ESS Geologic Time Exam

1–4. Geologic Time is divided into categories of different lengths. Place the following categories in order FROM LARGEST TO SMALLEST.

A. Eon, B. Epoch, C. Era, D. Period.

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5-12. Use your knowledge of Texas Geological History to list the above LETTERS in chronological order.

13. Which letter indicates part of the Canadian shield?

14. The Balcones Fault Zone would be found along which number?

A. 1; B. 2; C. 3; D. 4; E. 5

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For each time category, give the symbol for the time period in which it occurred.

A. PЄ; B. Є; C. C; D. D; E. P; AB. Mz; AC. J; AD. K

15. “snowball Earth”

16. Siberian Traps

17. banded iron formations

18. Rodinia

19. Burgess Shale

20. Coal beds in Pennsylvania

21. Permian

Give the matchingspan of timefor each of these maps. .

22. Triassic

23. Cretaceous

24. Pleistocene

25. Cambrian

On this geologic map of North America, arrange the letters in chronological order.

28. (most ancient)

29.

30.

31.

32. (most recently formed)

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Match the organism with its appropriate era.

33. Dimetrodon A. PЄ

34. Triceratops B. Pz

35. Flexicalymene – a trilobite C. Mz

36. Imperial Mammoth D. Cz

37. Stromatolite E. J

Use the elevation increments to the left to guide you in your search for answers to the questions below.

38. This outcrop reveals several ancient environments. Where can one stand on an ancient beach while inspecting a fossilized marsh?

A. 6 meters; B. 14 meters; C. 70 feet; D. 100 feet

39. Where is one standing on ancient dunes?

A. 6 meters; B. 14 meters; C. 70 feet; D. 100 feet

40. What rock appears to be necessary for lignite to form?

A. mudstone; B. sandstone; C. volcanic ash; D. carbonaceous bed

41. Moving forward in time from the 70 foot mark, what has happened to sea level?

A. Transgresson>Regression>Transgresson>Regression

B. Regression>Transgression>Regression>Transgression

C. Transgression only

D. Regression only

E. Regression > Transgression > Regression

42. The volcanic ash came from an ancient volcanic eruption that spewed many tons of ash into the atmosphere, then dumped the material in remote locations far away. If the ash has been dated to be 35 million years old, then which volcanic eruption was it?

A. Pilot Knob/Knippa eruptions from the Cretaceous

B. El Paisano Volcano from the Eocene

C. Mt.Vesuvius from 79 A.D.

D. the Siberian Traps from the Permian

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LAB PRACTICAL PORTION

MODEL STATION A

43. What number marks an anticline?A. 133; B. 137; C.139; D. 141; E. 142

44. What number marks a syncline? A. 133; B. 137; C.139; D. 141; E. 142

45. This model represents what kind of structural deformation?

A. elastic; B. plastic; C. brittle; D. diagenetic

MODEL STATION B

46. What kind of fault is marked by #102 on the model?

A. normal ; B. reverse; C. lateral; D. thrust

47. If # 91 marks a batholith, what kind of rock might be expected to be found here? A. granite; B. basalt; C. obsidian; D. pumice; E. scoria

48. # 98 marks another kind of intrusion – one found quite commonly here along the Gulf Coastal Plain. What kind of mineral wealth might NOT be expected to be found here?

A. rock salt; B. oil; C. natural gas; D. diamonds

For each of the following, tell whether this happened in A) West Texas; B) East Texas; C) both; D. neither

49. LouAnn Salt is the underlying reason for this area’s oil

50. PermianBasin is the underlying reason for this area’s oil.