The Precambrian Earth
Practice Test
1.
What was the original composition of Earth's atmosphere?
SC.D.1.4.4
a.
nitrogen and carbon dioxide
b.
water vapor and methane
c.
ammonia and hydrogen
d.
hydrogen and helium
2.
__________ are rocks that have alternating bands of fine-grained quartz and iron oxides.
SC.D.1.4.4
a.
Red beds
b.
Banded iron formations
c.
Sedimentary rocks
d.
All Archean rocks
3.
Minerals with low densities crystallize from a magma at __________ denser minerals do.
SC.D.1.4.2
a.
hotter temperatures than
b.
the same temperature as
c.
cooler temperatures than
d.
always 10 degrees less than
4.
How were asteroids and meteorites a heat source for Precambrian Earth?
SC.D.1.4.1
a.
Their bombardment of Earth caused them to sink to the core.
b.
Their radioactive decay of isotopes generated energy.
c.
Their gravitational contraction generated energy.
d.
Their impact on Earth generated energy.
5.
Fossils of __________ from late Proterozoic rocks are found in all parts of the world.
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
trilobites
b.
the Burgess Shale fauna
c.
the Ediacaran fauna
d.
corals
6.
What substance in Earth's atmosphere protects organisms from UV radiation?
SC.D.1.4.1
a.
methane
b.
ozone
c.
water vapor
d.
ammonia
7.
The energy and nutrients necessary for the origin of life can be found near __________.
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a.
transform faults
b.
trenches
c.
hydrothermal vents
d.
magma chambers
8.
The oldest rocks on Earth are __________.
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a.
1.6 to 1.8 million years old
b.
3.96 to 3.8 billion years old
c.
1 to 2 billion years old
d.
3.5 billion years old
9.
__________ are the building blocks of proteins.
SC.F.1.4.1
a.
Formaldehyde molecules
b.
Cyanide molecules
c.
DNA and RNA
d.
Amino acids
10.
What event caused the extinction of acritarchs near the end of the Proterozoic?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
the Varagnian glaciation
b.
global warming
c.
outgassing
d.
formation of ozone
11.
According to the map, which areas of North America were most affected by the formation of the Canadian Shield?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
the Southwest
b.
the Midwest
c.
the Pacific Coast
d.
Alaska
12.
What continent existed around 1.8 billion years ago that now forms the core of modern North America?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
Laurentia
b.
North America
c.
Pangaea
d.
Rodinia
13.
What evidence supports the hypothesis that Earth is 4.6 billion years?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
the age of rocks from the Moon
b.
the age of meteorites
c.
all of the above answers are correct
d.
the age of zircon grains in granitic crustal rocks
14.
What is the name of the Precambrian shield in North America?
SC.D.1.4.2
a.
the Northern Shield
b.
the Archean Shield
c.
the Proterozoic Shield
d.
the Canadian Shield
15.
Why don't Archean and Proterozoic rocks have iron oxides?
SC.D.1.4.4
a.
there wasn't any free oxygen in the atmosphere
b.
there was too much iron to be oxidized
c.
there weren't any stromatolites at that time
d.
there wasn't any iron in rocks of that age
16.
What process is primarily responsible for the formation of Earth's oceans?
SC.D.1.4.4
a.
evolution
b.
outgassing
c.
plate tectonics
d.
sea-floor spreading
17.
What is the name of the first supercontinent?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
Pangaea
b.
Laurentia
c.
Rodinia
d.
Baltica
18.
What were the type of life-forms that existed before the Proterozoic?
SC.D.1.4.3
a.
fungi
b.
prokaryotes
c.
algae
d.
eukaryotes
