Vocabulary 1
States that sediments are deposited in layers that extend horizontally in all directions until they reach an obstacle.
Principle of Lateral Continuity
States that the sequence of changes in organisms as recorded by fossils is the same everywhere the fossils are found on Earth.
Law of Fossil Succession
The process of determining the approximate age of a rock, fossil, or event.
Absolute Dating
Minnesota is known as the “land of 10,000 lakes,” and there are actually even more lakes across the state. However, scientific evidence supports the idea that before 25,000 years ago, many of these lakes did not exist. Which statement BEST explains what role glaciers would have played in forming so many lakes in Minnesota?
A. During a glacial period, excess water would have filled the lakes.
B. During a glacial period, more liquid water accumulated in the Minnesota region.
C. During a glacial period, the glaciers pushed the crust down and carved the lake basins.
D. During an interglacial period, more groundwater was available to deposit water in the lakes.
C. During a glacial period, the glaciers pushed the crust down and carved the lake basins.
Image 3
The photo shows fossils of an ocean-dwelling whale likely to be about 50 million years old. The fossils are found in an area known as Wadi Al-Hitan, or Whale Valley, in the Egyp?an Sahara Desert. Which of the following claims does this evidence support?
A. These whales were transported to the desert.
B. This region in Egypt was below water a long ?me ago.
C. These whales must have been able to traverse over land.
D. The climate of this land area was much we?er a long ?me ago.
B. This region in Egypt was below water a long ?me ago.
During an ice age, a time of even cooler temperatures, when large ice sheets advance from the poles toward the equator.
Glacial Period
The process of determining the order in which events in Earth’s history occurred.
The extinction of a large number of species over a relatively short period of time.
Mass Extinction
Go to Image 1
Ammonoids are index fossils found in Permian period rock layers. Find the Permian period in the model on the right below. Compare this to the model on the left. How do these two models help express how old the Ammonoid fossils are?
A. They are found at the boundary of two eras, but are about the midpoint of Earth’s history.
B. They are found near the end of a major eon, but are significantly old compared to Earth’s history.
C. They are found at the boundary of two eons, but are relatively young compared to of Earth’s history.
D. They are found at about the midpoint in the most recent eon, but are relatively young compared to Earth’s history.
D. They are found at about the midpoint in the most recent eon, but are relatively young compared to Earth’s history.
Image 4
Scientists claim that between the laying down of the lower and upper rock layers, a major catastrophe occurred. What evidence from the fossil data might support this claim?
A. Most animal types decreased significantly.
B. The variety of echinoid types did not change.
C. All animal types seemed to increase significantly.
D. The number of types of nau?loids changed, but not significantly
A. Most animal types decreased significantly.
States that rock layers form when sediments are deposited in horizontal layers due to gravity.
Principle of Original Horizontality
States that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rock is at the bottom and the youngest rock is at the top.
Law of Superposition
Observable events that occur in a natural or designed system.
Phenomena
Image 2
Scientists have analyzed rocks from the moon and found their makeup to be similar to the rocks in Earth’s mantle. The age of these moon rocks is very close in age to Earth’s mantle rocks. Which reasoning statement about the forma?on of the moon BEST supports the giant impact hypothesis?
A. Because the rocks are similar in makeup, they were formed from the same minerals.
B. Because the rocks are similar in makeup and age, they are likely from the same source.
C. Because the moon is smaller than Earth and is made of the same rocks, it was likely formed out of parts of Earth.
D. Because the rocks from the moon are similar in age to the rocks from Earth’s mantle, the moon likely formed later.
B. Because the rocks are similar in makeup and age, they are likely from the same source.
Image 4
Based on the data collected in the lower and upper layers, what does the pattern seem to suggest occurred?
A. Most of these organisms survived a8er the mass extinction.
B. Nautiloids avoided any harmful effects from the mass extinction.
C. There was a major decrease in diversity after the mass extinction.
D. There was a general increase in diversity after the mass extinction.
C. There was a major decrease in diversity after the mass extinction.
A fossil of an organism that lived over a widespread area for a short period of geologic time and so can be used to date the rock layers in which it occurs.
Index Fossil
During an ice age, a time of warmer temperatures, when large ice sheets begin to melt and retreat toward the poles.
Interglacial Period
The transfer of energy caused by the circulation of matter due to differences in density.
Convection
During an excavation?on of rock layers, you come across a deep layer with only simple fossilized plants, like ferns, embedded in it. Based on your understanding of geologic ?me and the changes in lifeforms on Earth, what would you expect to find in deeper rock layers and why?
A. dinosaurs that fed on the ferns
B. cyanobacteria that did not need oxygen
C. small mammals that died before the ferns
D. algae that needed oxygen for photosynthesis
B. cyanobacteria that did not need oxygen
Image 4
In 2017, scientists published a study finding an increase in nickel from volcanic sources around the globe right around the border of the lower and upper layers. How might this new evidence affect the original claim of a global catastrophe?
A. The new evidence weakens the previous claim, since these are sea creatures and this is evidence from a volcano.
B. The new evidence weakens the previous claim, since volcanic activity happens every day, unlike mass extinctions.
C. The new evidence supports the previous claim, since it provided additional evidence of a global event during the same time.
D. The new evidence supports the previous claim, since it confirms that the rock layers were laid down at the same time as the volcanic eruption.
C. The new evidence supports the previous claim, since it provided additional evidence of a global event during the same?time.
A model of Earth’s history divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
Geologic Time Scale
States that the rock feature that cuts across another rock feature is the younger of the two features.
Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships
The transfer of energy between objects that are touching; causes energy to move from the warmer object to the cooler object.
Conduction
Scientific evidence supports the idea that as the dinosaur age was coming to an end, great changes were occurring on Earth. These changes made it possible for mammals to survive and thrive. Which of the following changes to Earth BEST suited mammals?
A. dust-clouded atmosphere
B. colder global temperatures
C. reduced surface solar energy
D. decrease in vegetation worldwide
B. colder global temperatures
Think about each of the events below and say whether each is a era, period, or epoch.
Pangea Forming
Modern Humans on Earth
Dinosaurs on Earth
Pangea Forming - Era
Modern Humans on Earth - Epoch
Dinosaurs on Earth - Period