In which of the following ways is the study of tree rings, speleothems, and corals for understanding past climatic conditions similar?
A) All are composed of organic materials and are therefore good candidates for radiocarbon dating.
B) Each have growth bands, yielding evidence of the conditions under which they formed and grew.
C) The chronology each can provide only dates back to a maximum of 5,000 years and are, therefore, only useful for relatively recent climatic trends.
D) The fossilized form of each is used for understanding past climatic conditions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tree rings, speleothems (stalagmites and stalactites), and corals all have growth bands that provide evidence of the conditions under which they formed and grew, making them useful for understanding past climate conditions. However, they are not all composed of organic materials (trees and corals are, but speleothems are not), and their chronologies can go back much further than 5,000 years (depending on the method of dating used). The fossilized form of these materials may also be used for understanding past climate conditions, but this is not true for all cases.

In Which of the Following Ways Is the Study of Tree