Lesson Worksheet: The Geologic Time Scale Geology

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In this worksheet, we will practice recognizing the geologic time scale and how geological time is classified and divided up using dating methods such as radiometric dating and index fossils.

Q1:

Which is the correct order that represents the divisions of geologic time in descending order of duration?

AA period, an epoch, an era, an eon
BAn eon, an era, a period, an epoch
CAn eon, an era, an epoch, a period
DAn era, an eon, an epoch, a period
EAn era, an eon, a period, an epoch

Q2:

Which of the following are eras in Earth’s geological history?

AProterozoic, Phanerozoic, and Mesozoic
BPaleozoic, Mesozoic, and Permian
CPaleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic
DPhanerozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic
ETriassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous

Q3:

True or False: Radiometric dating uses the decay of radioactive substances to determine the age of Earth, which is approximately 4.6 billion years old.

ATrue
BFalse

Q4:

True or False: One of the reasons the fossil record is incomplete is that most organisms either decay or are eaten by other organisms soon after death, and so they are not preserved.