6 Ways of Fossilization Quiz

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What is the main type of rocks used by Paleontologists and Geologists to discover ancient life forms?

Sedimentary rocks (correct)

Igneous rocks

Metamorphic rocks

Volcanic rocks

Which era of the Geologic Time Scale began with the Cambrian Explosion and saw the rise of more complex animals in the oceans?

Mesozoic Era

Proterozoic Era

Paleozoic Era (correct)

Archean Era

During which era did smaller mammals survive and become dominant, marking the final era on the Geologic Time Scale?

Cenozoic Era (correct)

Mesozoic Era

Proterozoic Era

Paleozoic Era

What is the span of the Precambrian Era in terms of years?

4.6 BYA to 542 MYA Signup and view all the answers

What type of organisms were mainly present during the Precambrian Era?

Prokaryotes Signup and view all the answers

Which era is known for the age of dinosaurs, where herbivores thrived and small mammals began to emerge?

Mesozoic Era Signup and view all the answers

What process of fossilization involves hard parts being dissolved and replaced by other minerals like calcite, silica, pyrite, or iron?

Replacement Signup and view all the answers

Which type of fossilization involves the conversion of hard parts into more stable minerals or small crystals into larger ones?

Recrystallization Signup and view all the answers

How many ways of fossilization are mentioned in the text?

Six ways Signup and view all the answers

Which method of dating fossils compares them to something for which an age is already known?

Relative dating Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of knowing the age of fossils according to the text?

To establish their position in the Geologic Time Scale Signup and view all the answers

Which process of fossilization involves molds and casts being formed after most of the organisms have been destroyed or dissolved?

Authigenic preservation Signup and view all the answers

What are index fossils used for in relative dating?

To identify the time period within which a fossil lived Signup and view all the answers

Why can carbon-14 only be used to date fossils younger than about 75,000 years?

Because carbon-14 decays too fast for older fossils Signup and view all the answers

What type of dating considers the half-life of radioactive isotopes?

Radiometric dating Signup and view all the answers

Why can faulting and tilting of rocks complicate relative dating using index fossils?

It alters the relative positions of rocks and fossils Signup and view all the answers

What makes Potassium-40 ideal for dating older rocks and fossils?

It decays slowly, allowing for accurate dating of old rocks Signup and view all the answers

Which type of dating involves studying the specific age span a fossil existed in?

Index dating Signup and view all the answers