Quiz about Earth's History

Question 1

Fossil

Accepted Answer

A preserved remnant or impression of an organism that lived in the past.

Answer

the fossilized carbon outline of an organism or part of an organism

Answer

The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers

Question 2

Mold

Accepted Answer

A fossil formed when an organism buried in sediment dissolves, leaving a hollow area.

Answer

Smallest particle of an element and the basic unit of matter

Answer

The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers

Question 3

Cast

Accepted Answer

A type of fossil that forms when a mold becomes filled in with minerals that then harden

Answer

Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Question 4

petrified fossil

Accepted Answer

A fossil formed when minerals replace all or part of an organism

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Question 5

carbon film

Accepted Answer

the fossilized carbon outline of an organism or part of an organism

Answer

A fossil formed when an organism buried in sediment dissolves, leaving a hollow area.

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Question 6

trace fossil

Accepted Answer

a fossil of a footprint, trail, burrow, or other trace of an animal rather than of the animal itself.

Answer

marked by significant worldwide changes in the types of fossils present in rock

Answer

the process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element

Question 7

Paleontologist

Accepted Answer

A scientist who studies fossils to learn about organisms that lived long ago

Answer

Smallest particle of an element and the basic unit of matter

Answer

the fossilized carbon outline of an organism or part of an organism

Question 8

Evolution

Accepted Answer

Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

Answer

A preserved remnant or impression of an organism that lived in the past.

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Question 9

extinct

Accepted Answer

no longer in existence

Answer

Groups of fossils used to identify geologic periods

Answer

A fossil formed when minerals replace all or part of an organism

Question 10

Law of Superposition

Accepted Answer

The top rock layer and its fossils is the youngest and the bottom is the oldest.

Answer

A preserved remnant or impression of an organism that lived in the past.

Answer

A fossil formed when an organism buried in sediment dissolves, leaving a hollow area.

Question 11

relative age

Accepted Answer

The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Answer

Smallest particle of an element and the basic unit of matter

Question 12

absolute age

Accepted Answer

the number of years since the rock formed

Answer

The top rock layer and its fossils is the youngest and the bottom is the oldest.

Answer

the fossilized carbon outline of an organism or part of an organism

Question 13

Extrusion

Accepted Answer

An igneous rock layer formed when lava flows onto Earth's surface and hardens.

Answer

a fossil of a footprint, trail, burrow, or other trace of an animal rather than of the animal itself.

Answer

the process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element

Question 14

intrusion

Accepted Answer

An igneous rock layer formed when magma hardens beneath Earth's surface.

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

Question 15

fossil index

Accepted Answer

Groups of fossils used to identify geologic periods

Answer

the number of years since the rock formed

Answer

An igneous rock layer formed when magma hardens beneath Earth's surface.

Question 16

Atom

Accepted Answer

Smallest particle of an element and the basic unit of matter

Answer

the categories of time into which Earth's history is usually divided by geologists and paleontologists: eons, eras, periods, epochs

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Question 17

Element

Accepted Answer

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances

Answer

An igneous rock layer formed when lava flows onto Earth's surface and hardens.

Answer

A fossil formed when an organism buried in sediment dissolves, leaving a hollow area.

Question 18

radioactive decay

Accepted Answer

the process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Answer

middle life (245-144 million years ago); rise of mammals and dinosaurs; the rise of birds; extinction of dinosaurs, rise of flowering plants

Question 19

half-life

Accepted Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Answer

The top rock layer and its fossils is the youngest and the bottom is the oldest.

Question 20

Geological Time Scale (GTS)

Accepted Answer

the categories of time into which Earth's history is usually divided by geologists and paleontologists: eons, eras, periods, epochs

Answer

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances

Answer

The top rock layer and its fossils is the youngest and the bottom is the oldest.

Question 21

era

Accepted Answer

marked by significant worldwide changes in the types of fossils present in rock

Answer

The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers

Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Question 22

period

Accepted Answer

based on types of existing life globally at a particular time

Answer

middle life (245-144 million years ago); rise of mammals and dinosaurs; the rise of birds; extinction of dinosaurs, rise of flowering plants

Answer

Groups of fossils used to identify geologic periods

Question 23

continental drift

Accepted Answer

the gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface through geological time.

Answer

An igneous rock layer formed when lava flows onto Earth's surface and hardens.

Answer

The age of a rock compared to the ages of rock layers

Question 24

Paleozoic Era

Accepted Answer

the oldest era - immediately after Precambrian; organisms developed hard parts

Answer

A fossil formed when minerals replace all or part of an organism

Answer

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Question 25

Mesozoic Era

Accepted Answer

middle life (245-144 million years ago); rise of mammals and dinosaurs; the rise of birds; extinction of dinosaurs, rise of flowering plants

Answer

A scientist who studies fossils to learn about organisms that lived long ago

Answer

A type of fossil that forms when a mold becomes filled in with minerals that then harden

Question 26

Cenozoic Era

Accepted Answer

era that began about 66 million years ago, known as the "Age of Mammals"

Answer

middle life (245-144 million years ago); rise of mammals and dinosaurs; the rise of birds; extinction of dinosaurs, rise of flowering plants

Answer

Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

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