Chapter 9 Quiz - Earth and Time

Geology is the study of

• the water cycle

• rock and rock formations

A _________ is a scientist who studies fossils.

• chemist

• paleontologist

Superposition means that the bottom layer of a rock formation is the ______

• oldest

• youngest

Faunal Succession means that

• rock pieces are found inside other rocks

• fossils can be used to identify the relative age of the layers of a rock formation

• the bottom layer of a rock is older than the layer on top

The method of putting events in the order in which they happened is known as lateral continuity.

• True
• False

What relationship states that a vein of rock that cuts across a rock’s layers is younger than the layers.

• superposition relationship

• inclusion relationship

• cross cutting relationship

Through radioactive dating, scientists have estimated Earth to be about

• 4 million years old

• 4.6 billion years old

• 46 million years old

The geologic method of putting events in the order in which they happened is called

• relative dating
• lateral continuity
• absolute dating
• younger
• older

A ____________________ is the preserved remains of a dead plant or animal.

• fossil
• lateral continuity
• absolute dating
• relative dating
• younger

____________________ helps geologists explain that the bottom layer of rock in the Grand Canyon is the oldest of all its rock layers.

• superposition
• lateral continuity
• absolute dating
• relative dating
• younger