Quiz about Historical Geology

Question 1

According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, between

which two cities in New York State would the oldest surface

bedrock be found?

Accepted Answer

Plattsburgh and Watertown

Answer

Syracuse and Albany

Answer

Utica and Binghamton

Answer

Jamestown and Rochester

Question 2

During which period was most of the surface bedrock that

separates the Adirondacks from the Catskills formed? [Refer

to the Earth Science Reference Tables.]

Accepted Answer

Ordovician

Answer

Precambrian

Answer

Jurassic

Answer

Triassic

Question 3

What does the unconformity (buried erosional surface) at

line XY represent?

Accepted Answer

a time gap in the rock record of the area

Answer

proof that no deposition occurred between the

Cambrian and Carboniferous periods

Answer

overturning of the Cambrian and Carboniferous rock

layers

Answer

an area of contact metamorphism

Question 4

According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, studies

of the rock record suggest that

Accepted Answer

the period during which humans have existed is very

brief compared to geologic time

Answer

humans first appeared at the time of the intrusion of the

Palisades sill

Answer

evidence of the existence of humans is present over

much of the geologic past

Answer

the earliest humans lived at the same time as the

dinosaurs

Question 5

Which rock unit is the youngest?

Accepted Answer

basalt

Answer

shale

Answer

sandstone

Answer

limestone

Question 6

Why are ancient volcanic ash deposits important to

geologists?

Accepted Answer

They serve as good geological time makers.

Answer

They form resistant rock layers containing fossils.

Answer

They are easily dated using carbon-14.

Answer

They indicate major areas where earthquakes occurred.

Question 7

Living corals are found in warm shallow seas. Coral fossils

have been found in the sedimentary rocks of Alaska. These

findings suggest that

Accepted Answer

Alaska once had a tropical marine environment

Answer

ocean currents carried the coral to Alaska

Answer

coral usually develops in cold climates

Answer

Alaska's cold climate fossilized the coral

Question 8

For which segment of the Earth's geologic history are fossils

rarely found?

Accepted Answer

Precambrian

Answer

Mesozoic

Answer

Cenozoic

Answer

Paleozoic

Question 9

Which feature in a rock layer is older than the rock layer?

Accepted Answer

rock fragments

Answer

mineral veins

Answer

igneous intrusions

Answer

faults

Question 10

Unless a series of sedimentary rock layers has been

overturned, the bottom rock layer usually

Accepted Answer

is the oldest

Answer

contains the greatest variety of minerals

Answer

contains fossils

Answer

has the finest texture

Question 11

Trilobite fossils found in shale bedrock in the Albany, New

York, area indicate that this area once

Accepted Answer

was covered by an ocean

Answer

was covered by a large forest

Answer

had many land animals

Answer

had iron ore deposits

Question 12

According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, which

rock is most likely the oldest?

Accepted Answer

shale containing trilobite fossils

Answer

conglomerate containing the tusk of a mastodon

Answer

sandstone containing fossils of flowering plants

Answer

siltstone containing dinosaur footprints

Question 13

What characteristics of fossils are most useful in correlating

sedimentary rock layers?

Accepted Answer

wide geographic distribution but limited to a particular

rock formation

Answer

limited geographic distribution and limited to a

particular rock formation

Answer

wide geographic distribution and found in many rock

formations

Answer

limited geographic distribution but found in many rock

formations

Question 14

Which two forms of life existed together on the Earth during

the same time period? [Refer to the Earth Science Reference

Tables.]

Accepted Answer

mastodons and flowering plants

Answer

dinosaurs and mastodons

Answer

trilobites and birds

Answer

flowering plants and trilobites

Question 15

The fossil record indicates that most of the plants and

animals that lived on Earth in the past

Accepted Answer

have become extinct

Answer

lived on land

Answer

appeared during the Cambrian Period

Answer

became index fossils

Question 16

Index fossils have usually formed from organisms which had

a

Accepted Answer

wide geographic distribution and existed for only a

short time

Answer

narrow geographic distribution and existed for a long

time

Answer

e geographic distribution and existed for a long time

Answer

narrow geographic distribution and existed for only a

short time

Question 17

According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, which of

the following cities is located on the youngest bedrock?

Accepted Answer

Binghamton

Answer

Watertown

Answer

Albany

Answer

Syracuse

Question 18

The diagram below represents cross-sections of three rock

outcrops approximately 100 kilometers apart. What would be the best method of correlating the rock layers of each outcrops?

Accepted Answer

comparing rock types

Answer

comparing index fossils

Answer

comparing thickness of rock layers

Answer

comparing mineral composition

Question 19

According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, which

event occurred at the time of the Alleghenyan Orogeny?

Accepted Answer

the extinction of many kinds of marine animals

Answer

the development of birds and mammals

Answer

the development of primitive aquatic plants

Answer

the extinction of many kinds of land animals

Question 20

An unconformity between two sedimentary layers is most

likely produced by

Accepted Answer

uplift followed by extensive erosion, submergence, and

deposition

Answer

a period of extrusive vulcanism followed by another

period of extrusive vulcanism

Answer

continuous sedimentation in a deep basin over a long

period

Answer

the deposition of gravel followed by the deposition of

sand and silt

Question 21

For which geologic period are no fossils found in New York

State?

Accepted Answer

Permian

Answer

Silurian

Answer

Ordovician

Answer

Devonian

Question 22

Geologists have subdivided geologic time into units based

on

Accepted Answer

fossil evidence

Answer

rock type

Answer

erosion rates

Answer

landscape development

Question 23

Trilobite fossils from different time periods show small

changes in appearance. These observations suggest that

the changes may be the result of

Accepted Answer

evolutionary development

Answer

a variety of geological processes

Answer

the gradual disintegration of radioactive substances

Answer

periods of destruction of the geological record

Question 24

What evidence in the rock layers indicates that the

formation of igneous rock F occurred after rock layer E was

in place?

Accepted Answer

the zone of contact metamorphism between rock F and

rock layer E

Answer

the unconformity between rock F and rock layer E

Answer

the presence of extrusive igneous rock below rock

layer E

Answer

the presence of radioactive minerals in rock F

Question 25

Which rock most likely is the oldest?

Accepted Answer

A

Answer

D

Answer

B

Answer

F

Question 26

Which feature is represented by line WX?

Accepted Answer

a former erosional surface

Answer

a fault

Answer

an area of metamorphism

Answer

an igneous intrusion

Question 27

When did the folding of rock layer B most likely occur?

Accepted Answer

after the deposition of rock layer C

Answer

after the deposition of rock layer D

Answer

before the deposition of rock layer A

Answer

after the deposition of rock layer E

Question 28

Fossils are least likely to be found in which rock?

Accepted Answer

F

Answer

E

Answer

C

Answer

D

Question 29

Why is layer 4 likely to be a good time marker?

Accepted Answer

Volcanic ash is usually rapidly deposited over a large

area.

Answer

Volcanic ash is usually a unique gray color.

Answer

Volcanic ash can usually be dated with carbon-14.

Answer

Volcanic ash usually contains index fossils.

Question 30

Which best describes the order of events for the formation

of this section of the Earth's crust?

Accepted Answer

deposition of rock layers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; intrusion of

basalt

Answer

deposition of rock layers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; intrusion of

basalt; deposition of rock layer 6

Answer

deposition of rock layers 1, 2, 3; intrusion of basalt;

deposition of rock layers 4, 5, and 6

Answer

intrusion of basalt; deposition of rock layers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

and 6

Question 31

Which is the best explanation for the irregular surface

between layers 1 and 2?

Accepted Answer

Layer 1 was partially eroded before 2 was deposited.

Answer

Layer 1 was folded after 2 was deposited.

Answer

Volcanic actions pushed layer 1 up before 2 was

deposited.

Answer

Pressure from the layers above pushed layer 2 into

layer 1.

Question 32

Which graph best indicates the relative age of the rock units along line AF?

Accepted Answer

Option D is correct

Answer

A.

Answer

B.

Answer

C.

Question 33

What is the relative age of the fault (line I-II)?

Accepted Answer

younger than rock unit H but older than rock unit F

Answer

younger than rock unit G but older than rock unit H

Answer

younger than rock unit F but older than rock unit H

Answer

younger than rock unit F but older than rock unit G

Question 34

Evidence of a buried erosional surface (unconformity) is

found at the top of unit

Accepted Answer

G

Answer

A

Answer

D

Answer

C

Question 35

What is the age sequence of the rock units, from oldest to

youngest?

Accepted Answer

G, H, F, E

Answer

H, G, E, F

Answer

F, E, G, H

Answer

E, F, G, H

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