Download 1. Scientific evidence indicates that the concentration of oxygen in

1.
2.
3.
Scientific evidence indicates that the concentration of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere increases
dramatically approximately 2 billion years ago. Which event most closely coincides with this
change in Earth’s atmosphere?
a. Mammals appeared on the land.
b. Volcanic outgassing increased.
c. Decay of organic matter increased.
d. Photosynthetic organisms appeared.
Answer D
According to the dating techniques utilized by geologists, Earth (and the solar system) is estimated
to have formed about _____________ years ago.
a. 2.3 million
b. 10.8 million
c. 4.5 billion
d. 12.5 billion
Answer C
The division of Earth history into geologic periods is based on major geologic and paleontologic
events. Once such event was the impact of an asteroid off the coast of Mexico during the end of
the Cretaceous Era. What was the result of this event?
a. Global cooling that led to the extinction of dinosaurs.
b. Global cooling change that led to mass extinction of 75% of all animal species.
c. Global warming that led to the mass explosion (increase) of marine life.
d. Global warming that led to the mass explosion (increase) of mammals.
Answer A
4.
In a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary rocks, the oldest rocks will be at the bottom of the
sequence and the youngest rocks will be at the top. The above statement is a summary of which
law?
a. Law of Geologic Interpretation.
b. Law of Superposition
c. Law of the Rock Cycle
d. Law of Deposition
Answer B
5.
According to the principle of superposition, which sedimentary rock layer in the diagram below is
the youngest?
6.
7.
8.
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
Answer D
The divisions of the geologic timetable are based upon
a. fossil evidence
b. rock thickness
c. radioactive decay
Answer A
According to the geologic timetable, the oldest era of geologic time is the
a. Archean
b. Proterzoic
c. Paleozoic
d. Cenozoic
Answer A
One reason why fossils are rarely found in Precambrian rocks is that
a. no life existed during Precambrian time
b. most Precambrian animals lacked hard shells and skeletons
c. most Precambrian animals have become extinct
d. no sedimentary rocks were formed during Precambrian time.
Answer A
d. rock type
9.
The Cambrian rocks of Greenland, an area currently under an ice sheet, contain fossils of plants
and animals now found in tropical areas. The best explanation for this environment difference is
that in Cambrian time,
a. polar areas were much warmer.
b. tropical plants and animals of today evolved from arctic plants and animals of the
Cambrian.
c. the land area that is now Greenland was farther south in Cambrian time.
d. tropical plants and animals of the Cambrian could survive in wider range of climates
than those of today.
Answer C
10. According to the Geologic Timetable, in which era do you live?
a. Cenozoic
c. Mesozoic
c. Paleozoic
d. Precambrian
Answer A
11. If you want to find the age of rocks older than 1 million years old, what method of dating would
you use?
a. radiocarbon
b. carbon-14
c. radiometric d. unconformity
Answer C
12. Which is not a characteristic of an index fossil?
a. easily recognizable
c. typically a marine animal
b. widespread in occurrence
d. limited in time when they existed
Answer C
TARBUCK.TRANS.11.QXD
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Eon
Geologic time scale
Era
Period
Development of
Plants and Animals
Epoch
Holocene
Quaternary
Pleistocene
Cenozoic
0.01
Cenozoic
Tertiary
Oligocene
Eocene
Paleocene
Humans develop
Mesozoic
"Age of Mammals"
Paleozoic
1.8
Pliocene
Miocene
Relative Time
Span of Eras
5.3
23.8
33.7
54.8
65.0
Extinction of
dinosaurs and many
other species
Mesozoic
Phanerozoic
Cretaceous
144
Jurassic
"Age
of
Reptiles"
206
248
Extinction of trilobites
and many other
marine animals
Paleozoic
Carboniferous
Permian
Pennsylvanian
First birds
Dinosaurs dominant
Triassic
290
First flowering plants
"Age
of
Amphibians"
323
First reptiles
Large coal swamps
Mississippian
Amphibians abundant
354
Devonian
417
"Age
of
Fishes"
Silurian
First insect fossils
Precambrian
Fishes dominant
First land plants
443
First fishes
Ordovician
490
"Age
of
Invertebrates"
Archean Proterozoic
Cambrian
Trilobites dominant
First organisms
with shells
540
First multicelled
organisms
2500
Collectively called
Precambrian, comprises
about 88% of the
geologic time scale
3800
Hadean
First one-celled
organisms
Origin of Earth
4500
Earth Science
by Edward J. Tarbuck / Frederick K. Lutgens
 2006 by Prentice-Hall, Inc.
A Pearson Education Company
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458