Lyell's Ideas That Gradual, Everyday Geologic Processes Had Shaped Earth

question 78

Multiple Choice

Lyell's ideas that gradual, everyday geologic processes had shaped Earth challenged the prevailing estimate of Earth's age at ____, because ____.​

• A) 6 billion years old; only catastrophic geologic events could sculpt Earth's surface​
• B) ​600 million years old; species needed millions of years to evolve
• C) ​600,000 years old; nobody had observed the evolution of species
• D) ​60,000 years old; geologic processes quickly change landscapes on Earth's surface
• E) ​6,000 years old; such slow geologic processes would take millions of years to sculpt Earth's surface

---

Definitions:

Strategic Defense Initiative

A proposed missile defense system announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons.

Soviet Missiles

Ballistic missiles developed and deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, which were central to the nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union, formally known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a federal socialist state in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991.

Navy Vessels

Ships and boats used by the navy of a nation for warfare, patrol, or support roles.