Question 1

Who is associated with the principle of faunal succession?
A) Steno
B) Lyell
C) Smith
D) Hutton

Accepted Answer

William Smith is associated with the principle of faunal succession, which states that sedimentary rock layers contain fossilized flora and fauna in a definite, recognizable order.

Question 2

Strata are __________.
A) layers of rock
B) trace fossils
C) petrified remains of organisms
D) none of these

Accepted Answer

Strata refer to layers of rock, which can contain various types of fossils and other geological features. They are not necessarily petrified remains of organisms or trace fossils, although these types of features may be found within strata.

Question 3

Who is associated with the principle of superposition?
A) Steno
B) Cuvier
C) Smith
D) Hutton

Accepted Answer

The principle of superposition is associated with Nicolas Steno, who formulated it in the 17th century. It states that in any sequence of undisturbed sedimentary rocks, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.

Question 4

Who proposed the principle of cross-cutting relationships?
A) Steno
B) Lyell
C) Smith
D) Hutton

Accepted Answer

James Hutton proposed the principle of cross-cutting relationships, which states that geological features that cut through rocks must be younger than the rocks they cut through.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a trace fossil?
A) fossilized feces
B) a petrified skull
C) tracks left behind by an extinct animal
D) layers of earth

Accepted Answer

Trace fossils are impressions or evidence of the activity of an organism, rather than the organism itself. Tracks left behind by an extinct animal are an example of a trace fossil. Fossilized feces (A) are also known as coprolites and are another example of trace fossils. Petrified skulls (B) and layers of earth (D) are not trace fossils.

Question 6

Geology is best defined as the study of __________.
A) the earth
B) fossils
C) what happens to remains from death to discovery
D) optical stimulated luminescence

Accepted Answer

Geology is the scientific study of the structure, composition, physical properties, and history of the Earth, its processes, and its life forms.

Question 7

__________is a field devoted to the gleaning of all the information that can be extracted from fossils.
A) Taphonomy
B) Paleontology
C) Geology
D) Stratigraphy

Accepted Answer

Paleontology is the only field mentioned that deals specifically with fossils, while taphonomy deals with the processes that affect organism remains as they become fossils, geology deals with the Earth's processes, and stratigraphy involves the study of rock layers.

Question 8

Most living creatures end up as fossils.

Accepted Answer

Most living creatures do not end up as fossils because the fossilization process is rare and requires specific conditions to occur.

Question 9

Which of the following states that older strata are laid down below younger strata?
A) the principle of cross-cutting relationships
B) the principle of original horizontality
C) the principle of superposition
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

The principle of superposition states that in an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rocks, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and the youngest rocks are at the top. This means that older strata are laid down below younger strata.

Question 10

A fossil can be studied to learn __________.
A) its age
B) the kind of organism it represents
C) the environment is which the original creature lived
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Fossils can provide information about the age of the rock layer they are found in as well as the relative age of other nearby fossils. Fossils can also provide insight into the type of organism that created them and their characteristics, such as their size, shape, and anatomy. Additionally, fossils can offer clues about the environment and climate in which the organisms lived, such as through the presence of certain plant species or sedimentary features. Therefore, all of the options - A, B, and C - are correct.

Question 11

__________ suggests that the natural forces operating today are also those that operated in the past.
A) taphonomy
B) lithostratigraphy
C) uniformitarianism
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

Uniformitarianism is the principle that the natural forces operating today are the same forces that were operating in the past. It is a fundamental concept in geology and is essential for interpreting past environments and events.

Question 12

Which of the following states that strata are laid down parallel to the Earth's gravitational field?
A) uniformitarianism
B) the principle of original horizontality
C) the principle of superposition
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

The principle of original horizontality states that when sedimentary rocks are deposited, they are laid down in flat, horizontal layers that are parallel to the Earth's gravitational field.

Question 13

The study of the distribution of layers of rock is called __________.
A) geology
B) biostratigraphy
C) taphonomy
D) stratigraphy

Accepted Answer

Stratigraphy specifically deals with the study of the distribution of layers or strata of rock. Geology is a more general term that encompasses the study of the Earth's physical structure, properties, and processes. Biostratigraphy is a subfield of stratigraphy that uses fossils to determine the ages and relationships of rock layers. Taphonomy is the study of what happens to an organism's remains after it dies, including how it becomes fossilized.

Question 14

Which is most likely to be preserved by fossilization?
A) brains
B) skin an internal organs
C) bones and teeth
D) hair

Accepted Answer

Bones and teeth are more likely to be preserved by fossilization due to their hard and durable nature compared to soft tissues such as brains, skin, internal organs, and hair, which are more prone to decay and degradation.

Question 15

Which of the following states that cut strata are older than the intruding strata?
A) the principle of cross-cutting relationships
B) the principle of original horizontality
C) the principle of superposition
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that any feature that cuts across a rock or sediment must be younger than the rock or sediment it cuts through. Therefore, if an intruding rock is cutting through preexisting strata, it must be younger than the surrounding rock layers.

Question 16

Which of the following states that there are predictable sequences of fauna through strata?
A) the principle of cross-cutting relationships
B) the principle of original horizontality
C) the principle of superposition
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

The principle of faunal succession states that there are predictable sequences of fauna through strata. This principle is based on the observation that fossils found in layers of rock occur in a specific order, and that the relative ages of these fossils can be determined by their position within the rock sequence.

Question 17

Who is associated with the principle of original horizontality?
A) Steno
B) Lyell
C) Smith
D) Hutton

Accepted Answer

The principle of original horizontality is associated with the Danish naturalist, Nicolaus Steno. Steno proposed that sedimentary layers are initially deposited horizontally, and any deviation from this position is due to subsequent geological processes.

Question 18

From most to least inclusive, the geologic time scale (GTS) is divided into
A) eons, eras, periods, and epochs
B) eras, eons, epochs, periods
C) periods, epochs, eras, eons
D) epochs, periods, eras, and eons

Accepted Answer

The correct order from most to least inclusive is eons, eras, periods, and epochs.

Question 19

A scientist studying the biological and geological processes of fossilization is engaging in the science of __________.
A) taphonomy
B) geology
C) paleontology
D) none of these

Accepted Answer

Taphonomy is the study of the processes that affect the remains of dead animals or plants, such as fossilization. Therefore, a scientist studying the biological and geological processes of fossilization would be engaging in the science of taphonomy. Geology is a related field, but focuses more on the study of rocks and minerals rather than the process of fossilization. Paleontology is the study of prehistoric life, including fossils, but does not necessarily focus on the process of fossilization itself. Therefore, the best choice is A) taphonomy.

Question 20

The concept of index fossils is associated with which principle?
A) the principle of cross-cutting relationships
B) the principle of original horizontality
C) the principle of superposition
D) the principle of faunal succession

Accepted Answer

The concept of index fossils is associated with the principle of faunal succession. This principle states that assemblages of fossils in rock layers can be correlated with one another and with other rock layers based on the sequence in which they occurred. Index fossils are fossils of organisms that were widespread and lived during a specific period of time. By identifying and dating index fossils, geologists can determine the relative age of rock layers and the timing of past events.

Quiz 8: Fossils in Geological Context

Who is associated with the principle of faunal succession?

Strata are __________.

Who is associated with the principle of superposition?

Who proposed the principle of cross-cutting relationships?

Which of the following is an example of a trace fossil?

Geology is best defined as the study of __________.

__________is a field devoted to the gleaning of all the information that can be extracted from fossils.

Most living creatures end up as fossils.

Which of the following states that older strata are laid down below younger strata?

A fossil can be studied to learn __________.

__________ suggests that the natural forces operating today are also those that operated in the past.

Which of the following states that strata are laid down parallel to the Earth's gravitational field?

The study of the distribution of layers of rock is called __________.

Which is most likely to be preserved by fossilization?

Which of the following states that cut strata are older than the intruding strata?

Which of the following states that there are predictable sequences of fauna through strata?

Who is associated with the principle of original horizontality?

From most to least inclusive, the geologic time scale (GTS) is divided into

A scientist studying the biological and geological processes of fossilization is engaging in the science of __________.

The concept of index fossils is associated with which principle?