Petrified Forest National Park Quiz

What makes the Petrified Forest National Park significant in studying climate change?

• It preserves a record of climate change in rocks.

• It has the most diverse animal species.

• It has the largest concentration of living trees.

• It is the oldest national park in the United States.

What geological formation is most associated with the Petrified Forest National Park?

• The Grand Canyon

• The Chinle Formation

• The Appalachian Mountains

• The Rocky Mountains

How did the trees in the Petrified Forest become petrified?

• They were buried in sand.

• They were replaced by quartz crystals from silica-rich groundwater.

• They were covered in ice.

• They were struck by lightning.

What conditions are necessary for fossilization to occur?

• Rocks of the right age and exposure at the surface

• Abundant plant life

• Presence of volcanic activity

• High temperatures

What marked the end of the Triassic period?

• The rise of mammals

• The Ice Age

• The formation of the Grand Canyon

• A major mass extinction event

What was a likely trigger for the climate change during the Triassic mass extinction?

• A meteorite impact

• Atmospheric changes due to volcanic activity

• A sudden ice age

• The extinction of dinosaurs

How does current climate change differ from past natural events?

• It is slower and less severe.

• It is faster and largely attributed to human activities.

• It is caused by natural volcanic eruptions.

• It is similar to past ice ages.

What can studying past extinction events teach us?

• How life recovers and adapts after major events

• How to prevent natural disasters

• How to increase biodiversity

• How to predict weather patterns

Why is it important to study rocks and deposits in national parks?

• To find precious metals

• To understand current and future climate changes

• To build new infrastructure

• To create new tourist attractions

What is the best tool we have to make predictions about future ecological outcomes?

• Modern technology

• Historical records

• Earth's history

• Weather forecasts