Question

question 2 (4 points)

1. scientists study rock strata and the ______ to help determine the geologic history of the earth.
2. analyses provide only relative dates, not an ______ scale.
3. earth has a 4.6-______-year history.
4. the oldest fossils are found in the ______ layer of the fossil record.

word bank:
fossil record
billion
bottom
absolute
blank 1:
blank 2:
blank 3:
blank 4:

Explanation:

1. For the first blank, scientists study rock strata and the "fossil record" to determine Earth's geologic history, as the fossil record is a key source for this study.
2. The second blank: Analyses of rock strata and fossils give relative, not "absolute" dates (absolute dating is a different method, and the context here is relative vs. absolute).
3. The third blank: Earth's age is 4.6 "billion" years, which is a well - known scientific fact.
4. The fourth blank: Oldest fossils are in the "bottom" layer of the fossil record because sedimentary layers are deposited over time, with older layers at the bottom.

Answer:

Blank 1: fossil record
Blank 2: absolute
Blank 3: billion
Blank 4: bottom