Practice Quiz for Chronometric Techniques: Part I

Practice Quiz for Chronometric Techniques: Part I

No. of Questions= 8

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1. Which of the following statements is true about amino acid racemization dating?

a) It can determine when an organism was born.

b) It is based on the fact that L-amino acids changeover to their D forms progressively after death.

c) The rate of racemization is not affected by such factors as soil moisture and temperature.

2. Tree growth ring widths usually vary with:

a) the strength of the local magnetic field

b) changing weather patterns

c) the relative frequency of L-amino acids and D-amino acids in the trees

d) none of the above

3. Which of the following statements is true of dendrochronology?



a) Most geographic regions are likely to have the same sequence of tree-ring widths for the same time periods.

b) It can be used to determine when a tree was cut down and how old it was at that time.

c) The longest tree-ring master sequence record now goes back to about 200,000 B.P.

d) b and c

4. Which of the following chronometric methods can now be used for dating in the time range 20,000-40,000 B.P.?



a) written records

b) dendrochronology

c) amino acid racemization

d) all of the above

5. Which of the following statements is true?

a) The magnetic and the rotational north poles move around but are always within 5-10 miles of each other.

b) By measuring thermoremnant magnetism in fire hearths, researchers have created a map of the wandering of magnetic north around the rotational north pole during the last 175,000 years.

c) The magnetic north and south poles reverse or change places from time to time.

d) none of the above

6. Paleomagnetic dating is based on the fact that:



a) Some of the mineral components of rock acquire a weak permanent magnetism when heated to a red hot state.

b) Cooling can magnetize some minerals in rock and clay.

c) Fossils of plants and animals acquire a weak magnetic field from the soil in which they are buried.

7. Which of the following dating techniques potentially could be used to date a log used as a roof beam in an ancient house?

a) dendrochronology

b) amino acid racemization

c) paleomagnetic

d) a and b

e) all of the above

8. If you were excavating an early human site that you believe dates to around 2,000,000 years ago, which of the following dating techniques would you most likely use?



a) paleomagnetic

b) dendrochronology

c) amino acid racemization

d) written records or history

e) all of the above

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Copyright � 1999-2012 by Dennis O'Neil. All rights reserved

1.	Which of the following statements is true about amino acid racemization dating?


		a)	It can determine when an organism was born.
		b)	It is based on the fact that L-amino acids changeover to their D forms progressively after death.
		c)	The rate of racemization is not affected by such factors as soil moisture and temperature.


2.	Tree growth ring widths usually vary with:


	a)		the strength of the local magnetic field
	b)		changing weather patterns
	c)		the relative frequency of L-amino acids and D-amino acids in the trees
	d)		none of the above


3.	Which of the following statements is true of dendrochronology?


	a)		Most geographic regions are likely to have the same sequence of tree-ring widths for the same time periods.
	b)		It can be used to determine when a tree was cut down and how old it was at that time.
	c)		The longest tree-ring master sequence record now goes back to about 200,000 B.P.
	d)		b and c


4.	Which of the following chronometric methods can now be used for dating in the time range 20,000-40,000 B.P.?


	a)		written records
	b)		dendrochronology
	c)		amino acid racemization
	d)		all of the above


5.	Which of the following statements is true?

	a)		The magnetic and the rotational north poles move around but are always within 5-10 miles of each other.
	b)		By measuring thermoremnant magnetism in fire hearths, researchers have created a map of the wandering of magnetic north around the rotational north pole during the last 175,000 years.
	c)		The magnetic north and south poles reverse or change places from time to time.
	d)		none of the above


6.	*Paleomagnetic* dating is based on the fact that:



	a)		Some of the mineral components of rock acquire a weak permanent magnetism when heated to a red hot state.
	b)		Cooling can magnetize some minerals in rock and clay.
	c)		Fossils of plants and animals acquire a weak magnetic field from the soil in which they are buried.


7.	Which of the following dating techniques potentially could be used to date a log used as a roof beam in an ancient house?


	a)		dendrochronology
	b)		amino acid racemization
	c)		paleomagnetic
	d)		a and b
	e)		all of the above


8.	If you were excavating an early human site that you believe dates to around 2,000,000 years ago, which of the following dating techniques would you most likely use?


	a)		paleomagnetic
	b)		dendrochronology
	c)		amino acid racemization
	d)		written records or history
	e)		all of the above