Practice Quiz for How Old is Old?

Practice Quiz for How Old is Old?

No. of Questions= 12

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1. We did not have accurate scientific estimates of the age of the Earth until the 1960's and 1970's because:

a) Reliable radiometric techniques that could date the earliest time periods were not available until then.

b) The major religions around the world stopped scientists from finding out the real date.

c) No one wanted to know this fact before the 1960's and 1970's.

2. Archbishop James Ussher estimated the age of the earth to be about ______________ years.



a) 4,004

b) 6,000

c) 39,000

d) 100,000,000

3. Who was the first to point out that fossils present in sedimentary rock formations always follow each other in the same order from strata to strata?

a) Charles Lyell

b) William Smith

c) Charles Darwin

4. The earth is about ______________ years old.

a) 2 billion

b) 3 billion

c) 3.5 billion

d) 4.5 billion

5. The oldest rocks on earth that have been discovered so far date about _____________ years old.

a) 1.3 billion

b) 2.6 billion

c) 4.4 billion

d) 4.54 billion

6. The first life on our planet dates to __________________ years ago.

a) 65.5 million

b) 225 million

c) 3 billion

d) at least 3.5 billion

7. During which of the following geological eras did the dinosaurs dominate life on earth?

a) Paleozoic

b) Mesozoic

c) Cenozoic

8. At the end of the Mesozoic Era (ca. 65.5 million years ago) there was a major catastrophic extinction of life on earth. Which of the following statements is true of this extinction period?

a) It was the only major extinction period on our planet.

b) It was the greatest extinction period.

c) It resulted in the death of all species of plants and animals.

d) none of the above

9. The lithosphere is:



a) the hot molten core of the earth

b) the earth's outer rock shell

c) the envelope of gas surrounding the earth

10. Tectonic movement refers to:

a) the movement of a dozen enormous rigid plates and many smaller ones that make up the lithosphere

b) the winds driving clouds around the earth

c) the gradual churning movement of the earth's molten core

11. Which of the following is true of Pangaea?

a) It was a super-continent formed by all of the continents coming together.

b) Pangaea resulted from tectonic movements.

c) The climates on Pangaea were essentially the same as they are today in the Northern Hemisphere.

d) a and b

12. It has been suggested that the coming together of continents to form Pangaea resulted in:



a) extinction of all plants and animals

b) a devastating ice age

c) massive genetic bottle-necking

d) b and c

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Copyright � 1999-2012 by Dennis O'Neil. All rights reserved

1.	We did not have accurate scientific estimates of the age of the Earth until the 1960's and 1970's because:


		a)	Reliable radiometric techniques that could date the earliest time periods were not available until then.
		b)	The major religions around the world stopped scientists from finding out the real date.
		c)	No one wanted to know this fact before the 1960's and 1970's.


2.	Archbishop James Ussher estimated the age of the earth to be about ______________ years.


	a)		4,004
	b)		6,000
	c)		39,000
	d)		100,000,000


3.	Who was the first to point out that fossils present in sedimentary rock formations always follow each other in the same order from strata to strata?


	a)		Charles Lyell
	b)		William Smith
	c)		Charles Darwin


4.	The earth is about ______________ years old.


	a)		2 billion
	b)		3 billion
	c)		3.5 billion
	d)		4.5 billion


5.	The oldest rocks on earth that have been discovered so far date about _____________ years old.


	a)		1.3 billion
	b)		2.6 billion
	c)		4.4 billion
	d)		4.54 billion


6.	The first life on our planet dates to __________________ years ago.


	a)		65.5 million
	b)		225 million
	c)		3 billion
	d)		at least 3.5 billion


7.	During which of the following geological eras did the dinosaurs dominate life on earth?


	a)		Paleozoic
	b)		Mesozoic
	c)		Cenozoic


8.	At the end of the Mesozoic Era (ca. 65.5 million years ago) there was a major catastrophic extinction of life on earth. Which of the following statements is true of this extinction period?


	a)		It was the only major extinction period on our planet.
	b)		It was the greatest extinction period.
	c)		It resulted in the death of all species of plants and animals.
	d)		none of the above


9.	The lithosphere is:


	a)		the hot molten core of the earth
	b)		the earth's outer rock shell
	c)		the envelope of gas surrounding the earth


10.	Tectonic movement refers to:


	a)		the movement of a dozen enormous rigid plates and many smaller ones that make up the lithosphere
	b)		the winds driving clouds around the earth
	c)		the gradual churning movement of the earth's molten core


11.	Which of the following is true of Pangaea?


	a)		It was a super-continent formed by all of the continents coming together.
	b)		Pangaea resulted from tectonic movements.
	c)		The climates on Pangaea were essentially the same as they are today in the Northern Hemisphere.
	d)		a and b


12.	It has been suggested that the coming together of continents to form Pangaea resulted in:


	a)		extinction of all plants and animals
	b)		a devastating ice age
	c)		massive genetic bottle-necking
	d)		b and c