The geological timescale

The geological timescale

Multiple Choice

How old is the Earth?

• approximately 2.5 million years old

• approximately 4.6 billion years old

• 156000 years old

• 4.8 million years ol

Open Ended

What are the names of the layers of the Earth?

Multiple Select

This layer is made of molten iron and nickel.

• outer core

• crust

• inner core

• mantle

Multiple Select

Scientists were able to estimate the age of the Earth by studying:

• trees

• the stars

• fossils

• rocks

Multiple Choice

The biggest time period into which scientists have divide the time between the formation of the Earth and now is called:

• periods

• epochs

• eons

• eras

Multiple Choice

Look at the diagram.

What are eons divided into?

• eras

• epochs

• periods

Multiple Choice

Look at the diagram.

Which era do we live in?

• phanerozoic

• neogene

• cenozoic

Multiple Choice

Look at the diagram.

How long ago did the Mesozoic era begin?

• 542 million years ago

• 250 million years ago

• 65 million years ago

Multiple Choice

In which era did the Carboniferous period occur?

• Paleozoic

• Cenozoic

• Mesozoic

Open Ended

Why is it useful to divide the Earth's history into eras and periods?

Multiple Choice

Which eon does not have any fossils?

• the Hadean eon

• the Archaen eon

• the Proterozoic eon

• the Phanerozoic eon

Multiple Choice

What important event marks the start of the Archaen eon?

• the appearance of dinosaurs

• the formation of the moon

• the cooling of the crust

Multiple Choice

In which eon did photosynthetic organisms appear?

• Hadean

• Archaen

• Proterozoic

• Phanerozoic

Multiple Choice

This means visible life:

• Hadean

• Archaen

• Proterozoic

• Phanerozoic

Multiple Choice

In this eon, many big animals lived and still live (dinosaurs, newts, humans, etc). This is called the ... eon.

• Hadean

• Archaen

• Proterozoic

• Phanerozoic

Multiple Choice

The first three eons, the Hadean, Archaen and Proterozoic make up the:

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

• Pre-cambrian period

• Cambrian period

Multiple Choice

The Cambrian explosion was:

• an explosion of asteroids that destroyed all life on Earth, including dinosaurs

• a huge volcanic eruption that destroyed all life on Earth

• an explosion of multi-cellular life

Multiple Choice

Dinosaurs lived in this era.

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

• Paleozoic

Multiple Choice

Why are rocks moving all the time?

• because they want to

• because of the movement of the tectonic plates

• because of supernatural phenomena

Open Ended

Why is it hard to find very, very old rocks?