Exploring Earth's Geologic Time

How long ago was Earth formed?

• 460 million years ago

• 4.6 billion years ago

• 4.6 million years ago

• 46 billion years ago

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What is geologic time?

• A type of clock used in geology

• A calendar used by geologists

• Time measured in decades

• Periods longer than human lifespans

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What do geologists study to understand Earth's history?

• Historical documents

• Rocks and fossils

• Space observations

• Weather patterns

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What is relative time?

• Time measured in years

• The sequence of events in history

• The exact age of rocks

• A method to tell time by the sun

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What does the principle of superposition state?

• Mountains get taller over time

• Older layers are deeper than younger layers

• Water flows downhill

• The Earth is cooling down

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How is absolute time determined?

• By using a calendar

• Measuring radioactive decay

• Observing the stars

• Counting tree rings

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What element is used in carbon dating?

• Uranium-238

• Carbon-14

• Carbon-12

• Lead-206

What is a varve?

• A rare mineral

• A type of fossil

• A volcanic rock

• A layer of sediment indicating one year

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What conditions are necessary for fossils to form?

• Rapid burial in sediment

• Exposure to sunlight

• High temperatures

• Being underwater

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What marked the start of the Paleozoic Era?

• The first human fossils

• The formation of the moon

• The Cambrian explosion

• The extinction of dinosaurs

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4