Geologic Time Scale Quiz

What is the geologic time scale?

• A classification system for animals and plants

• A method for dating fossils

• A system used by scientists to study rocks

• A time table of events in the history of the Earth

What are the major subdivisions of the geologic time scale?

• Eon, era, period, and epoch

• Century, decade, year, and month

• Millennium, century, decade, and year

• Day, hour, minute, and second

How are fossils used in the geologic time scale?

• To understand the development of humans

• To determine the age of rocks

• To classify different species of animals

• To study the climate of the Earth

Which era is known as the age of invertebrates?

• Precambrian era

• Cenozoic era

• Mesozoic era

• Paleozoic era

What is the significance of the Devonian period?

• The age of fishes and the first insects

• The appearance of dinosaurs

• The evolution of mammals

• The formation of the continents

Which era is known as the age of dinosaurs?

• Mesozoic era

• Paleozoic era

• Cenozoic era

• Precambrian era

What is the modern relative of trilobites?

• Crabs, spiders, and insects

• Starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers

• Oysters, scallops, and muscles

• Snails, slugs, and wilks

What is the modern relative of fossil clams?

• Oysters, scallops, and muscles

• Snails, slugs, and wilks

• Crabs, spiders, and insects

• Starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers

What do fossils teach us about the Earth's history?

• How and when rock layers are formed

• The structure of the Earth's core

• The origin of life on Earth

• The development of human civilization

What is the main type of rock where fossils are found?

• Igneous rocks

• Sedimentary rocks

• Volcanic rocks

• Metamorphic rocks