Earth History Geologic Time

The principle of superposition states__________

• that sedimentary rock formations were originally deposited horizontally

• that rock formations that have been subdivided since their formation can be assumed to have originally been laterally continuous.

• that sedimentary rock formations are deposited such that the oldest layer is on the bottom and the youngest layer is on the top

• that any geologic feature that cuts across another geologic feature is the younger of the two features

A student examines a sedimentary rock outcrop on a field trip to a national park. The student finds a fossil of a fish in a layer near the bottom of the outcrop. Later in the day, the same student finds a fossil of a land mammal in a layer higher up in the rock sequence. Which of the following conclusions is best justified by the student's discoveries?

• Millions of years ago, a land animal caught a fish and buried the remains, which eventually fossilized.

• A river that once flowed through this area deposited a fish fossil at the base of what becomes a sedimentary rock outcrop.

• This area was once covered by an inland sea that eventually dried up.

• None of these conclusions are justified by the student's discoveries.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which of the following would be categorized as a fossil?

• the skeleton of a mouse that has just died

• a mammoth preserved in ice

• a dog's footprints in the sand at the beach

• a layer of ash from a volcanic eruption millions of years ago

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The fossil record provides evidence for which of the following?

• evolution

• the existence of past life forms

• changes in past environments

• all of these answers are correct

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Geologists believe that a vast saltwater sea once covered the entire state of New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States. Geological investigations of the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico support this theory. Which evidence from the Jemez Mountains most strongly supports the inland sea theory?

• The mountains contain volcanic rock.

• The mountains contain layers of sandstone.

• The mountains show evidence of earthquake activity.

• The mountains contain fossils from shallow water organisms.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The oldest clear evidence of life, microfossils in ancient rock, are 3.5 billion years old. What type of cell known today is most similar to the cell found in these microfossils?

• bacteria

• hydra

• paramecium

• virus

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which graph shows the relative duration of geologic time for Earth's history?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

During which eon did the oldest known rocks originate?

• Phanerozoic

• Proterozoic

• Archean

• Mesozoic

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

When did a mass extinction of dinosaurs and many land plants occur?

• 65.5 mya

• 251 mya

• 300 mya

• 440 mya

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which set of characteristics produces a good index fossil?

• narrow time frame, wide geographic region

• wide time frame, narrow geographic region

• narrow time frame, narrow geographic region

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4