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WorksheetsGeological Time Scale Review
Total questions: 65
Worksheet time: 1hrs 4mins
What events can cause mass extinction. (Select any 2)
Volcanic eruption
Earthquake
Cyclone
Meteorite impact
What is cambrian explosion?
An atomic explosion
the sudden appearance of many new types of multicellular life-forms on Earth.
An explosion of life-forms at the end of Paleozoic era
An extinction of many species on the Earth within a short period of time.
A(n) _______ might form when continents move close together.
continetal drift
supercontinent
new mountain ranges
Land Bridge
Why did geologists develop their
own timescale? (select 2)
They wanted to know about the past
Geologic time is measured in thousands
and millions of years.
They wanted to study fossils
Describing geologic time using one year as the unit would have been cumbersome
What is the longest and shortest unit of geological time?
Period, Era
Era, Epoch
Eon, Epoch
Epoch, Eon
When did the Paleozoic era begin?
542 MYA
585 MYA
252 MYA
251 MYA
When did Paleozoic era end?
542 MYA
585 MYA
252 MYA
251 MYA
Which era do we live in
Paleozoic
Mesozoic
Cenozoic
Protezoic
What types of fossils are generally found in older rocks?
older rocks contain fossils of
small, relatively simple life-forms
older rocks contain fossils of
small, relatively complex life-forms
older rocks contain fossils of
big, relatively simple life-forms
older rocks contain fossils of
big, relatively complex life-forms
Using the fossil record, what can you
conclude about how life-forms have
changed over geologic time?
Over time, life-forms have not evolved, or changed, into progressively larger, more complex organisms
Over time, life-forms have evolved, or changed, into progressively smaller, more simple organisms
Over time, life-forms have evolved, or changed, into progressively larger, more complex organisms
Over time, life-forms have evolved, or
changed, into progressively smaller, more simple organisms
Why do you think the brachiopods the shelled organisms in the figure are present in both old and young rocks ?
that brachiopods were not able to adapt to changes over geologic time and thus survived.
that brachiopods were able to change their shapes and thus survived.
that brachiopods were able to adapt to changes over geologic time and thus survived.
What type of evidence was used to construct the geologic timescale?
Abrupt changes in the fossil record
Earthquake
Volcanic eruption
environment
Why are fossils important in the development of the geologic time scale?
Fossils are able to tell when the organism was alive
Fossils are not important
Sudden changes in the fossil record indicate major changes in Earth’s history and are therefore used to divide geologic time into its various sections.
Fossils are found everywhere
Dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. Would you ever find dinosaur fossils in undisturbed rocks that are younger in age than the Cretaceous? Explain your answer.
Because dinosaurs became extinct at the close of the Mesozoic era, such fossils would not be found in undisturbed layers of younger rocks
Because dinosaurs became extinct at the close of the Mesozoic era, such fossils would be found in undisturbed layers of younger rocks
Because dinosaurs became extinct at the close of the Mesozoic era, such fossils would not be found in undisturbed layers of older rocks
Because dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Mesozoic era, such fossils would not be found in undisturbed layers of younger rocks
What is Mass Extinction?
A mass extinction is the extinction of few species within a short period of time.
A mass extinction is the extinction of many species within a long period of time.
A mass extinction is the extinction of less species within a short period of time.
A mass extinction is the extinction of many species within a short period of time.
How many mass extinction events have occurred over
geologic time?
4
7
5
3
Look again at image and explain why some of the dips in the curve are not considered mass extinction events?
All of the dips in the curve don't indicate extinction events.
All of the dips in the curve indicate extinction events. However, only the drastic drops in the numbers of genera are mass extinction events.
All of the dips in the curve indicate extinction events. However, only the small drops in the numbers of genera are mass extinction events.
All of the dips in the curve indicate extinction events. However, only the drastic growth in the numbers of genera are mass extinction events.
Although Precambrian time spans nearly 90 percent of Earth’s history, relatively little is known about it. Why
do you think this is so? (Select 2)
There was only ice during Precambrian time.
because most were microscopic and few have been preserved in the fossil record
Earth continually changes, most of the rocks and fossils of the Precambrian have been destroyed by Earth processes.
No animals were there in Precambrian time
There were many animals so it was not possible to study them
Look at the image and answer - About how long did the Precambrian time last?
about 4 billion years
about 5 billion years
about 2 billion years
about 3 billion years
What caused Cambrian explosion? (Select all that is applicable)
changes in climate
changes in landmass position
biological changes at cellular level
changes in animals
changes in water
A(n) ______might occur if an environment changes suddenly.
mass extinction
cambrian explosion
fossil formation
What contributed to mass extinction event
an earthquake
a hot summer
a hurricane
a volcanic eruption
How geographic isolation can affect evolution?
Geographic isolation occurs when populations of organisms are
nearby other members of their species.
Geographic isolation occurs when populations of organisms are
separated from other members of their species. As a result, the
populations evolve differently as they adapt to different
environments
the correct order of the units of the geologic time scale from longest to shortest is
epoch, period, era, eon
era, epoch, eon, period
eon, epoch, period, era
eon, era, period, epoch
Explain what the graph given represents. What happened at this time in Earth’s past?
The graph shows how the diversity of life on Earth did not
change during the time shown on the graph, the onset of the
Cambrian period.
The graph shows how Earth climate changed during the time shown on the graph, the onset of the Cambrian period
The graph shows how the diversity of life on Earth dramatically
changed during the time shown on the graph, the onset of the
Cambrian period.
The graph shows how shape of the Earth dramatically
changed during the time shown on the graph, the onset of the
Cambrian period
What period makes up early Paleozoic era?
Permian and Carboniferous
Devonian and Silurian
Cambrian and Ordovician
Permian and Cambrian
How long did the Paleozoic era lasted?
542 Million years
291 Million years
340 Million years
251 Million years
In what period did life first appear on land?
Permian
Ordovician
Silurian
Devonian
When did fishes appear?
Early Paleozoic era
Late Paleozoic Era
Middle Paleozoic Era
How do inland seas form?
Inland seas form when ocean water floods continents
Inland seas form when ocean water becomes very hot
Inland seas form when there is lot of rains
Inland seas form when many animals want water
How did the Appalachian Mountains form? (select 2)
Due to diverging plate boundary
Due to collisions of continents
Due to collision of sea
Due to collisions of land masses
Which two geologic periods make up the Middle Paleozoic era?
Carboniferous and Permian
Silurian and Devonian
Cambrian and Ordovician
Cambrian and Permian
Which two geologic periods make up the Late Paleozoic era?
Carboniferous and Permian
Silurian and Devonian
Cambrian and Ordovician
Permian and Cambrian
Where did many of the life-forms live at the end of the Early and the beginning of the Middle Paleozoic era?
in the water
on the land
along the fringes of the continents
along the fringes of the sea
What were the dominant organisms on Earth during the middle part of the Paleozoic era and where did they live?
Dinosaurs were the dominant organisms in the Middle Paleozoic land
Fishes were the dominant organisms in the Middle Paleozoic seas
Bacteria were the dominant organisms in the Middle Paleozoic seas
Reptiles were the dominant organisms in the Middle Paleozoic
What types of organisms began to evolve on land during the middle Paleozoic era?
fishes and bacteria
Reptiles and vertebrates
amphibians and plants
Insects and small plants
Why are the Appalachian Mountains today not as high as they were during the end of the Paleozoic era?
Earth processes such as weathering and erosion have worn the range down to its current form
Earthquake have worn the range down to its current form
Volcanic erruption have worn the range down to its current form
Shaking of earth have worn the range down to its current form
Which Devonian organism is directly related to amphibians?
A
B
C
What types of organisms lived during the Carboniferous period?
grass and small trees lived on land. Bacteria and other small fish lived in the oceans
ferns, large trees, and insects lived on land. Sharks and other large fish lived in the oceans
snakes and fishes
What is the origin of the energy that is released when coal burns?
The energy is the solar energy that plants transformed into chemical energy and stored while they were alive.
The energy is the chemical energy from the minerals
The energy of is the heat energy of the earth
The energy is the atomic energy that humans transform into heat energy.
Coal Swams were found in
age of invertebrates
age of vertebrates
age of amphibians
age of machines
_____were organisms that had lungs and could breathe air.
fish
trilobites
tiktaalik
bacteria
In which period coal swarms were found
Cambrian
Ordovician
Carboniferous
Silurian
What does the fossil evidence reveal about the end of the Paleozoic era?
60% of marine life and 80% of life on land became extinct.
95% of marine life and 70% of life on land became extinct.
55% of marine life and 90% of life on land became extinct.
70% of marine life and 95% of life on land became extinct.
What was Pangaea?
Pangaea was a large continent made up of all of Earth’s present-day landmasses.
Pangaea was the 1st period of the Paleozoic Era
Pangaea was the last period of the Paleozoic Era
Pangaea is a name of an Era
Towards the end of Late paleozoic era, Mountain ranges formed, coal swamps dried up, and climates became cooler and drier due to _______
mass extinction
volcanic eruption
meteorite impact
formation of Pangea
When ocean water covers part of a continent, a(n) ________ forms.
coal swarm
wet land
inland sea
glacier
Pangea was a supercontinent
True
False
Which was true of North America during the Early Paleozoic?
It had many glaciers
It was at the equator
It was part of the supercontinent
It was populated with reptiles
Name all periods in Paleozoic Era in proper Sequence starting from the earliest to the latest.
Permian, Carboniferous, Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician, Cambrian
Cambrian, Carboniferous, Devonian, Permian, Silurian, Ordovician
Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian
Cambrian, Silurian, Permian, Devonian, Ordovician, Carboniferous
Select the correct order - Starting from the oldest era
Precambrian, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Cenozoic
Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic
Mesozoic, Precambrian, Paleozoic, Cenozoic
Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Precambrian
The longest time unit in the geological time scale is the ________
era
eon
period
epoch
Era are sub-divided into _________
eons
epochs
periods
scales
Many boundaries in the geologic time scale are marked by the occurrence of________
mass explosion
meteorite impact
mass extinction
volcanic eruption
When glaciers melt, shallow _______ form in the interiors of continents.
coal swarms
wet-lands
inland sea
volcano
The ______ was the first era of the Phanerozoic eon
Mesozoic
Paleozoic
Cenozoic
A(n) _______ can form when plants are buried in an oxygen-poor environment.
inland sea
coal swarm
insects
smell
In which time did simple, unicellular oragnisms developed
Precambrian
Cambrian
Silurian
Devonian
The trilobite fossil shown represents an organism that lived during the Cambrian period. What distinguish the organism from organisms that lived in that time.
It had hard parts
It lived on the land
It was a reptile
It was multicellular
What are the main divisions in geologic time scale based on
changes in the fossil recorded every billion years
changes in the fossil recorded every million years
gradual changes in the fossil records
sudden changes in the fossil records
Which is NOT a cause of Mass extinction event
meteorite collision
sever hurricanes
tectonic activities
volcanic activities
Which were the first organisms to inhabit land environment
amphibians
plants
reptiles
trilobites
Which events produces the Appalachian mountains
breaking up of Pangea
collisions of continents
flooding of the continents
opening of the atlantic ocean
Which was NOT an adaptation that enabled amphibians to live on land
ability to breathe oxygen
ability to to lay eggs on land
strong limbs
thick skin
Which did not occur in the Paleozoic Era
appearance of mammals
development of coal swamps
evolution of invertebrates
formation of Pangea
