N/A Quiz Flashcards
Approximately how old do scientists think Earth is?
4.54 billion years old
Which span of geologic time spans covers about 88 percent of Earth’s history?
Precambrian
What gasses were part of Earth’s original atmosphere?
Water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen
What is the major source of free oxygen in the atmosphere?
Evolved Primary plants that used photosynthesis
According to the Precambrian rock record, what element composes much of Earth’s first free oxygen?
Iron composed Earth’s first free oxygen
How far back does the fossil record extend?
The fossil record extends up to 4.1 billion years ago
Name the layered mounds of calcium carbonate where most common Precambrian fossils are found.
Stromatolites
Which era immediately follows the Precambrian?
Paleozoic era
How long did the Paleozoic era last?
289 million years
When did abundant fossil evidence first appear in the geologic record?
565 million years ago
During the early Paleozoic era, South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, India, and perhaps China comprised what vast southern continent?
Gondwana
Laurasia was made up of which modern continents?
North America and Eurasia
In the early Paleozoic, what environment was life restricted in?
Early Paleozoic was restricted to seas
What important event in animal evolution marks the beginning of the Cambrian?
Cambrian explosion
During the Pennsylvanian period, large tropical swamps extended across North America, eventually forming what natural resource?
Vast coal deposits
What event may have triggered the great Paleozoic extinction?
The world’s climate became very seasonal which is believed to cause the dramatic extinction of many species
Which period is known as the “age of fishes”?
Devonian period
Why did amphibians diversify so rapidly during the late Paleozoic?
The amphibians diversified rapidly because they had minimal competition from other land dwellers
How did hard parts help animals?
Hard parts allowed animals to more drastically engineer their environments
What were the first truly large organisms on Earth?
The first truly large organisms are rangeomorphs
During which era did the super continent Pangaea began to break up?
Mesozoic era
What animals dominated the Mesozoic Era?
Dinosaurs and reptiles
Which animals did NOT survive the Mesozoic extinction?
Reptile groups
What likely contributed to the extinction that marks the end of the Mesozoic Era?
Reptile groups
Why did many plants die at the end of the Mesozoic?
Climate turning extremely dry and possible dust from a meteorite collision blocking sunlight therefore also photosynthesis
Which period represents the last 2 million years of geologic time?
The Quaternary period
What caused many events of mountain building, volcanism, and earthquakes in western North America during the Cenozoic?
Plate tectonics/interactions
What is the reason birds evolved rapidly during the Cenozoic era?
The asteroid/meteorite
Identify the changes in development and specialization that primitive mammals underwent?
Bear live young and maintained a steady body temperature
How are mammals distinct from reptiles?
Warm blooded, developing insulating body hair, and having more efficient heart and lungs
When did mammals become dominant?
Late Cenozoic or also meteorite/asteroid
