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