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Name: _______________
Geology 12
Date submitted: ______________________
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Geology: Theory, Law, Time and Early Geological Thought.
1. What does “Geology” mean? __________________________________________________________
2. Geology is divided into two major types or kinds, based on what the geologists study. Which are they?
Name and briefly describe the two types.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
and
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. How do geologists treat the theory of Plate Tectonics? ______________________________________
4. What is the difference between a theory and a law?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Plate tectonics is called the “unifying theory” of geology. What other theory is central to geology?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is paleontology? ________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
7. How is paleontology connected to the ‘theory’ of evolution? _________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
8. Why is the connection between the theory of evolution and paleontology referred to as
controversial? _________________________________________________________________________
9. Which great scientist and author is being shown as half-man, half monkey in the slide discussed
above? _______________________________________________________________________________
10. In the 1600’s, the Bible was used to determine the age of the Earth by Bishop Ussher. This resulted
in some scientists believing the Earth was much younger than it is. They thought rapid events had
shaped the Earth. This was called ___________________________.
11. Other scientist realized that the processes taking place ‘today’, also took place throughout the past
over a great deal of time. “The present is the key to the past.” This is _____________________________
12. Rapid events HAVE shaped the Earth, but they are rare. Name one type of rapid event, such as the
one that speeded the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 Million years ago.
___________________________
Geologic Time: Relative and Absolute Measures
1. How does relative dating arrange geologic time? Relative Dating puts geologic events in order from
________________________ to the __________________________
2. Three laws and one Principle help geologist date events or rocks and landforms in a relative way?
Name and briefly define them.
Law
Law
Principle
Law
Absolute Dating
3. The actual age of rocks of some types can be determined by measuring radioactive decay of certain
elements. This is called ____________________ dating.
4. Geologic time is divided into different Eons, Eras Periods and Epochs. What is the TOTAL span of time
that Geologic time covers?
5. Which of the types of divisions above cover the LONGEST spans of time?
6. All of the divisions are not of equal length in comparison to each other. What criteria is used to divide
them?
7. One Eon covers the greatest amount of time in the history of Earth and is divided into 3 Sub-eons.
Name the Eon and the 3 sub-eons in order from oldest to youngest.