Geological Time Scale Chart

Question 1

Geological setting, climate, life of the Precambrian eon?

Answer 1

Geological setting: tectonic plates of the lithosphere formed and moved; large land masses appeared
Climate:
Life: all life was bacterial; increase of oxygen made it possible for algae, protists, animals, and fungi to eventually adapt.

Question 2

Geological setting, climate, life of the Cambrian Period.

Answer 2

Geological setting: oceans and shallow seas covered most of the Earth
Climate: warmer than today
Life: marine invertebrates

Question 3

Geological setting, climate, life of the Ordovician Period.

Answer 3

Geological setting: land was collected together; volcanic activity
Climate: Major glaciation happened late in this period; lack of oxygen in the water
Life: snails and clams appeared for the first time

Question 4

Geological setting, climate, life of the Silurian Period.

Answer 4

Geological setting: large glacial formations and the rise in sea level; major mountain building occured which resulted in the formation of mountain chains
Climate: stabilized
Life: many changes in the populations of fish occured such as the rise of jawless fish

Question 5

Geological setting, climate, life of the Devonian Period.

Answer 5

Geological setting: much volcanic activity and earthquakes
Climate: much like present
Life: first land vertebrates were the amphibians (frogs)

Question 6

Geological setting, climate, life of the Carboniferous Period.

Answer 6

Geological setting: tropical swamp forest and terrestrial habitats became more common and widespread
Climate: more tropical and humid than today
Life: there was an increase in land habitat

Question 7

Geological setting, climate, life of the Permian Period.

Answer 7

Geological setting: Earth’s crustal plates arranged into the supercontinent known as Pangea.
Climate: seasonal changes and extreme temperatures
Life: largest mass extinction recorded on Earth and over 90% of marine species became extinct

Question 8

Geological setting, climate, life of the Triassic Period.

Answer 8

Geological setting: continents were of a much higher elevation than sea level so there were no shallow seas
Climate: dry and arid climate conditions
Life: first dinosaurs

Question 9

Geological setting, climate, life of the Jurassic Period.

Answer 9

Geological setting:
Climate: dry and warm
Life:

Question 10

Geological setting, climate, life of the Cretaceous Period.

Answer 10

Geological setting: coastlines developed from Pangea splitting
Climate: seasons became more pronounced and the global climate became cooler
Life: dinosaurs all went extinct

Question 11

Geological setting, climate, life of the Tertiary Period.

Answer 11

Geological setting: mountain ranges occured (Rocky, Appalachian, Alps, Pyrenees)
Climate: climate was warm and humid; by mid-era the temperatures became cool
Life: mammals such as wooly mammoths and mastodons grew to huge sizes and increased in population; they then died off during the ice age