[Campbell Biology P.521] Which of Darwin's geological observations during the voyage directl... | Practice Question

Which of Darwin's geological observations during the voyage directly challenged the traditional view that Earth was only a few thousand years old?

  • A: Finding various types of rocks in different continents.
  • B: Observing that coastal rocks were thrust upward by several meters after an earthquake, and finding ocean fossils high in the Andes.
  • C: Identifying different soil compositions across regions.
  • D: Discovering new volcanic formations on the Galápagos islands.

Explanation

The text states: 'He experienced geologic change firsthand when a violent earthquake shook the coast of Chile, and he observed afterward that rocks along the coast had been thrust upward by several meters. Finding fossils of ocean organisms high in the Andes, Darwin inferred that the rocks containing the fossils must have been raised there by many similar earthquakes. These observations reinforced what he had learned from Lyell: Physical evidence did not support the traditional view that Earth was only a few thousand years old.'