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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 9/8/04 9:52 AM Page 162 T-162 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