FALL 1995
GLY126
Historical Geology Test #1
Note: Answers should be complete but concise. Sometimes sketches are helpful, so feel free to draw away. If you need more space than provided, use the back of each page and indicate the number of the question being continued. The Geologic Time Scale section at the end is worth 10 points.
1. What is the difference between the relative and absolute geologic time scale? Your answer should include when they were developed and the different principles used in their development. (15 pts.)
2. Compare the modern view of the Principle of Uniformitarianism with that of Hutton and Lyell. (15 pts.)
3. What are the roles of eustatic sealevel changes, sedimentation & tectonics in causing transgressions & regressions? Give some examples. Your answer should include definitions of eustatic sealevel, trangression and regression. (15 pts.)
4. Given the distribution of facies shown in the boxed diagram below, what combination of transgres-sions and regressions are needed to cause the observed stratigraphic sections in the other 2 diagrams below. (5 pts.)
5. Briefly discuss why lithostratigraphic correlation is usually not time equivalent and how biostrati-graphic zones are used to indicate this fact. (10 pts.)
6. List the 3 major environments of deposition and 2 subenvironments of each. (15 pts.)
7. What is the cause and significance of a) mudcracks, b) graded bedding & c) cross bedding? Give an example of an environment of deposition associated with each. (10 pts.)
8. What are the 2 factors that control the distribution of major terrestrial plant communities in the modern world. Give 2 examples of major terrestrial plant communities. (5 pts.)
GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE
1/2/3/4. The 4 periods of the Cenozoic Era, grouped into 2 pairs of 2 periods each, in order from
Youngest (1 & 3) to Oldest (2 & 4), are the
(1)______________________________________ Period & the (2)______________________________________ Period (the first pair); and the (3)______________________________________ Period & the (4)______________________________________ Period (the second pair).
5/6/7. The 3 periods of the Mesozoic Era, in order from Youngest (5) to Oldest (7), are the
(5)______________________________________ Period, the (6)______________________________________ Period, & the (7)______________________________________ Period.
8/9/10/11/ The 6 periods of the Paleozoic Era, exclusive of the Carboniferous, in order from Youngest
12/13/14. (8) to Oldest (14) are the
(8)______________________________________ Period, the (9)______________________________________ Period, the (10)______________________________________ Period, the (11)______________________________________ Period, the (12)______________________________________ Period, the (13)______________________________________ Period, & the (14)______________________________________ Period.
15. The Cenozoic Era began (older date) ___________ million years ago.
16. The Mesozoic Era began (older date) ___________ million years ago.
17. The Paleozoic Era began (older date) ___________ million years ago.
18. The Cenozoic, Mesozoic & Paleozoic Eras comprise the ________________________ Eon.
19. The Proterozoic Eon began (older date) _____ million billion (circle the appropriate one) years ago.
20. The Archean Eon began (older date) _____ million billion (circle the appropriate one) years ago.
Bonus: For each of the 4 Periods of the Cenozoic Era, list the
epochs comprising each Period in order from oldest to youngest for a 5 point
bonus. Indicate the oldest and youngest epochs for each Period.