Grade 8 Clues to Earth's Past Assessment

The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?

• The absolute age of rock layers
• The age of fossils
• The relative age of rock layers
• the super powers of rocks

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

According to the law of superposition, the oldest fossils are found 

• At the top of the rock layers
• Near the bottom of the rock layers
• In the middle of the rock layers
• Somewhat near the surface

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

_{Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?}

• F
• E
• B
• A

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Sometimes sea shells can be found in strange places.  Like deserts and on mountains. Other than plate boundaries moving what is another reason for this?

• The earth's tilt on its axis has changed over the years and the equator use to be farther south
• Sea levels use to be much lower 
• Plate boundary movement is the only correct explanation for marine fossils in strange places
• The sea levels use to be much higher and covered most of the land on earth. So marine fossils are found in places far from water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

_______ are the preserved remains or traces of living things.

• bones
• fossils
• artifacts
• organic matter

Fossils can provide evidence of how life has changed over time, how Earth's surface has changed, and clues about what past environments were like.

• True
• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

In what type of rock would you typically find fossils?

• igneous
• metamorphic
• sedimentary
• rocky

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which parts of an organism are more likely to fossilize?

• the soft parts - skin, muscle
• the hard parts - bones, shells, stems
• all parts can become fossilized easily because the organism becomes buried by sediments

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Becoming trapped in tar and amber, and freezing are other processes besides fossilization that organisms can be preserved.

• True
• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Scientists who study fossils are called

• Geologists
• Paleontologists
• Fossil Scientists
• Meteorologists