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Geologic Time Quiz

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
In what era were dinosaurs the dominant species?
a)

Cenozoic
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Mesozoic
d)
Quarternary
2.

Approximately how old is Earth?

a)

12 billion years old

b)

4.6 billion years old

c)

2 million years old

d)

65 million years old

3.
During which geologic time or era did humans first appear?
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Mesozoic
c)
Paleozoic
d)
Precambrian
4.
The Cenozoic Era is often called "the Age of the ____"
a)
Dinosaurs
b)
Mammals
c)
Amphibians
d)
Reptiles
5.
The dinosaurs died out ____million years ago.
a)
57
b)
125
c)
65
d)
250
6.

Using the Geologic Time Scale, we are in the _____ epoch.

a)

Miocene

b)

Pliocene

c)

Eocene

d)

Holocene

7.

_____ is the Age of the Reptiles.

a)

Paleozoic

b)

Mesozoic

c)

Cenozoic

d)

Archean

8.
Paleozoic, Mesozoic & Cenozoic are all
a)
Epochs
b)
Eras
c)
Periods
d)
Eons
9.
What time period makes up 90% of Earth's history?
a)
Mesozoic Era
b)
Phanerozoic Eon
c)
Precambrian Time
d)
Jurassic Period
10.

What are the names of ALL parts of the geologic time scale in correct order from broadest to narrowest?

a)

era, period, eon

b)

eon, era, period, epoch

c)

era, eon, epoch, period

d)

eon, era, epoch, period

11.

What era did trilobites, fish, and other marine organisms dominate?

a)

Precambrian

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Mesozoic

d)

Cenozoic

12.

Which era is the most recent, the one that we are currently in?

a)

Mesozoic

b)

Paleozoic

c)

Cenozoic

d)

Precambrian

13.
Scientists chose where units of geologic time began and ended based on major changes in life forms at certain times.
a)
true
b)
false
14.
At the end of the Mesozoic Era there was a mass extinction.  Which of the following is attributed as being the main cause?
a)
asteroid or comet impact
b)
major volcanic eruption
c)
earthquakes
d)
climatic changes
15.

Which is true?

a)

Humans have only lived for a very short time on the geologic timescale.

b)

Humans have lived on Earth since the beginning of the geologic timescale.

c)

Humans have lived on Earth since the beginning of the Cenozoic Era.

d)

Humans have lived on Earth for about half of the geologic timescale.

16.

This change in life marked the beginning of the paleozoic era and took us out of precambrian time.

a)

hard parts and exoskeletons

b)

soft parts and exoskeletons

c)

oxygen and soft parts

d)

oxygen and one celled organisms

17.

True or False. The permian extinction wiped out nearly 95% of all life on Earth 251 million years ago.

a)

True

b)

False

18.

When did the first birds appear?

a)

Cambrian

b)

Permian

c)

Cretaceous & Triassic

d)

Mesozoic and Jurassic

19.

During precambrian time, what species was most common?

a)

fish and amphibians

b)

bacteria and algae

c)

birds and reptiles

d)

mammals and plants

20.

The break up of this super continent at the end of the mesozoic era, created large amounts of diversity on Earth

a)

pangea

b)

panthalsia

c)

gondwana

d)

laurasia