Geology Unit Review
Charles Darwin suggested that organisms could change over time through what process? Natural selection
Scientists originally dismissed Wegener’s theory of Continental Drift because there was no known mechanism for the movement of continents. What discovery changed that? Sea floor spreading
Certain fossils are only found in the lowest layer of sedimentary rock and not in any other layer, what might account for that? The organism became extinct
The scientific principle which states that the closer to the surface a rock layer is, the younger it tends to be is known as what? The Law of Superposition
What Geological Era are Dinosaurs most closely associated with? Mesozoic Era
What kind of rocks are most closely associated with volcanic activity? Igneous Rock
If you start with 64 kilograms of a radioactive element with a half life of 10,000 years, how much of that material will be left after 30,000 years? 8 Kilograms
A mutation which results in increased survivability of an organism, which is then successfully passed on to future generations is known as what? An adaptation
What do we call a tectonic plate boundary where the plates are separating? Divergent boundary
Magnetic reversals provide evidence to support what theory? Sea floor spreading or continental drift
Who was the first scientist to propose the theory of continental drift based on the fossil record? Wegener
If you start with 24 kilograms of a radioactive element with a half life of 10,000 years, how many years will it take until only 3 kilograms of the material remain? 30,000 years
What do we call the area where sea floor spreading occurs? Mid ocean ridge
Wegener concluded that Africa and South America were once connect based on what? Fossil evidence
The fossil record shows the same species of organisms in Africa and South America but the current organisms on the two continents are very different, why would that be? Separation of continents caused organisms to evolve separately on the different continents.
What do we call a tectonic plate boundary where the plates are sliding past one another? Transform
A rock sample has 25% of its original radioactive element and the half-life of the element I 500,000 years. How old is the rock sample? 1 million years
What do we call the area where two tectonic plates meet? Plate boundaries
Based on the fossil record, what can we say for sure about the history of life on the Earth? Life forms have changed significantly over time
Selection of successful adaptations for future generations is made by what? Environmental conditions
According to the theory of continental drift, a single super continent once existed called what? Pangaea
How do upper layers of sedimentary rock compare to lower layers of sedimentary rock? Upper layers are younger
A layer of rock contains index fossils that are not found in any upper layers of the rock. How do fossils found above that layer of rock compare in age to the index fossil? They are younger
What rock type is most likely to contain fossils? Sedimentary Rock
The rock type formed by the freezing of magma or lava is called what? Igneous Rock
Which part of the history of the Earth is best investigated by analysis of Ice Cores? Changes in Climate
What do we call the outermost layer of the Earth? The Crust
Structures in organisms which work the same way but may or may not perform the same function are known as what? Homologous structures
Whales, humans, lions and bats all have humerus bones in their appendages. What might account for that? They all had a common ancestor
The shorter the geologic time frame an organism which is commonly fossilized is associated with, the better it would be as what? Index Fossil
Structures in organisms which perform the same function but use a different structure to do it are know as what kind of structures? Analogous
What is the most important conclusion scientists take from the discovery of Homologous Structures between organisms? They had a common ancestor or origin
The better an organism is able to adapt to changes in the environment, the better the organism is able to do what? survive
Where on Earth would you expect to find the most earthquake activity? Along faults, near Transform boundaries
What is the ultimate reason why large scale extinctions have occurred on Earth? Climate change
What kind of currents contributes to tectonic plate motion? Convection currents
What method of dating would be best to use to determine the actual age of a fossil? Absolute dating Radiometric dating
Rocks which were formed by long periods of intense heat and pressure are known as what? Metamorphic Rock
What might best explain homologous structures between the fins of whales and wings of bats? They had a common ancestor
When the genetic variation is low in a population, how does that impact the population’s ability to adapt? It lowers the population’s ability to adapt
Why do organisms which blend into their environment have a survival advantage over other organisms which stand out? Predators are less likely to see them
Rock that is formed by deposition of sediment is know as what? sedimentary
What is the most important factor for the long term survival of any species of organism? Genetic variability or the ability to adapt
How do rock intrusion compare in age to the rock layers they cut across? They are younger