Focus On Life Science: California Grade 7

Chapter 7: The Age of Earth

Standard Assessment

1.
How is sediment transformed into rock? 4.c
A)Compaction occurs.
B)Compaction and cementation occur.
C)Cementation occurs.
D)Compaction and carbonization occurs.
2.
Rocks that can be dated radiometrically are mostly __________. 4.d
A)sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
B)igneous and sedimentary rocks
C)igneous and metamorphic rocks
D)metamorphic rocks
3.
Radiometric dating has been used to date the oldest rocks on Earth, and scientists now estimate Earth to be __________. 4.d
A)3.96 billion years old
B)4.6 billion years old
C)a few thousand years old
D)2.0 billion years old
4.
The __________ of a radioactive isotope is the amount of time it takes for half of a sample of the element to decay. 4.d
A)half-life
B)atomic number
C)rate of degradation
D)transmutation rate
5.
__________ are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons. 4.d
A)Beta particles
B)Compounds
C)Alpha particles
D)Isotopes
6.
What principle did James Hutton use to determine that Earth was much older than a few thousand years old? 4.a
A)conformitarianism
B)uniformitarianism
C)disconformitarianism
D)superposition
7.
Which of the following would cause a nucleus to be unstable? 4.d
A)protons and neutrons packed tightly in the nucleus
B)equal numbers of protons and neutrons
C)too many neutrons
D)the release of an alpha particle from americium-241 in a smoke detector
8.
Surface processes that work to break down rock are called__________. 4.c
A)ice wedging
B)erosion
C)oxidation
D)weathering
9.
Sedimentary rocks __________. 4.c
A)often form in layers
B)form when sediment is pressed together
C)form from existing rocks
D)all of the above
10.
Carbon-14 is useful in determining __________. 4.d
A)the age of dead plants and animals
B)how fast a radioactive sample will decay
C)the best method for the disposal of a radioactive sample
D)the age of sedimentary rock layers
11.
__________ rocks are formed by heating and squeezing existing rocks. 4.c
A)Igneous
B)Metamorphic
C)Sedimentary
D)Detrital
12.
The relative age of something is __________. 4.a
A)its age in relation to Earth
B)its age in comparison to other things
C)its age since it was discovered
D)its age since it died
13.
Melted rock cools to form __________ rocks. 4.c
A)mineral
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary
D)igneous
14.
Foliated rocks are composed of __________. 4.c
A)evaporated chemicals
B)organic remains
C)distinct layers or bands
D)large grained particles
15.
How do chemical and physical weathering differ? 4.c
A)Physical and chemical weathering can happen with the help of animals.
B)Physical weathering occurs when rocks are broken by physical processes, and chemical weathering happens when chemical reactions dissolve minerals.
C)Chemical weathering can occur with the help of water reacting with carbon dioxide, and water has nothing to do with physical weathering.
D)Plant roots can help physical weathering occur, but have no impact on soil when it comes to chemical weathering.
16.
What type of method do scientists use to determine correlation of rock layers? 4.d
A)fossil evidence
B)radioactive decay
C)half-life
D)all of the above
17.
The rock cycle suggests that __________. 4.c
A)rocks disappear from Earth as they go underground
B)rocks are always being added to Earth's mass
C)rocks are continually recycled into different forms
D)rocks always stay in the same form
18.
What is the principle of superposition? 4.c
A)that younger things are on the bottom, and older ones are closer to the top
B)that older things are on the bottom, and younger ones are closer to the top
C)that older and some younger things are on the bottom, and most younger ones closer to the top
D)that younger and some older things are on the bottom, and most older ones closer to the top
19.
What do scientists use to help them determine the absolute age of rocks and other objects? 4.d
A)the properties of the atoms they are made of
B)the number of atoms they are made of
C)the properties of the fossils they are made of
D)their weight
20.
__________ is the release of nuclear particles and energy. 4.d
A)Transmutation
B)Radioactive decay
C)Atomic half-life
D)Carbon dating
Grade 7
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