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Earth's History Practice Tests

These Grade 8 Science practice tests cover geologic time, fossils, relative and radiometric dating, rock layers, unconformities, plate tectonics, seafloor spreading, past climates, mass extinctions, scientific models, and evidence used to reconstruct Earth's history.

Skills covered

  • Interpreting fossils, sedimentary layers, and the geologic time scale
  • Using relative dating and radioactive decay evidence
  • Explaining plate boundaries, seafloor spreading, and changing continents
  • Inferring past environments and climate from geological evidence
  • Evaluating models, uncertainty, and multiple lines of evidence

How to use these practice tests

Start by identifying the evidence described, such as a fossil, rock layer, map, or measurement. Then determine what the evidence can show about relative order, past conditions, geological processes, or the timing of an event.

For more Grade 8 Science practice, return to the Grade 8 Science category.

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1. Test

Grade 8 Earths History Practice Tests

Practice Grade 8 Science questions about geologic time, fossils, rock layers, plate tectonics, Earth changes, and evidence of Earths history.

Choose the best answer. Use rock layers, fossils, geological processes, and scientific evidence to interpret events in Earth history.

10 Questions
0/10 Questions0 %
Correct 0
Incorrect 0
Unanswered 10
1. QuestionMultiple choice

What can a fossil provide evidence about?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is Past life and environments.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Fossils preserve evidence of organisms or their activity and can help scientists infer past environments.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Past life and environments.

Fossils preserve evidence of organisms or their activity and can help scientists infer past environments.

2. QuestionMultiple choice

According to the principle of superposition, which sedimentary layer is usually oldest when the layers have not been disturbed?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is The bottom layer.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: In an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rock, older layers are generally below younger layers.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is The bottom layer.

In an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rock, older layers are generally below younger layers.

3. QuestionMultiple choice

What does relative dating determine?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is Whether one rock or event is older or younger than another.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Relative dating places rocks and events in order without necessarily giving an exact numerical age.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Whether one rock or event is older or younger than another.

Relative dating places rocks and events in order without necessarily giving an exact numerical age.

4. QuestionMultiple choice

What does radiometric dating use to estimate the age of some rocks?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is The predictable decay of radioactive elements.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Radioactive isotopes decay at predictable rates, allowing scientists to estimate an absolute age.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is The predictable decay of radioactive elements.

Radioactive isotopes decay at predictable rates, allowing scientists to estimate an absolute age.

5. QuestionMultiple choice

What is the geologic time scale?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is A system for organizing Earth history into intervals.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: The geologic time scale divides Earth history into large and small intervals based on major changes and evidence.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is A system for organizing Earth history into intervals.

The geologic time scale divides Earth history into large and small intervals based on major changes and evidence.

6. QuestionMultiple choice

Which type of rock most commonly preserves fossils?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Sedimentary rock.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Sediment can bury and preserve remains before it becomes sedimentary rock.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Sedimentary rock.

Sediment can bury and preserve remains before it becomes sedimentary rock.

7. QuestionMultiple choice

Why are fossils often found in layers of sedimentary rock?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is Organisms can be buried by sediments that later harden into rock..

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Burial by sediment can protect remains and preserve them as the sediment is compacted and cemented.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Organisms can be buried by sediments that later harden into rock..

Burial by sediment can protect remains and preserve them as the sediment is compacted and cemented.

8. QuestionMultiple choice

What is an index fossil useful for?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is Matching the relative ages of rock layers in different locations.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: An index fossil is widespread and existed for a relatively short time, making it useful for correlating rock layers.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Matching the relative ages of rock layers in different locations.

An index fossil is widespread and existed for a relatively short time, making it useful for correlating rock layers.

9. QuestionMultiple choice

What is an unconformity in the rock record?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is A gap in the evidence caused by missing time or erosion.

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: An unconformity represents an interval when deposition stopped or existing rock was eroded.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is A gap in the evidence caused by missing time or erosion.

An unconformity represents an interval when deposition stopped or existing rock was eroded.

10. QuestionMultiple choice

Why is the fossil record incomplete?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Many organisms were not preserved and some preserved evidence has been destroyed or not discovered..

  1. Identify the evidence: Determine whether the question uses fossils, rocks, layers, geological time, or a model of Earth history.
  2. Connect the evidence to time: Preservation requires special conditions, and geological processes can destroy or hide fossils.
  3. Check the conclusion: The correct choice is Many organisms were not preserved and some preserved evidence has been destroyed or not discovered..

Preservation requires special conditions, and geological processes can destroy or hide fossils.

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