Leaven Plate Tectonics Geologic Time And Fossils
Exam One Questions.
- 1.
The scientific method commonly begins with
- A.
Unproven beliefs
- B.
A hypothesis
- C.
A question
- D.
Scientific laws
- E.
Observations
Correct Answer
E. ObservationsExplanation
To Observe/Observation is the first step in the scientific method.Rate this question:
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- 2.
The term half-life is related most closely to ___________.
- A.
Relative age dating
- B.
Absolute age dating
- C.
Deformation of the asthenosphere
- D.
Formation of the lithosphere
- E.
Organic evolution
Correct Answer
B. Absolute age datingExplanation
Absolute age is the real age of a fossil or a rock.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Plate boundaries where plates move past one another are called __________.
- A.
Divergent
- B.
Lithospheric
- C.
Convergent
- D.
Organic
- E.
Transform
Correct Answer
E. TransformExplanation
Transform plates slide past each other.Rate this question:
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- 4.
The age of the Earth is _____________.
- A.
4,600,000 years
- B.
5.5 million years
- C.
150,000 to 300,000 years
- D.
4.6 billion years
- E.
704 million years
Correct Answer
D. 4.6 billion yearsExplanation
The age of the Earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years. This estimate is based on radiometric dating of rocks and minerals, which involves measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes. By studying the ratios of different isotopes in rocks, scientists can determine how long it has been since the rock formed. This method has been used to date the oldest rocks on Earth, which are approximately 4.6 billion years old. Additionally, evidence from meteorites and moon rocks also supports this age estimate.Rate this question:
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- 5.
The radioactive process creates stable ____________.
- A.
Particles that are expelled
- B.
Daughter atoms
- C.
Rock outcrops in Canada
- D.
Divergent boundaries
- E.
Natural selection
Correct Answer
B. Daughter atomsExplanation
In radioactive material decays, it starts as a parent atom and turns into a new material call a daughter atom.Rate this question:
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- 6.
A mineral with a ratio of 1:1 among parent and daughter atoms must
- A.
Have formed only days ago
- B.
Be at the age corresponding to the second half-life
- C.
Have passed the age of the second half-life
- D.
Be at the age corresponding to the first half-life
- E.
Be worthless for age dating
Correct Answer
D. Be at the age corresponding to the first half-lifeExplanation
The correct answer is "be at the age corresponding to the first half-life." This is because a mineral with a ratio of 1:1 among parent and daughter atoms indicates that half of the parent atoms have decayed into daughter atoms, which corresponds to the completion of one half-life. Therefore, the mineral must be at the age corresponding to the first half-life.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Such time units as eons, eras, periods, and epochs in the geologic time scale correspond to _______.
- A.
Seconds, minutes, hours and days
- B.
Days, hours, minutes and seconds
- C.
Seconds, hours, minutes and days
- D.
Months, days, years and hours
- E.
Hours, minutes, days and months
Correct Answer
B. Days, hours, minutes and secondsExplanation
The geologic time scale is a system used to divide Earth's history into different time intervals. These time intervals are measured in increasingly larger units, from seconds to eons. Therefore, the correct answer is "days, hours, minutes, and seconds" as these units correspond to the smaller time intervals in the geologic time scale.Rate this question:
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- 8.
An example of part of the structure of the ocean floor __________.
- A.
Glacial lake
- B.
River channel
- C.
Continental shelf
- D.
Wind-blown dune
- E.
Alluvial fan
Correct Answer
C. Continental shelfExplanation
The correct answer is continental shelf. The continental shelf refers to the submerged edge of a continent that extends from the shoreline to the continental slope. It is a relatively flat and shallow area of the ocean floor, usually found near the coast. The continental shelf is composed of continental crust and is rich in marine life, making it an important area for fishing and oil exploration.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Fossils that are abundant, widely dispersed and that lived during a relatively shore span of geologic time are _______________.
- A.
Reworked fossils
- B.
Haploid
- C.
Index fossils
- D.
Trace fossils
- E.
Unaltered fossils
Correct Answer
C. Index fossilsExplanation
Index fossils lived on a short span of time and are used to determine age of rock and other fossils.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Select the item below most closely associated with a convergent boundary.
- A.
Lateral faults
- B.
Subduction zone
- C.
Hot spots
- D.
Midoceanic ridge
- E.
Continental rifting
Correct Answer
B. Subduction zone -
- 11.
Continental mountain ranges are formed by __________.
- A.
Continental-continental crustal convergence
- B.
Oceanic-oceanic crustal convergence
- C.
Transform boundaries
- D.
Divergent boundaries in oceans
- E.
Divergent boundaries under continents
Correct Answer
A. Continental-continental crustal convergenceExplanation
Continental mountain ranges are formed by continental-continental crustal convergence. This occurs when two continental plates collide and the crust is compressed and uplifted, resulting in the formation of mountains. The collision causes the crust to buckle and fold, leading to the creation of large mountain ranges such as the Himalayas. This process is different from oceanic-oceanic crustal convergence, where two oceanic plates collide and form volcanic island arcs, and from transform boundaries and divergent boundaries, which do not result in the formation of mountain ranges.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Trace fossils are ___________.
- A.
Fossilized imprints of soft-bodied animals or plants
- B.
Segmented worms that existed during the late Precambrian
- C.
Fossilized tracks, trails, burrows and nests made by ancient animals
- D.
Small bits or remnants of the hard body parts of ancient marine animals
- E.
The thin layer of carbon left behind from plant material
Correct Answer
C. Fossilized tracks, trails, burrows and nests made by ancient animalsExplanation
Trace fossils are fossilized tracks, trails, burrows, and nests made by ancient animals. These fossils provide evidence of the activities and behaviors of organisms that lived in the past. They can give insights into the locomotion, feeding habits, and social interactions of ancient animals. By studying trace fossils, scientists can reconstruct the behavior and ecology of extinct species, even if their actual body fossils are not preserved.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Filling in of many small pores in a fossil by minerals is called ___________.
- A.
Replacement
- B.
Carbonization
- C.
Permineralization
- D.
Mold making
- E.
Cast making
Correct Answer
C. PermineralizationExplanation
Permineralization refers to the process in which minerals fill in the small pores of a fossil. This occurs when minerals in groundwater seep into the fossil's pores and gradually replace the original organic material, preserving the fossil's structure. Unlike carbonization, which involves the preservation of only the carbon residue of a fossil, permineralization results in a fossil that retains much of its original shape and detail. Mold making and cast making, on the other hand, involve creating replicas of fossils rather than the actual preservation of the fossil itself.Rate this question:
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- 14.
What is the difference between the relative scale and the absolute scale of geologic time?
- A.
The relative scale of geologic time is based on superposition and fossil succession, whereas radiometric dating provides an absolute scale in which events are measured in years.
- B.
The relative scale of geologic time is based on absolute scale in which events are measured in years, whereas absolute dating provides superposition and fossil succession.
- C.
The relative scale of geologic time is based on sedimentary archives, whereas absolute dating provides a final comparison between two geological entities.
- D.
The relative scale of geologic time is based on event stratigraphy and marker beds, whereas absolute dating provides a numeric scale in which events are measured by isotopes and fossils.
- E.
There is no difference between the relative scale and the absolute scale of geologic time.
Correct Answer
A. The relative scale of geologic time is based on superposition and fossil succession, whereas radiometric dating provides an absolute scale in which events are measured in years.Explanation
The relative scale of geologic time is based on the principles of superposition and fossil succession, which allow scientists to determine the relative ages of rock layers and the fossils within them. This scale does not provide specific numerical ages, but rather a sequence of events. On the other hand, radiometric dating uses the decay of radioactive isotopes to determine the absolute ages of rocks and fossils in years. This method provides a precise numerical scale for measuring the age of geological events.Rate this question:
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Mar 20, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Mar 21, 2014Quiz Created by
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