Geologic Time
According to current scientific theory, approximately how old is the Earth
A. 2026 years
B. 10,000 years
C. 4.6 billion years
C. 4.6 billion years
According to current scientific theory, which of these is true about the early Earth
A. It was in an ice age
B. It was extremely hot with lots of volcanoes
B. It was extremely hot with lots of volcanoes
What is a fossil?
A. A rock made from cooled lava
B. The remains or imprint of an organism
C. A colorful crystal
B. The remains or imprint of an organism
True or false: Scientists were present to observe the Earth when it formed
False
The process of a rock changing its properties over time due to heat and pressure is called:
A. Geosynthesis
B. Metamorphism
C. Metabolism
B. Metamorphism
What is the LARGEST division of geologic time?
A. An Era
B. An Eon
C. An Epoch
B. An Eon
According to radiometric dating, the age of most meteorites is:
A. 5-10 thousand years
B. 10-20 million years
C. 4.5-4.7 billion years
C. 4.5-4.7 billion years
True or False: All organisms found in fossils lived at the same time.
False
Scientists estimate the age of the Earth by comparing the crust to space rocks called _______
Meteorites
Which of these is an example of metamorphism?
A. Water freezing into ice
B. Sandstone changing into quartzite
C. Sand being washed away from a beach
B. Sandstone changing into quartzite
What is the system that scientists use to organize Earth's history?
A. The Ancient Clock
B. The Very Old Calendar
C. The Geologic Time Scale
C. The Geologic Time Scale
True or false: According to current scientific theory, the Earth was covered in liquid water during its first 200 million years.
False. It was likely so hot that all of the water would be in the gas/vapor state.
According to the fossil record, which type of organism came first?
A. Plants
B. Animals
A. Plants
Scientists use this mineral for radiometric dating of very old rocks:
A. Zircon
B. Clay
C. Diamond
A. Zircon
The immense pressure from the gravity pulling Earth's materials together results in a lot of _______ in Earth's core.
A. Heat
B. Cold
C. Water
A. Heat
Scientists use these remains of ancient organisms to define different eras of Earth
Fossils
What do most scientists believe about the Solar System?
A. The Sun formed *before* the planets
B. The Sun formed *after* the planets
C. The Sun and planets formed around the *same* time
C. The Sun and planets formed around the same time
True or false: the event that killed the dinosaurs is the only mass extinction in the fossil record
False. The fossils suggest that there were 5 mass extinctions in Earth's history!
Using radioactive materials to estimate the age of a geologic material is called:
A. Radiometric dating
B. Metamorphism
C. Abiogenesis
A. Radiometric dating
The geologic process in which heavy materials sink towards the core while lighter materials rise toward the surface is called:
A. Differentiation
B. The sink-float effect
C. Metamorphism
A. Differentiation
Put these time divisions in order from LONGEST to SHORTEST:
Period, Eon, Epoch, Era
Eon, Era, Period, Epoch
Which of these is NOT a reason that the early Earth was so hot?
A. Intense pressure from gravity
B. Radioactive material
C. Earth was closer to the Sun
D. Meteorite bombardment
C. Earth was closer to the Sun
According to the fossil record, which came first?
A. Land animals
B. Sea creatures
B. Sea creatures
Sedimentary rock layers form horizontally. If the layers become bent, the most likely explanation is:
A. An asteroid hit them
B. A dinosaur sat on them
C. Pressure from tectonic plates shifting
C. Pressure from tectonic plates shifting
The oldest pieces of Earth's crust, which formed during the Archean Eon and are made of granite are called:
A. Archeazites
B. Granitary Solidifications
C. Microcontinents
C. Microcontinents