Geologic Test Time Test Review
The Geologic Time Test will cover the following material: Bell Ringers; Notes on Geologic Time; Sedimentary Rock Lab; Film: “The Day the Mesozoic Died”; Geologic Cross-Section Project; and Radiometric Dating Lab
Answer these questions to help you review for the Geologic Time Test.
1. Define and understand the following Geologic Time terms:
a. Absolute Time
b. Half-life
c. Index fossil
e. Radioactive Decay
g. Unconformity
i. Relative Time
j. Uniformitarianism
2. What is the process to form a sedimentary rock (3 steps)?
3. Describe the three types of sedimentary rocks.
4. Explain the significance of the K-T boundary.
5. How do scientists apply Radiometric Dating?
6. C-14 is an isotope of C-12. What makes them isotopes?
7. The half-life for Carbon-14 is 5730 years and a fossil was found to have 25 % of the original amount. Calculate the approximate age of the fossil (show your work).
8. What is the difference between a Parent Isotope and a Radioactive Isotope?
9. Why is the Geologic Time Scale organized in different periods?
10. Refer to Figure 1. Place these numbers and letters in order from oldest to youngest. Describe the Principles of Geology that support this relative dating in a table
Rock Layer in order oldest to youngest / Principle of GeologyOldest 4 / Law of Superposition
11. Refer to figure 1. Write a one paragraph narrative of the sequence of events in this Geologic Cross-Section.
12. Why is their very little detail in the first 4 billion years of Earth’s existence in the Geologic Time Scale?