Cosmology and the Origins of Time Practice Questions: Name: _________________________________

C deep ocean venting

D massive solar bombardment

Scientists use drill core samples to study the

underlying rock structure. These two core samples
were obtained from the ocean floor from locations
separated by 10 km. Which layer in core sample one
does not have a matching layer in core sample two?
F Basalt _
G Clay
H Limestone
J Sandstone

What appears to have occurred at the area labeled

B?
F Sediment was deposited on sloped ground.
G Sediment was deposited on sloped ground that later
became level.
H Sediment was deposited on level ground that later
tilted. _
J Sediment was deposited on level ground that stayed
The picture shows a limestone building block. Which
observation best shows that the limestone was formed level.
from ocean sediments?
F The thickness of the rock layers
G The number of fossils
H The type of fossils _
J The size of the fossils

Geologists think that parts of the Appalachian

Mountains formed originally from sediments
The presence of many metamorphic rocks in Virginia accumulating in shallow swamps. The weight of the
is an indication that the area has been subjected to — sediments caused the area beneath them to sink,
A intense heat and pressure _ allowing more sediments to accumulate. The process
B limited volcanic activity continued until many layers had formed. Then
tectonic processes folded the layered sediments into a
range of mountains. What evidence for this theory
can be found in the current structure of these
mountains?
A Some rocks making up these mountains show signs of
volcanism.
B The form of these mountains is very eroded.
C The mountains exhibit folded layers of rocks
containing fossils from shallow water. _
D The mountain range consists of parallel ridges of
different ages.

Not all fossils have been preserved inside soil or rock.

Explorers in Siberia have discovered the bodies of
ancient mammoths so well-preserved that the flesh
could be eaten. What do you think preserved the
mammoths in such a perfect state? The diagram shows the distribution of different
A Water fossils. During what geologic time period would they
B Ice _ have existed together?
C Leaf mold A Jurassic
D Carbon dioxide B Triassic _
C Permian
D Carboniferous

A light-year measures —
F brightness
G distance _
H radiation
J time

Which vertebrate did not live during

the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic
Era)?

Which layer in this area is the youngest?

F Shale _
G Sandstone
H Limestone
J Breccia
 Which of these facts is the best supporting evidence
that the universe is expanding?
A The stars vary in chemical composition.
B The galaxies are moving away from each other. _
C The galaxies can spin to form eddies.
D The universe is filled with galaxies of different sizes.

Jellyfish have rarely been fossilized because they —

A contain no carbon compounds
B are very rare animals
C are generally found in oceans
D have soft bodies

More often than metamorphic or igneous rocks,

sedimentary rocks have —
According to the graph above, a piece of timber A many holes from trapped gases
containing one-eighth of the amount of carbon-14 B large quartz crystals
that is found in a living tree died about how many C numerous fossils _
years ago? D a glassy appearance
A 5,700 years
B 11,400 years What does Pangaea mean?
C 17,100 years _ F It is the name of an extinct volcano.
D 22,800 years G It is the French word for volcano.
H It is the name of an ancient supercontinent. _
Of the following, the largest division J It is a huge disruption of the Earth’s atmospheric
on the geologic time scale is — circulation.
A a year
B an epoch
C an era _
D a period

Which of these tracks was made last?

Which of these pictures shows the last What is one of the major indications that the Earth’s
in the sequence of events? climate has varied over time?
F Land forms carved by glaciers in temperate areas _
G Depletion of oxygen in lakes and rivers
H Ocean currents
J Magnetic reversals in layers of rock

The map shows some of the bedrock in Virginia.

Which of these has the oldest exposed bedrock?
A Hightown Valley _
B Monterey
C Jack Mountain
D Bull Pasture

Which of these parts of a saber-toothed cat was most

likely to become fossilized?
F Hair
G Skin
H Muscles
J Jaws

The hypothesis for the cause of the dinosaurs’

extinction that has the most scientific support links
their extinction to —
F a long drought
G the appearance of man
H the increase in numbers of mammals
J a large object from space hitting the Earth

_ The hypothesis for the cause of the dinosaurs’

extinction that has the most scientific support links
their extinction to —
F a long drought
G the appearance of man
H the increase in numbers of mammals
J a large object from space hitting the Earth _

Put the following in the correct sequence:

According to the geologic time chart of Virginia
shown above, the most recent formation in Virginia is
the —
F Allegheny Mountains
G Chesapeake Bay _
H James River
J Taconic Highlands

What is the best evidence that many different

geologic periods are represented in Virginia?
A The length of its rivers
B The location of the Piedmont
C The presence of fossils of different ages _
D The amount of chemical weathering

Which area is most likely the oldest section of rock?

A1
B2
C3
D4

Rock layers tell a story about their past. What is the

basic assumption that is made when reading this
story?
F The composition of the Earth’s atmosphere has been B Melting of the polar ice caps
constant. C A shift in the tilt of the Earth
G The Earth’s crust cooled and then remelted before rock D Earthquakes and volcanoes
layers began to form.
H The processes in the rock cycle were the same in the Which of these is the best indication of the relative
past as they are today. age of a rock layer?
J Chemical reactions in the past were A The thickness of the layer
slower than they are today. B The chemical makeup of the layer
C The position of the layer compared to other layers _
Which of the following was primarily responsible for D The distance the layer extends over the Earth
the development of life outside of the oceans?
F A decrease in atmospheric hydrogen
G A decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide
H An increase in atmospheric nitrogen
J An increase in atmospheric oxygen

The map shows the ages of the exposed bedrock in

Virginia. Which city sits on exposed bedrock that is
the same age as the rock in Bristol?
F Deel
G Harrisonburg _
H Charlottesville
J Norfolk

Which of the following most likely results in the

formation of a fossil?
A A Mesozoic clam lies exposed on the surface of the
sea floor.
B A Mesozoic clam is washed up onto the beach.
C A Mesozoic clam is eaten by a large predatory fish.
D A Mesozoic clam is buried by a mudslide.

Which of the following may preserve ancient

remains of plants and animals?
A Granitic intrusion
B Volcanic ash
The diagram above is similar to one drawn by C Foliated schist
Antonio Snider-Pelligrini in 1858. What data was he D Folded gneiss
trying to explain with this diagram?
A The distance between the Eastern and Western
Hemispheres
B The reason for similar fossils in Africa and South
America _
C The presence of earthquakes on different continents
D The variations in depths of the Atlantic Ocean

Most modern geologists have argued that a global

catastrophe may have caused the extinction of the
dinosaurs. According to these scientists, what was
this catastrophe?
A An asteroid impact with the Earth _
In this section of undisturbed sedimentary
layers, which best describes layer 2?
F It was intruded into layer 1.
G It was intruded into layer 3.
H It was deposited after layer 1.
J It was deposited after layer 3.

These geologic cross sections show the location of

three fossilized species (W, X, and Y) found in
rock layers at two nearby sites. Species X is
probably the oldest species because it is found —
F below species W
G in the lowest layer
H above the ash layer
J in sandstone
Draw a line from the answers to the correct boxes.

Draw a line from the answers to the correct boxes.