Question

Rock layer diagram. 5 layers on each side of a fault. Layers 1 to 5, top to bottom on the left, layers 6 to 10, top to bottom on the right. The following pairs are the same: 1 and 8; 2 and 9; 3 and 6; 4 and 7. Layers 5 and 10 do not have matches.
Which statements about this diagram are true? Check all that apply.

Layers 5 and 7 are the same age.
Faulting created the differences in layers.
Erosion created the differences in layers.
Layers 2 and 9 are the same age.
The organisms in 1 and 8 lived tens of millions of years apart.

Answer 1

Based on the description provided about the rock layer diagram, we can evaluate each statement:

1. **Layers 5 and 7 are the same age.** - **False**. There is no indication that these two layers are matched or represent the same age, and they are not mentioned in the pairs that are the same.

2. **Faulting created the differences in layers.** - **True**. The presence of a fault indicates tectonic activity, which typically causes displacement and can lead to differences in the arrangement and exposure of layers on either side of the fault.

3. **Erosion created the differences in layers.** - **False**. While erosion can affect layers, there is no specific mention or evidence of erosion occurring in the scenario given. The differences are more directly attributed to the fault.

4. **Layers 2 and 9 are the same age.** - **True**. According to the pairs given, layers 2 and 9 are stated to be the same.

5. **The organisms in 1 and 8 lived tens of millions of years apart.** - **True**, assuming layers 1 and 8 correspond to different geological time periods. If they are matched, but the layers they represent are from vastly different time spans, this statement could indeed be true.

In summary, the true statements about this diagram are:
- Faulting created the differences in layers.
- Layers 2 and 9 are the same age.
- The organisms in 1 and 8 lived tens of millions of years apart.