year-old settlement
Cloth from an ancient garment found in 500-year-old burial
Tissue from a human body found in 16th-century burial
Stone from a 1,000-year-old settlement
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?
Catastrophism
Uniformitarian
Progressive
Utilitarian
The statement Rock A is seventeen years old is an example of _____.
radiometric dating
relative dating
strata dating
numerical dating
If Sedimentary Layer A occurs above Sedimentary Layer C and Sedimentary Layer B is below Sedimentary Layer C, which of the following is the correct order of the layers (from oldest to youngest)?
B, C, A
A, B, C
C, B, A
C, A, B
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 more recently than Species B
evolved from Species B
existed less recently than Species B
existed for a relatively short period of time
Which of the following would NOT be a good trait for an index fossil?
It is difficult to miss when looking for fossils.
It is found in only a small portion of geologic history.
It is found in only one place in the world.
It is easy to tell which species it is.
The best conditions for preservation of soft tissues are _____ temperatures and _____ air.
cold; humid
warm; humid
warm; dry
cold; dry
Today, geologists believe mostly in _____, with a little bit of _____.
evolution; catastrophism
catastrophism; uniformitarianism
catastrophism; evolution
uniformitarianism; catastrophism
A particular radioactive isotope has a half-life of 200 years. At what time will there be 25% of the isotope left?
600 years
800 years
1,400 years
400 years
Why do many geologists study layers of strata?
They are interested in determining how dinosaurs went extinc
They hope to discover Greek-era ruins.
They are interested in the exploitation of fossil fuels.
They want to learn more about the history of the Earth.
Which of the following terms is used to describe the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by releasing radiation?
Radiocentric decay
Radioactive explosion
Radioactive stabilization
Radioactive decay
The statement Rock A is fifty years older than Rock B is an example of _____.
numerical dating
fossil dating
radiometric dating
relative dating
What characteristics are observed via correlation, which is a relative dating process used in determining the age of rock layers?
Observing similarities in weather patterns
None of these answers are correct.
Observing similarities types fossils at different locations
Observing similar vegetation patterns
Which of the following is the term used for the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by releasing radiation?
Radioactive decay
Radioactive detection
Gamma ray reduction
Radioactive neutralization
What relatively recent epoch ended roughly 12,000 years ago?
The Miocene Epoch
The Holocene Epoch
The Pliocene Epoch
The Pleistocene Epoch
A large nucleus may get to a more stable state by emitting two protons and two neutrons. This describes which type of radioactive decay?
Alpha Decay
Delta Decay
Beta Decay
Gamma Decay
Which geological principle only applies to sedimentary rock layers?
Superposition
Succession
Original horizontality
cutting
An interface between discontinuous layers of rock is called _____.
an intrusion
an inclusion
an unconformity
a cross-cut
Any fault lines or igneous intrusions that cut across a set of rock strata must be _____ that set of rock.
younger than
the same age as
older than
creating an inclusion in
The change from catastrophism to uniformitarianism made scientists decide that Earth must be _____ than previously thought.
younger
more populated
older
less populated
The Mesozoic Era was the Age of Dinosaurs, and the current Cenozoic Era is the Age of _____.
Birds
Ice
Mammals
Humans
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)?
Y, X, Z
X, Y, Z
X, Z, Y
Z, X, Y
Rapid burial protects a deceased body from all of the following EXCEPT:
mud
trampling
weathering
temperature fluctuations