Review: Geologic Principles Interactive

1. Which statement best describes the Law of Superposition?

• Each sedimentary layer of rock represents 1,000 years of Earth’s age, much like the rings of a tree.

• In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the upper rock layers are older than the lower rock layers.

• In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the lowest layers contain the older rocks.

• Rocks that form near volcanoes are older than surrounding rock.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Scientists find dinosaur fossils in the bottom rock layers of a cliff and mammal fossils in the middle rock layer of the cliff. Which could best be concluded from this evidence?

• Dinosaurs ate plants.

• Dinosaurs were eaten by the mammals.

• Dinosaurs lived on Earth before the mammals.

• Dinosaurs and mammals lived at the same time.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What can be concluded about the age of fossils in undisturbed rock layers?

• The top layer has the oldest fossils.

• The bottom layer has the oldest fossils.

• The top layer has the oldest and youngest fossils.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which is the best predictor of the relative age of a layer of rock?

• thickness of the layer

• position of the layer

• length of the layer

• size of the layer

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Scientists have identified four sedimentary rock layers

from an archaeological dig as shown.

Which is most likely the oldest sedimentary rock layer?

• Layer R

• Layer S

• Layer T

• Layer U

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Fossils were discovered in four different sedimentary rock layers as shown below.

Which best describes the age of the fish relative to the age of the fern and the age of the shell?

• The fish is older than both the fern and the shell.

• The fish is younger than both the fern and the shell.

• The fish is older than the fern, but younger than the shell.

• The fish is younger than the fern, but older than the shell.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

A section of a rock layer is shown.

The evidence in these rock layers best supports which conclusion?

• The oldest fossils in this section of rock are trilobites.

• Eurypterids are related to modern-day scorpions and crabs.

• Eurypterids were the least common type of organism in this

  section of rock.

• There is some overlap in the presence of brachiopods and ammonites on Earth.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The geologic principle that states that sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal layers is the principle of

• uniformitarianism

• original horizontality

• superposition

• cross-cutting relationships

Which terms discusses how when sedimentary rocks are originally deposited, they are laid down flat?

• principle of inclusions
• cross cutting relationship
• principle of superposition
• principle of original horizontality

what is a fault?

• a break in a rock

• where two rocks shift past each other

• a fracture in rock

• an ancient erosion surface

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2