History of the Earth Flashcards
What order did the Archean, Proterozoic, Hadean and the Phanerozoic era occur?
The order it occurred is HADEAN, ARCHEAN, PROTEROZOIC, AND PHANEROZOIC.
What order did the Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and Cenozoic era occur?
The order occurred was PALEOZOIC, MESOZOIC AND CENOZOIC.
What were the conditions on the surface of the Earth like during the Hadean Eon?
Very TOXIC ATMOSPHERE with VOLCANOES and MAGMA OCEANS.
e.g. formation of continental cratons, and the development of stromatolites.
Describe major events that occurred during the Archean Eon.
- EROSION started.
- CONTINENTAL CRUST formed.
- ATMOSPHERE changed from FOGGY TO TRANSPARENT.
What were the causes and consequences of the Great Oxygenation Event during the Proterozoic era?
Many life forms started to appear. Iron formed in oceans.
Explain the formation of “banded iron formation.” Why is it found only in Proterozoic rocks?
Organisms created OXYGEN which reacted with IRON which caused IRON OXIDE MINERALS which is why it’s only found in Proterozoic rocks.
Use SNOWBALL as HINT.
Describe the basic idea of the Snowball Earth hypothesis.
Major CLIMATE SHIFTS in late PROTEROZOIC, caused OCEAN TO FREEZE and entire PLANET WAS COLD.
Describe the basic changes in life during the Cambrian explosion (540 Ma).
Rapid DIVERSIFICATION, created NEW SPECIES.
Describe the basic changes in life during the Middle Ordovician (400 Ma).
CONTINENT RIPPED APART CREATING OCEANS.
Describe the basic changes in life during Late Devonian (370 Ma).
LAND ANIMALS CAME.
Describe the basic changes in life during the Early Carboniferous (340 Ma).
PLANTS WERE CREATED AND REPTILES WERE EVOLVING WITH EGGS.
Describe the basic changes in life during the Late Triassic (220 Ma).
AGE OF DINOSAURS.
Name and describe the causes and consequences of the major extinction events in Earth’s history.
CAUSES: GLACIATION AS IN THE ICE AGE.
IT KILLED A LOT OF SPECIES.
