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

Explanation:

1. For Blank 1: Scientists study rock strata and the "fossil record" to determine Earth's geologic history, as fossil records are key in this study.
2. For Blank 2: Relative dates differ from "absolute" scale (which gives exact dates), so the word is absolute.
3. For Blank 3: Earth's age is 4.6 "billion" years, matching scientific knowledge.
4. For Blank 4: Oldest fossils are in the "bottom" layer of fossil record (due to sedimentation, older layers are lower).

Answer:

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