University of California Riverside Geology Practice Quiz

Overview

Please answer each question.

1. Give me three examples of the practical use of geology.
2. What is science?
3. What are the two major branches of geology? 
4. What is Uniformitarianism? Explain its significance in the early days of geology. 
5. Describe the three different types of unconformities.
6. Compare and contrast relative and absolute dating
7. What are the most important types of rocks for determining rock and fossil chronologies – why? (This is an open ended question which may have more than one answer, as long as you can defend your answer - ITS ALL GOOD!)
8. What is a fossil? What is paleontology?
9. How does a fossil become a fossil? What must happen in general terms for anything to be preserved? List at least three specific ways in which an organism may become fossilized.
10. Compare/contrast LaMarck and Darwin’s ideas of organic evolution
11. Compare/contrast phyletic gradualism and punctuated equilibrium
12. Discuss at least three forms of evidence to support evolution (paleontologic and biologic).
13. What was the Hadean like?
14. How much of Earth’s history is contained within the Precambrian – why?
15. Briefly describe the Solar Nebula Hypothesis.
16. How did the Earth’s early atmosphere and hydrosphere form?
17. Where and when did life originate on Earth?
18. What is the significance of the Edicaran Fauna?
19. The Phanerozoic Eon is the eon of visible life – why is this?
20. What was the “Cambrian Explosion?”
21. Permian extinction event – extent and significance?
22. The Mesozoic Era begins and ends?
23. What two new classes of animals evolve during the Mesozoic?
24. What is the K-T extinction event? What caused it? What was the result?
25. Should birds be considered modern day dinosaurs, why or why not?
26. The Cenozoic Era begins and ends? This era is known as what?
27. If the Pleistocene is considered “the Ice Age,” what might the Holocene be considered?
28. The final break-up of Pangaea occurred when?
29. Name the four major glacial advances that occurred in North America during the Pleistocene. 
30. List some of the effects on the landscapes created by these massive ice sheets.
31. What are some of the ideas for the cause of the Ice Age glaciers?
32. Briefly describe what the life of the Cenozoic was like.
33. When did the genus Homo first appear in the fossil record?
34. Bonus:

What are banded iron formations (BIFs)?

35. Bonus:

1. Was T-Rex a scavenger or a predator?