p.17
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What geological features can occur at tectonic plate boundaries?
Mountain-building events, volcanoes, or valley/rift creation.
p.25
Paleozoic Era Overview
What caused the Devonian Extinction 358 million years ago?
Bacteria degraded algae and used all the oxygen, suffocating aquatic animals.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
Where was a sauropod dinosaur tail discovered?
In the Sahara Desert in Niger.
p.3
Paleozoic Era Overview
What natural event led to the unearthing of dinosaur footprints in Texas?
The drying up of a river.
p.4
Paleozoic Era Overview
What is a trilobite?
A type of extinct marine arthropod known for its three-lobed body structure.
p.10
Paleozoic Era Overview
How long did the Paleozoic Era last?
About 300 million years (541 to 252 million years ago).
p.25
Paleozoic Era Overview
How did plants contribute to the Devonian Extinction?
They reduced CO2 levels, inducing a colder climate.
p.9
Precambrian Time and Early Life
Where can Precambrian age stromatolite fossils be found?
Glacier National Park, Montana.
p.20
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What have cooling and warming periods caused on Earth?
They have covered much of the earth with glacial ice or melted the ice, drastically raising sea levels.
p.8
Absolute Dating Techniques
What is the significance of the 12C to 14C ratio in dating fossils?
It allows for the calculation of the fossil's age.
p.6
Relative Dating of Fossils
What are index fossils?
Fossils that identify deposits made at the same time in different parts of the world.
p.30
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What was one consequence of the asteroid impact during the Cretaceous extinction?
It triggered many volcanic eruptions.
p.22
Paleozoic Era Overview
When did the Ordovician extinction occur?
443 million years ago (mya).
p.27
Paleozoic Era Overview
When did the Permian Extinction occur?
252 million years ago (mya).
p.29
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
When did the Cretaceous extinction occur?
65 million years ago (mya).
p.10
Paleozoic Era Overview
What are some common fossils found from the Paleozoic Era?
Trilobites, cephalopods (like squid), insects, and ferns.
p.23
Paleozoic Era Overview
When did the Ordovician extinction occur?
443 million years ago (mya).
p.20
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What catastrophic events can lead to ecosystem destruction?
Collisions with large asteroids.
p.4
Relative Dating of Fossils
What can footprints indicate in the fossil record?
They provide evidence of the behavior and movement of ancient organisms.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
Which creatures dominated the land and air during the Mesozoic Era?
Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs.
p.6
Relative Dating of Fossils
What is an example of an index fossil mentioned?
Fossil ammonite (shelled cephalopods).
p.6
Relative Dating of Fossils
What did geologists discover about strata of the same age?
Each stratum contains certain index fossils.
p.15
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
Into how many periods is the Cenozoic Era divided?
Three periods: Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary.
p.7
Absolute Dating Techniques
What do absolute dating methods rely on?
Radiometric techniques to assign an actual date to a fossil.
p.21
Paleozoic Era Overview
What are mass extinctions?
Events that result in the significant loss of biodiversity, affecting both marine and terrestrial life.
Where are the majority of fossils found?
Embedded in or recently eroded from sedimentary rock.
What is sedimentation?
The gradual settling of particles of eroded and weathered rock and soil, called silt, carried by moving water.
p.21
Paleozoic Era Overview
What does the thickness of the horizontal, colored bars represent?
The varying abundance of each life-form considered during mass extinctions.
p.31
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
What is suggested to have caused the extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period?
The impact of a large bolide or crater-forming meteorite.
p.4
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What is an ichthyosaur?
A marine reptile that lived during the Mesozoic era, resembling modern dolphins.
p.19
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What phenomena does plate tectonics help explain?
Mountain building events, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
p.19
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
How do tectonic plates affect the Earth's surface?
They shift slowly on the planet's mantle, changing the Earth's surface.
p.8
Absolute Dating Techniques
How can the absolute date of a fossil be determined?
By comparing the 12C to 14C ratio of the fossil to that of a living organism.
p.20
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What opportunities can arise from shifts in ecosystems due to climate change?
They can create opportunities for the evolution of new species.
p.28
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What geological event triggered massive lava eruptions in the Atlantic Ocean during the Triassic era?
The breakup of the supercontinent Pangea.
p.24
Paleozoic Era Overview
What was the consequence of nutrient release from land plants in the Devonian?
Excessive growth of algae.
p.29
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What other creatures thrived during the Cretaceous period?
Birds, sharks, rays, turtles, snakes, and crocodiles.
p.29
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What event caused the abrupt halt of life during the Cretaceous period?
An asteroid hit the Earth.
p.31
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What factors may lead to mass extinctions?
Tectonic, oceanic, and climatic fluctuations, particularly due to continental drift.
p.4
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
What type of organism is represented by the term 'fish'?
Aquatic vertebrates that have gills and fins.
p.23
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What geological event contributed to the Ordovician extinction?
The quick formation of glaciers.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What significant geological event occurred during the Mesozoic Era?
Pangaea began separating into modern continents.
p.6
Relative Dating of Fossils
How do geologists use index fossils?
They use them in relative dating methods to determine the age of strata.
p.30
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What effect did the dust from the impact have on the Earth?
It blocked the Sun and caused the Earth to cool down.
p.7
Absolute Dating Techniques
What is a half-life in the context of radioactive isotopes?
The length of time it takes for half of the radioactive isotope to change into another stable element.
p.22
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What were the two main events that caused the Ordovician extinction?
An extreme ice age followed by rapid warming.
p.22
Geological Processes and Climate Change
How did sea plants contribute to global cooling during the Ordovician period?
They used all the CO2 from the air.
p.21
Paleozoic Era Overview
How many significant mass extinctions are noted?
Five significant mass extinctions.
p.18
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What happened to the continents after Pangaea began to separate?
All the continents began to separate.
p.19
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What can earthquakes and volcanoes lead to?
Geologic isolation or the wiping out of populations of species.
p.7
Absolute Dating Techniques
What isotope is used in radiocarbon dating?
14C, a rare carbon isotope.
p.21
Paleozoic Era Overview
How do mass extinctions affect marine life?
They can drastically reduce the abundance of certain marine species.
p.9
Precambrian Time and Early Life
What was the state of land during the Precambrian?
The land remained barren.
p.19
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What does the theory of plate tectonics explain?
How major landforms are created due to Earth's subterranean movements.
p.14
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
What are some common fossils found from the Cenozoic Era?
Cat-like carnivores, early horses, and woolly mammoths.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What is the time frame of the Mesozoic Era?
251.9 to 66.0 million years ago.
p.4
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What are ammonites?
Extinct marine mollusks with spiral shells, related to modern squids and octopuses.
p.23
Geological Processes and Climate Change
Why were some species unable to survive after the ice age?
They could not adapt to the warmer climate.
p.15
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
When did the Pleistocene Ice Ages begin?
About 2.6 million years ago.
p.9
Precambrian Time and Early Life
What types of creatures lived during the Precambrian?
Soft-bodied creatures like worms and jellyfish.
p.21
Paleozoic Era Overview
How do mass extinctions affect terrestrial life?
They can lead to the decline or extinction of various terrestrial species.
p.20
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What are the consequences of catastrophic events on species?
They can lead to the extinction of large numbers of species.
p.24
Paleozoic Era Overview
What were the main factors contributing to the Devonian extinction?
Depletion of oxygen, cooling, and volcanic activity.
p.28
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What environmental changes occurred due to volcanic activity during the Triassic era?
Global warming and ocean acidification.
p.26
Paleozoic Era Overview
Why is the Permian extinction considered the deadliest in history?
It resulted in the largest loss of biodiversity.
p.27
Paleozoic Era Overview
What effect did the immense quantities of gases have on the planet during the Permian Extinction?
Warmed the planet and acidified the water.
p.9
Precambrian Time and Early Life
What are common fossils found from the Precambrian period?
Mats of algae called stromatolites, microorganisms, and simple animals.
p.10
Paleozoic Era Overview
What types of organisms were abundant during the Paleozoic Era?
Fish and marine organisms.
What is a stratum?
A recognizable layer of sediment in a stratigraphic sequence.
p.14
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
What is a notable fossil from the Pliocene found in Idaho?
The fossil skull of the 'Hagerman Horse.'
p.23
Geological Processes and Climate Change
How did the formation of glaciers affect sea levels during the Ordovician extinction?
It lowered sea levels, reducing marine species' habitat.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What major mountain range rose during the Mesozoic Era?
The modern Rocky Mountains.
p.6
Relative Dating of Fossils
Why can strata containing the same index fossil be considered the same age?
Because the fossil has been found over a wide range and for a limited time period.
p.26
Geological Processes and Climate Change
What caused the vast amounts of carbon dioxide to be released during the Permian extinction?
Volcanic activity in Siberia igniting huge coal deposits.
What is silt?
Particles of eroded and weathered rock and soil that are carried by moving water.
p.25
Paleozoic Era Overview
What geological activity was significant during the Devonian Extinction?
There was a lot of volcanic activity in Siberia.
p.4
Paleozoic Era Overview
What is a fern?
A type of vascular plant that reproduces via spores and does not produce seeds.
p.28
Paleozoic Era Overview
What were the first two types of animals to appear during the Triassic era?
The first dinosaurs and the first mammals.
p.12
Mesozoic Era and Dinosaurs
What institution was involved in the discovery of the sauropod dinosaur bones?
The Museum and Kingston Polytechnic (now Kingston University).
p.15
Cenozoic Era and Mammals
What significant evidence of ice age animals can be found in caves?
Remains of animals that died in them or were transported there after death.
What does sediment form?
Layers of particles that vary in size and composition.
p.20
Geological Processes and Climate Change
How do long-term climate changes affect biodiversity?
They determine where different types of plants and animals can survive and can cause the extinction of some species.
p.19
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
What impact do tectonic movements have on climate and species distribution?
They allow the spread and evolution of species.
p.24
Paleozoic Era Overview
How did land plants affect the water during the Devonian period?
They released plenty of nutrients into the water.
p.26
Paleozoic Era Overview
When did the Permian extinction occur?
252 million years ago (mya).
p.26
Paleozoic Era Overview
What significant event marked the Permian period?
The appearance of the first land reptiles.
