Transcript
The Earth Through Time
Chapter 1—The Science Of Historical Geology
Select the best answer.
1. Which of the following does the study of past geologic events apply?
a. Predicting future geologic events
b. Discovery of future oil deposits
c. Understand climatic cycles
d. Changes to the fossil record
e. All the above
2. What is the age of the Earth?
a. 4.56 million years
b. 5.46 billion years
c. 4.38 billion years
d. 4.56 billion years
e. 4.03 billion years
3. A theory is _____________________.
a. an unproven beliefs.
b. a hypothesis.
c. a well established explanation of a set of observation.
d. a well established belief.
e. a poorly documented observations.
4. Primates leading to Homo sapiens appeared in the geologic record between ___________.
a. 5,000 years to 15,000 years ago.
b. 150,000 years to 300,000 years ago.
c. 5 million years to 10 million years ago.
d. 25,000 years to 50,000 years ago.
e. 5,00 years to 5,000 years ago.
5. Which of the following is (are) a typical physical geology topic(s)?
a. Structure of the Earth.
b. Plate tectonics.
c. Minerals.
d. Paleogeography.
e. All but d.
6. Which of the following is (are) a typical historical geology topic(s):
a. Relative age dating.
b. Study of rocks
c. Minerals.
d. Gold mining
e. All but a.
7. Historical geologist observe the _______ and work backwards towards their _________.
a. Cause, result.
b. Beginning, finish.
c. Result, cause.
d. Center, result.
e. Results, causes.
8. Exploration geologists rely on which of the following disciplines?
a. Biology.
b. Chemistry.
c. Physics.
d. Mathematics.
e. All the above.
9. Which of the following is a part of the human body not longer used?
a. Ribs.
b. Small intestine.
c. Tail bone.
d. Claws.
e. Blow hole.
10. Which of the following would be the appropriate order for applying the Scientific Method?
a. Question hypothesis observation theory.
b. Theory hypothesis observation question.
c. Hypothesis theory observation question.
d. Observation hypothesis theory question.
e. Theory observation hypothesis question.
11. Which of the following Scientific Method terms expresses the highest degree of confidence in an idea?
a. Question.
b. Observation.
c. Hypothesis.
d. Theory.
e. Data.
12. The Scientific method requires multiple research teams to validate the same conclusion before a(n) ______________ can be elevated to (a) _____________.
a. Theory, hypothesis.
b. Observation, data.
c. Anaximander.
d. Hypothesis, theory.
e. Theory, hypothesis.
13. The Mediterranean mystery was solved, in part, by the collection of which of the following observations?
a. Oil and gas.
b. Terrestrial fossils.
c. Meteorites.
d. Marine fossils.
e. Comets.
14. What modern analog was sited to explain the drying period in the history of the Mediterranean Sea?
a. Death Valley.
b. San Andreas Fault.
c. East African Rift.
d. Ireland.
e. None of the above.
15. Decay of a radioactive element will end with the creation of _______.
a. Particles that are expelled.
b. Daughter atoms.
c. Rock outcrops in Canada.
d. Divergent boundaries.
e. Natural selection.
16. A mineral containing 25 parent atoms and 75 daughter atoms must
a. Have formed only days ago.
b. Be at the age corresponding to the second half-life.
c. Be at the age corresponding to the fourth half-life.
d. Be at the age corresponding to the first half-life.
e. Be worthless for age dating.
17. The age of the oldest rock thus far dated on Earth is
a. 4.56 billion years.
b. 4.03 billion years.
c. 704 million years.
d. 2,600 years.
e. 5.56 million years.
18. If you move one foot a day for 100,000 years how for did you go?
a. 80,199 miles.
b. 100,000 feet.
c. 15.1 miles.
d. 6,918 miles.
e. 1,100,235 feet.
19. Natural selection operates on the idea of ___________________
a. Least favorable variations pass to the next generation.
b. Survival of the fittest.
c. Survival of the unfit.
d. Mutation of DNA is always unfavorable.
e. Appearance of useless organs.
20. What is the age of the oldest mineral from the Earth’s crust?
a. 4.38 billion years.
b. 4.03 billion years.
c. 3.81 million years.
d. 4.38 million years.
e. 4.03 billion years.
21. The _________ is composed of part of the mantle and all the crust.
a. Inner core.
b. Outer core.
c. Asthenosphere.
d. Lower mantle.
e. Lithosphere.
22. Which of the following is not a plate tectonic boundary?
a. Split boundary.
b. Convergent boundary.
c. Divergent boundary.
d. Transform boundary.
23. C. Darwin and _________ are credited with scientifically validating the Theory of Evolution.
a. W. Smith.
b. T. Hutton.
c. A. R. Wallace.
d. K. Hsu
e. S. Bowring.
Answers to Questions
1. e 11. d 21. e
2. d 12. d 22. a
3. c 13. e 23. c
4. b 14. d
5. e 15. b
6. a 16. b
7. c 17. b
8. e 18. d
9. c 19. b
10. a 20. a
TEST 2
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the scientifically-accepted age of the Earth?
4.56 billion years
6,000 years
4.56 million years
3.56 billion years
3.96 million years
Ans: a
Feedback: See pages 1 and 7
2. When did Homo sapiens appear on Earth?
65 to 66 million years ago
150,000 to 300,000 years ago
about 1 million years ago
15,000 to 30,000 years ago
4,000 to 6,000 years ago
Ans: b
Feedback: See page 1
3. The branch of geology that deals with Earth materials and processes is:
geochronology.
physical geology.
paleontology.
historical geology.
molecular biology.
Ans: b
Feedback: See pages 1-2
4. The branch of geology that deals with the origin and changes of Earth and life through time and space is:
geochronology.
physical geology.
paleontology.
historical geology.
molecular biology.
Ans: d
Feedback: See pages 1-2
5. Using the scientific method, geologists were able to determine that which body of water was once a desert with a giant salt lake?
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Caribbean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
Ans: c
Feedback: See pages 5-7
6. The original way of determining which rocks are older and which are younger is called:
relative age.
absolute age.
natural selection.
plate tectonics.
method of multiple working hypotheses.
Ans: a
Feedback: See page 8
7. An hypothesis that survives close examination and repeated challenges, and is supported by a large body of evidence, with a very high probability of being correct is called a:
scientific law.
hypothesis.
theory.
observation.
good guess.
Ans: c
Feedback: See page 3
8. The discovery of radioactivity in 1896 eventually gave us the tools to find:
the relative age of a rock.
the force that moves the tectonic plates.
a mechanism for evolution.
the absolute age of a rock.
changes in the chemistry of oceans and the atmosphere.
Ans: d
Feedback: See page 7
9. The easily deformed or partially molten part of mantle, below the lithosphere, is called the:
plate.
crust.
transform.
asthenosphere.
lithosphere.
Ans: d
Feedback: See page 7
10. Tectonic plates move toward one another at what type of plate boundary?
convergent
divergent
transform
Ans: a
Feedback: See page 7
11. Natural selection is supported by which of the following?
Any given species produces more offspring than can survive to maturity.
Variations exist among the offspring.
Offspring must compete with one another for food and habitat.
Offspring with the most favorable characteristics are more likely to survive to reproduce, and pass those traits along to the next generation.
All of the above supports natural selection.
Ans: e
Feedback: See page 9
12. Which one of these statements about evolution is incorrect?
Fossils provide direct evidence for changes in life in rocks of different ages.
Certain organs or structures are present in a variety of species, but they are modified to function differently. Differences in structures can help an organism be more competitive.
Modern organisms contain useless organs that had a useful function in ancestral species.
Animals that are very different have very different-looking embryos.
Biochemistry of closely-related organism is similar, but very different from more distantly related organisms.
Ans: d
Feedback: See page 9
13. What is a half-life?
half of the time it takes a parent radioactive element to decay
the midpoint in the life of an organism
the midpoint in the duration of a species
the time it takes for half of the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay
the time it takes for half of the original quantity of daughter atoms to decay
Ans: d
Feedback: See page 7
14. Convectional flow in the Earth’s mantle causes:
genetic variations in organisms.
Earth’s magnetic field.
Earth’s gravitational field.
radioactive decay of the elements.
movement of tectonic plates.
Ans: e
Feedback: See page 8
15. Plants and animals of each geologic era arose from earlier species by what process?
scientific method
organic evolution
radioactive decay
plate movement
transform movement
Ans: b
Feedback: See page 9
TEST 3
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The Earth’s age is approximately
a. 300,000 to 150,000 years. c. 4,560,000,000 years.
b. 4,560,000 years. d. 5,600,000,000 years.
2. To discover how the Earth was formed, geologists identify the minerals in
a. meteorites. c. rock strata in various locations on Earth.
b. lunar samples. d. rocks extruded in volcanic eruptions.
3. The human species of primates (Homo sapiens) evolved on Earth between
a. 0 and 150,000 years ago. c. 4.03 and 4.38 billion years ago.
b. 150,000 and 300,000 years ago. d. 4.56 and 4.6 billion years ago.
4. The study of the Earth’s origin and evolution, changes in the distribution of lands and seas, the growth and reduction of mountains, and the succession of animals and plants is called
a. Earth science. c. historical geology.
b. physical geology. d. geological science.
5. To a scientist, knowledge that has a very high probability of being correct is called
a. data. c. hypothesis.
b. theory. d. law.
6. Humans have penetrated and explored the deep interior of Antarctica for only the last ___________ years.
a. 100 c. 10,000
b. 1,000 d. 100,000
7. The study of the Earth’s materials (rocks and minerals) and the varied processes that occur both on the surface and deep in the interior of the Earth is called
a. Earth science. c. historical geology.
b. physical geology. d. geological sciences.
8. The systematic way to find answers to questions, solutions to problems, and evidence to prove or disprove ideas and beliefs is called
a. hypothesis. c. theory.
b. law. d. scientific method
9. The actual age of a rock in years is also called the
a. absolute age. c. real age.
b. comparative age. d. relative age.
10. The rigid outer layer of the Earth, which is roughly 100 kilometers, thick is called the
a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere.
b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere.
11. The time required for one half the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay is called
a. atomic mass time. c. decomposition time.
b. half-life. d. degradation time.
12. The rock age that is based on whether particular layers or bodies are older or younger than others is called
a. absolute age. c. real age.
b. comparative age. d. relative age.
13. The plastic, easily deformed layer of the Earth that the plates rest on is called the
a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere.
b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere.
14. The crust and the mantle of the Earth make up the
a. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere.
b. atmosphere. d. hydrosphere.
15. The boundary that is formed where two or more plates move apart from one another is called
a. convergent boundary. c. joint boundary.
b. divergent boundary. d. transform boundary.
16. The great unifying theory of biology is
a. evolution. c. meiosis.
b. natural selection. d. inheritance.
17. The boundary that is formed when two or more plates move toward one another is called
a. convergent boundary. c. joint boundary.
b. divergent boundary. d. transform boundary.
18. The great unifying theory in geology is
a. the Big Bang theory. c. continental drift.
b. plate tectonics. d. rock cycle.
19. Gravity is an example of a/an
a. law. c. principle.
b. theory. d. hypothesis.
20. The oldest rocks found on the Earth were located in
a. the Himalayas. c. the Canadian Rockies.
b. the Alps. d. the Appalachians.
Fill in the Blank
1. The Earth was formed ________________ years ago.
2. ______________ geology addresses the Earth’s origin and evolution, changes in the distribution of lands and seas, the growth and reduction of mountains, and the succession of animals and plants through time.
3. The _______________ ________________ is a systematic way to find answers to questions, solutions to problems, and evidence to prove or disprove ideas and beliefs.
4. A ________________ fits all the data in a scientific investigation and is likely to account for observation and is likely to account for observations in the future as well as the future.
5. To a scientist, a ______________ represents knowledge that has a very high probability of being correct.
6. ______________________ is the time required for one half of the original quantity of radioactive atoms to decay.
7. Determining the ___________________ age of a rock is based on whether particular layers or bodies are older or younger than others.
8. The “great unifying theory” in geology is _____________ ________________.
9. This rigid outer layer of the Earth (approximately 100 kilometers thick) includes the crust as well as the uppermost part of the mantle. _________________________
10. The outermost part of the lithosphere that is about 32 kilometers thick is called _______________.
11. The zone within the Earth between 50 and 250 kilometers thick and is thought to be a zone where the convective flow of material occurs is called the ____________________.
12. Charles Darwin’s proposed theory that any given species produces more organisms than can survive to maturity is part of his theory of _______________ ________________.
Distinctive shells of these invertebrates have been widely used to identify rock formation when drilling for oil or gas. __________________
14. Where two or more plates move apart from one another, the plate margins form _____________ boundaries.
15. When plates grind past one another ________________ boundaries occur.
True/False
1. Geology is the study of Earth and does not include the study of any other planet.
2. The statement “the Mediterranean Sea was once a desert” is an example of a hypothesis.
3. The asthenosphere is closer to the surface of the Earth than the lithosphere.
4. There is conclusive evidence that the Mediterranean Sea was once a desert.
5. The discovery of radioactivity enabled geologists to find the absolute age of rocks.
6. Charles Darwin was the first individual to propose the theory of evolution.
7. The Earth is a relativity static ball of rock that is orbiting the sun.
8. Geology is an eclectic science drawing principles from many areas.
9. Data collection is the first step in the scientific method.
10. A geologic time scale was developed using relative time dating.
AnswerS
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS
ACCOMPANYING SELECTED FIGURES
NOTE – There are no questions by the textbook author related to figures within this chapter. The first such question appears in the next chapter (see Figure 2-3). In each subsequent chapter there are several questions per chapter at the end of figure captions (marked by small, red boxes with a query mark (?) inside the box).
Multiple Choice
1. c
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. b
6. a
7. b
8. d
9. a
10. c
11. b
12. d
13. a
14. c
15. b
16. a
17. a
18. b
19. a
20. c
Fill Ins
1. 4.6 billion
2. Historical
3. scientific method
4. hypothesis
5. theory
6. Half-life
7. relative
8. plate tectonics
9. lithosphere
10. crust
11. asthenosphere
12. natural selection
13. foraminifera
14. divergent
15. transform
True/False
1. F
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. T
6. F
7. F
8. T
9. T
10. T
