IFA #4 Review

Early geologists were only able to place rocks in their proper order of formation based on their layering. This is called:

• relative dating.

• radiometric dating.

• principle of faunal succession.

• principle of original horizontality.

What part of the rock cycle process is MOST closely associated with soil formation?

• compaction

• crystallization

• weathering

• melting

The oldest layer in the diagram is

• A

• B

• C

• D

Sedimentary rocks found high in the Himalayan Mountains have been found with fossils of clams and other marine life. What does this indicate about the origin of the Himalayan Mountains?

• There was once a large forest at top of the mountains.

• Animals that now live on the mountains once lived under water.

• The Earth's crust that formed these mountains was once covered with an ocean.

• Continental drift resulted two tectonic plates moving closer to each other over time.

Fossils of a now extinct dinosaur have been found near the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa. The dinosaur could not swim or fly. What does this suggest about the continents of South America and Africa?

• The continents were once connected.

• A land bridge once connected the continents.

• The same type of animals evolved on both continents.

• Prehistoric man transported the dinosaur between the continents.

Fossils found in layers of sediment give us clues to Earth's past. Based on the fossil record of this area, we can assume that this area was:

• once a desert.

• once underwater.

• much colder in the past.

• located in a different place on Earth.

Do Not Remove Grass!

Signs like this appear all over coastal regions. Why?

• The grass holds moisture in the ground.

• The grass provides shelter for many animals.

• The grass helps to keep the sand dunes in place.

• The grass helps to keep the air temperature constant.

Which isotope is used to date ancient remains?

• carbon-14

• hydrogen-3

• lead-205

• uranium-238

Radioactive dating looks at the carbon-14 remaining in material.

• inorganic

• metallic

• organic
• rocky

A student takes granite, a sample of igneous rock, and masses it. She records the initial mass. She then places the rock into a rock tumbler, which mechanically tumbles the rock on a continuous cycle. After two weeks, the student removes the rock from the tumbler and takes its final mass. She makes observations that the rock seems smoother and has lost 8% of its mass over time. Select the independent variable in this experiment and the step of the rock cycle the student is most likely modeling.

• A) The independent variable is the type of the rock and the student is modeling melting.

• B) The independent variable is the final mass of the rock and the student is modeling crystallization.

• C) The independent variable is the presence of the rock tumbler and the student is modeling weathering.

• D) The independent variable is the speed of the rock tumbler and the student is modeling sedimentation.