Relative and Absolute Dating
Which type of dating shows which rock layer is older or younger?
A. Absolute dating
B. Relative dating
C. Fossil dating
D. Crystal dating
B. Relative dating
What is a fossil?
A. A living animal
B. A type of rock crystal
C. The remains of a plant or animal from long ago
D. Melted rock
C. The remains of a plant or animal from long ago
What does a rock’s texture describe?
A. Its age
B. How it looks and feels
C. Where it formed
D. Its color only
B. How it looks and feels
Igneous rocks form from what?
A. Sand
B. Water
C. Magma or lava
D. Fossils
C. Magma or lava
Which tool helps scientists learn Earth’s history?
A. Fossils
B. Magnets
C. Rulers
D. Thermometers
A. Fossils
In rock layers that have not been moved, which layer is the oldest?
A. The top layer
B. The middle layer
C. The bottom layer
D. All layers are the same age
C. The bottom layer
What do scientists use fossils for?
A. To make rocks
B. To learn about Earth’s past
C. To measure temperature
D. To stop erosion
B. To learn about Earth’s past
What does composition tell us about a rock?
A. How smooth it is
B. What it is made of
C. How old it is
D. How fast it moves
B. What it is made of
Which igneous rock cools slowly underground?
A. Basalt
B. Pumice
C. Granite
D. Sandstone
C. Granite
Which rock type forms from magma?
A. Sedimentary
B. Igneous
C. Metamorphic
D. Fossil
B. Igneous
If a rock layer is on top of another layer, what does that mean?
A. It is older
B. It is younger
C. It formed at the same time
D. It is not a rock
B. It is younger
What is an index fossil?
A. A fossil found only in one place
B. A fossil from animals that lived a short time
C. A fossil that is very large
D. A fossil found only underground
B. A fossil from animals that lived a short time
A rock feels rough and bumpy. What does this tell you about its grains?
A. They are very small
B. They are melted
C. They are large
D. They are invisible
C. They are large
Why does granite have large crystals?
A. It cools very fast
B. It cools slowly underground
C. It forms from sediment
D. It has fossils
B. It cools slowly underground
Why is the law of superposition important?
A. It shows rock color
B. It helps tell which layers are older or younger
C. It forms fossils
D. It melts rock
B. It helps tell which layers are older or younger
Why do scientists use absolute dating?
A. To find fossils
B. To see rock texture
C. To find the exact age of a rock
D. To stack rocks
C. To find the exact age of a rock
Why are index fossils helpful to scientists?
A. They show how rocks break
B. They show exact ages of all rocks
C. They help match rock layers from different places
D. They form in magma
B. They show exact ages of all rocks
Why do scientists observe rocks instead of guessing how they formed?
A. Rocks are colorful
B. Observations give clues about how rocks form
C. Guessing is easier
D. Rocks change every day
B. Observations give clues about how rocks form
What is special about pumice?
A. It has fossils
B. It has air holes
C. It forms underground
D. It is smooth
What is special about pumice?
A. It has fossils
B. It has air holes
C. It forms underground
D. It is smooth
Which feature best helps identify an igneous rock?
A. Fossils
B. Crystals
C. Layers
D. Soil
B. Crystals
A volcanic ash layer is found between two sediment layers. Why is this useful for absolute dating?
A. Ash layers are always the oldest
B. Volcanic rock can be tested to find an exact age
C. Sediment cannot hold fossils
D. Ash layers form very slowly
B. Volcanic rock can be tested to find an exact age
If the same index fossil is found in two different places, what can scientists conclude?
A. The rocks are different ages
B. The rocks are probably the same age
C. The fossils moved
D. The rocks are igneous
B. The rocks are probably the same age
Two rocks look different but have the same composition. What is most likely different?
A. Their texture
B. Their fossils
C. Their location
D. Their age
A. Their texture
If magma cools very quickly at Earth’s surface, what type of rock forms?
A. Intrusive igneous
B. Sedimentary
C. Extrusive igneous
D. Metamorphic
C. Extrusive igneous
A rock has large crystals and no fossils. How did it most likely form?
A. From sediment in water
B. From magma cooling slowly underground
C. From heat and pressure
D. From fossils
B. From magma cooling slowly underground