Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, 10e (Tarbuck/Lutgens/Tasa)
Chapter 1 An Introduction to Geology
1.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical
geology?
A) Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical
geology is the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past.
B) Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events,
utilizing the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of
how rocks form and of how erosion shapes the land surface.
C) Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to
plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates
were moving in the past.
D) None of the abovephysical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
2) ________ was the highly influential, ancient Greek philosopher noted for his writings
and teachings on natural philosophy and on the workings of Earth.
A) Nero
B) Odysseus
C) Aristotle
D) Pappagapolis
Answer: C
Diff: 1
,3) Compared to the age of Earth accepted as correct today, how did 17th and 18th century
proponents of catastrophism envision the Earth's age?
A) They believed Earth to be much older than current estimates.
B) They believed it to be about the same as current estimates, give or take a few million
years.
C) They believed Earth to be much younger than current estimates.
D) None of the above they didn't really address the age of Earth.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
4) ________ was an important 18th-century English geologist and proponent of
uniformitarianism.
A) Charles Lyell
B) Isaac Newton
C) James Hutton
D) James Ussher
Answer: C
Diff: 1
,5) The currently accepted age of Earth is ________ years.
A) 4.6 thousand
B) 6.4 trillion
C) 4.6 billion
D) 6.4 million
Answer: C
Diff: 1
6) Which of the following best describes the fundamental concept of superposition?
A) Strata with fossils are generally deposited on strata with no fossils.
B) Older strata generally are deposited on younger strata without intervening,
intermediate age strata.
C) Older fossils in younger strata indicate a locally inverted geologic time scale.
D) Any sedimentary deposit accumulates on top of older rock or sediment layers.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
7) The ________ division of the geologic time scale is an era of the Phanerozoic eon.
A) Paleocene
B) Paleozoic
C) Permian
D) Proterozoic
Answer: B
Diff: 1
, 8) The ________ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics.
A) asthenosphere
B) lithosphere
C) astrosphere
D) eosphere
Answer: B
Diff: 1
9) A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain
scientific observations.
A) hypothesis
B) generalization
C) law
D) theory
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Chapter 1 An Introduction to Geology
1.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical
geology?
A) Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical
geology is the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past.
B) Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events,
utilizing the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of
how rocks form and of how erosion shapes the land surface.
C) Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to
plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates
were moving in the past.
D) None of the abovephysical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
2) ________ was the highly influential, ancient Greek philosopher noted for his writings
and teachings on natural philosophy and on the workings of Earth.
A) Nero
B) Odysseus
C) Aristotle
D) Pappagapolis
Answer: C
Diff: 1
,3) Compared to the age of Earth accepted as correct today, how did 17th and 18th century
proponents of catastrophism envision the Earth's age?
A) They believed Earth to be much older than current estimates.
B) They believed it to be about the same as current estimates, give or take a few million
years.
C) They believed Earth to be much younger than current estimates.
D) None of the above they didn't really address the age of Earth.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
4) ________ was an important 18th-century English geologist and proponent of
uniformitarianism.
A) Charles Lyell
B) Isaac Newton
C) James Hutton
D) James Ussher
Answer: C
Diff: 1
,5) The currently accepted age of Earth is ________ years.
A) 4.6 thousand
B) 6.4 trillion
C) 4.6 billion
D) 6.4 million
Answer: C
Diff: 1
6) Which of the following best describes the fundamental concept of superposition?
A) Strata with fossils are generally deposited on strata with no fossils.
B) Older strata generally are deposited on younger strata without intervening,
intermediate age strata.
C) Older fossils in younger strata indicate a locally inverted geologic time scale.
D) Any sedimentary deposit accumulates on top of older rock or sediment layers.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
7) The ________ division of the geologic time scale is an era of the Phanerozoic eon.
A) Paleocene
B) Paleozoic
C) Permian
D) Proterozoic
Answer: B
Diff: 1
, 8) The ________ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics.
A) asthenosphere
B) lithosphere
C) astrosphere
D) eosphere
Answer: B
Diff: 1
9) A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain
scientific observations.
A) hypothesis
B) generalization
C) law
D) theory
Answer: D
Diff: 1
