N/A Quiz

Question 1

Approximately how old do scientists think Earth is?

Answer 1

4.54 billion years old

Question 1

Which span of geologic time spans covers about 88 percent of Earth’s history?

Answer 1

Precambrian

Question 2

What gasses were part of Earth’s original atmosphere?

Answer 2

Water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen

Question 3

What is the major source of free oxygen in the atmosphere?

Answer 3

Evolved Primary plants that used photosynthesis

Question 4

According to the Precambrian rock record, what element composes much of Earth’s first free oxygen?

Answer 4

Iron composed Earth’s first free oxygen

Question 5

How far back does the fossil record extend?

Answer 5

The fossil record extends up to 4.1 billion years ago

Question 6

Name the layered mounds of calcium carbonate where most common Precambrian fossils are found.

Answer 6

Stromatolites

Question 7

Which era immediately follows the Precambrian?

Answer 7

Paleozoic era

Question 8

How long did the Paleozoic era last?

Answer 8

289 million years

Question 9

When did abundant fossil evidence first appear in the geologic record?

Answer 9

565 million years ago

Question 10

During the early Paleozoic era, South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, India, and perhaps China comprised what vast southern continent?

Answer 10

Gondwana

Question 11

Laurasia was made up of which modern continents?

Answer 11

North America and Eurasia

Question 12

In the early Paleozoic, what environment was life restricted in?

Answer 12

Early Paleozoic was restricted to seas

Question 13

What important event in animal evolution marks the beginning of the Cambrian?

Answer 13

Cambrian explosion

Question 14

During the Pennsylvanian period, large tropical swamps extended across North America, eventually forming what natural resource?

Answer 14

Vast coal deposits

Question 15

What event may have triggered the great Paleozoic extinction?

Answer 15

The world’s climate became very seasonal which is believed to cause the dramatic extinction of many species

Question 16

Which period is known as the “age of fishes”?

Answer 16

Devonian period

Question 17

Why did amphibians diversify so rapidly during the late Paleozoic?

Answer 17

The amphibians diversified rapidly because they had minimal competition from other land dwellers

Question 18

How did hard parts help animals?

Answer 18

Hard parts allowed animals to more drastically engineer their environments

Question 19

What were the first truly large organisms on Earth?

Answer 19

The first truly large organisms are rangeomorphs

Question 20

During which era did the super continent Pangaea began to break up?

Answer 20

Mesozoic era

Question 21

What animals dominated the Mesozoic Era?

Answer 21

Dinosaurs and reptiles

Question 22

Which animals did NOT survive the Mesozoic extinction?

Answer 22

Reptile groups

Question 23

What likely contributed to the extinction that marks the end of the Mesozoic Era?

Answer 23

Reptile groups

Question 24

Why did many plants die at the end of the Mesozoic?

Answer 24

Climate turning extremely dry and possible dust from a meteorite collision blocking sunlight therefore also photosynthesis

Question 25

Which period represents the last 2 million years of geologic time?

Answer 25

The Quaternary period

Question 26

What caused many events of mountain building, volcanism, and earthquakes in western North America during the Cenozoic?

Answer 26

Plate tectonics/interactions

Question 27

What is the reason birds evolved rapidly during the Cenozoic era?

Answer 27

The asteroid/meteorite

Question 28

Identify the changes in development and specialization that primitive mammals underwent?

Answer 28

Bear live young and maintained a steady body temperature

Question 29

How are mammals distinct from reptiles?

Answer 29

Warm blooded, developing insulating body hair, and having more efficient heart and lungs

Question 30

When did mammals become dominant?

Answer 30

Late Cenozoic or also meteorite/asteroid