QUARTER 2 – LONG TEST #2 IN EARTH SCIENCE: (BIG LETTERS ONLY)

NAME: ______________________________________ G11 – ________________________

1. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship
between the geologic time scale and
the fossil record?
A. The geologic time scale is based solely on the appearance and disappearance of
specific fossils.
B. The geologic time scale was constructed independently of the fossil record, relying
only on radiometric dating.
C. The geologic time scale is a framework for understanding Earth's history, with the
fossil record providing evidence for key transitions.
D. The geologic time scale is purely hypothetical and does not rely on any empirical
data, including fossils.
2. How did the fossil record contribute to the development of the geologic
time scale?
A. Fossils were used to date rocks directly and provide evidence for the age of the
Earth.
B. Fossils provided evidence of catastrophic events that could be used to define
boundaries between geological periods.
C. Fossils allowed scientists to correlate strata from different regions of the Earth,
helping to define the boundaries of the geologic time scale.
D. Fossils only contributed to the creation of the Cenozoic era and did not help define
earlier periods.
3. Suppose a paleontologist discovers a new species of trilobite in a rock
layer that is believed to belong to the Cambrian period. How would this
discovery affect the use of trilobites as index fossils?
A. The trilobite discovery would not affect the use of trilobites as index fossils, as they
have been established as a reliable marker for the Cambrian period.
B. The discovery would suggest that trilobites lived much later than previously
thought, potentially altering the
boundaries of the Cambrian period.
C. The discovery would require that trilobites be classified into a different genus,
making them no longer useful as index fossils.
D. The new species would replace existing trilobite index fossils, leading to a
redefinition of the Cambrian period.
4. The theory of plate tectonics explains many geological processes,
including the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and ocean basins.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the application of plate
tectonics in understanding the formation of the Himalayas?
A. The Himalayas are a result of the drifting of continents across the equator.
B. The Himalayas formed as a result of volcanic eruptions from the Earth’s mantle.
C. The Himalayas were formed by the erosion of large oceanic plates over millions of
years.
D. The Himalayas formed when two tectonic plates collided and were forced upward
due to compressional forces.
5. The theory of continental drift explains how continents have moved over
time. How would this theory help explain the distribution of similar
fossils found on continents that are now widely separated by oceans?
A. The similar fossils are due to the migration of species across different continents.
B. The theory suggests that the continents were once connected in a supercontinent,
allowing species to inhabit regions that are now far apart.
C. Fossil migration across oceans was caused by climate changes that altered the
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species' habitats.
D. The theory indicates that the continents once had similar climates that supported
the same types of life forms.
6. In the context of biostratigraphy, how would you evaluate the
effectiveness of an index fossil in a
region with minimal fossil evidence? Answer: The fossil would ……
A. …..still be effective for correlating rock layers in regions with minimal fossil
evidence due to its wide distribution.
B. …..not be effective because there would not be enough data to establish its
relationship with other fossils.
C. …..be more effective in regions with abundant fossils, making minimal fossil
regions irrelevant for biostratigraphy.
D. The effectiveness would depend on the presence of radiometric dating methods,
not the fossil itself.
7. Which of the following scenarios demonstrates the potential limitations of
using index fossils to define the geologic time scale?
A. The widespread occurrence of an index fossil in marine rocks, but not in terrestrial
rocks, makes it challenging to correlate strata across different environments.
B. The index fossil’s range of occurrence is too short to reliably date rocks across
large distances, as it only lived for a few million years.
C. Index fossils that appear simultaneously in every rock layer across the world are
too broad to distinguish specific periods.
D. Index fossils are only useful in oceanic rocks, making them ineffective in
continental regions.
8. In a sedimentary rock layer containing an index fossil, what additional
information might be necessary to determine the exact age of the
layer?
A. The location of the fossil and the specific rock type in which it was found.
B. The fossil’s interaction with other organisms during its lifetime.
C. Radiometric dating of surrounding rock layers, as index fossils only provide relative
dating.
D. A detailed analysis of the fossil's genetic makeup.
9. In the history of Earth, the early appearance of life and the later evolution
of complex organisms were closely tied to the planet’s geological
history. Which of the following best demonstrates how Earth's geological
processes impacted biological evolution?
A. The shift from a greenhouse to an icehouse climate allowed species to adapt to
new environments, leading to increased biodiversity.
B. The presence of high levels of volcanic activity in the early Earth created conditions
that prevented life from evolving.
C. The breakup of supercontinents isolated species, promoting speciation and
evolutionary divergence.
D. Earth’s constant cooling over time has led to the extinction of many species,
without significant evolutionary benefits.
10. The Earth’s history is often divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
If a new fossil of a previously unknown species is found at the boundary
between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, what does this discovery suggest
about the geologic time scale?
A. The fossil may help to redefine the boundary between these two eras, indicating
that the boundary may not be as clear-cut as previously thought.
B. The discovery of this fossil indicates that a major extinction event must have
occurred at the boundary.

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C. The fossil suggests that the division between these two eras is based on an
arbitrary classification system that needs revision.
D. The fossil provides evidence that the boundaries between geologic periods are
purely chronological and not based on evolutionary events.
11. How does gravity contribute to weathering?
A. by expansion of rocks C. by creating holes in rocks
B. by abrasion of the rocks D. by splitting rock particles
12. Which of the following is the main source of Earth’s internal heat?
A. Primordial heat C. Gravitational pressure
B. Radioactive elements D. Dense core material
13. How do radioactive isotopes emit heat energy and contribute to Earth’s
internal heat?
A. By pressure freezing C. By preserving the primordial heat
B. By gravitational pressure D. By spontaneous radioactive decay
14. The heat escaping from the core also makes material move around in
different layers of the planet. Which of the following will best describe
the given sentence?
A. It is true. C. It depends upon the layer of the Earth.
B. It is false. D. It cannot be determined due to the
composition of Earth.
15. Heat flows from the different layers of the earth. What type of heat
transport occurs between the mantle and the core?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D.
Sublimation
16. What type of fold is formed when compressive stress results in a
landmass that arches upward?
A. Anticline B. Incline C. Monocline D. Syncline
17. Which of the following types of fault formed the San Andreas Fault?
A. Normal B. Reverse C. Strike-Slip D. Transverse
18. How did drilling samples show that sea-floor spreading has taken place?
A. The ocean is changing in size and shape.
B. The molten materials cool and form a strip of solid rocks in the center of the ridge.
C. The Atlantic Ocean only has a few short trenches, the spreading ocean floor has
nowhere to go.
D. The further away from the ridge the samples were taken, the older the rocks were,
and the younger rocks were always in the center of the ridges.
19. Who proposed that the sea floor is spreading?
A. Alfred Wegener B. Alfred Williams C. Harry Hess D. Harry
Humphrey
20. What feature of seafloor is shallow, gradually sloping seabed around the
edge of a continent has a depth less than 200 meters, and can be
considered the submerged edge of a continent?
A. Abyssal plain B. Continental shelf C. Continental slope D. Mid-Ocean
ridge
21. All statements are true about the Cenozoic era EXCEPT:
A. It is also known as the “age of mammals”.
B. It is the time of widespread glaciation.
C. It is also known as the “age of flowering plants”.
D. It is the time when gymnosperms replaced angiosperms.
22. Which describes the geologic time scale correctly?
A. It is a record of old geologists.
B. It refers to the division of period in history.
C. It refers to the history of rocks and minerals.
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D. It is a record of the known history of rocks and fossils.
23. The term Phanerozoic means
A. “time of unwell-displayed life”. C. “time of well-unplayed life”.
B. “time of well-displayed life”. D. “time of well-replayed life”.
24. What type of preserved fossils is trapped in a tree’s sticky resins and
dies?
A. Amber B. Ice C. Tar D. Wood
25. Which Era represents “ancient life.”
A. Cenozoic B. Mesozoic C. Paleozoic D. Proterozoic
DIRECTION: For numbers 26-30 tell which type of dating is being described.
Write RD if relative, and AD if absolute.
_______26. It tells if an object/event is younger or older than another
object/event from history.
_______27. It is qualitative.
_______28. Most absolute dates for rocks are obtained with radiometric
methods.
_______29. It is quantitative.
_______30. This technique helps determine the exact age of the remains.
DIRECTION: For numbers 31-35 identify the following types of stress on the
following statements.
Write T if it pertains to tensional stress, C for compressional stress,
and S for shear stress.
_______31. It causes rocks to lengthen and break apart.
_______32. This type of stress squeezes rocks together.
_______33. It commonly occurs in transform plate boundaries.
_______34. It happens when the dominant force is directed away from each
other.
_______35. It develops when the forces are directed towards each other but
not along the same axis.