Geologic Time
It is the subdivisions of eras
Periods
What type of fossil is formed when an organism decays after being buried, leaving a hollow impression of its shape?
Mold fossil
What term describes the evidence fossils provide about how species have changed over time?
Evolutionary Transitions
It is the collisions with large celestial objects can trigger fires, tsunamis, and “impact winters,” drastically altering ecosystems.
Asteroid or comet impacts
What is a catastrophic event in which a large percentage of Earth’s species disappear in a short span of time?
Mass Extinction
What era is known for the Cambrian Explosion, when most major animal groups first appeared?
Paleozoic Era
What type of fossil preserves an organism almost entirely, sometimes including soft tissues, hair, or original material?
Preserved Remains
What do fossils help scientists determine about an organism?
Age of Organisms
What mass extinction is known as “The Great Dying,” with ~96% of species lost?
Permian-Triassic
During what epoch did megafauna like mammoths and saber-toothed cats thrive?
Pleistocene Epoch
What eon is characterized by a major increase in the diversity and complexity of life, along with significant changes in Earth’s climate, geography, and ecosystems?
Phanerozoic Eon
A fossil shows a thin, dark outline of a leaf, preserving delicate surface details but no actual tissue. What type of fossil is this?
Carbon Film Fossil
What fossil shows features of both fish and early amphibians, providing evidence of the transition from water to land?
Tiktaalik
What cause of mass extinction occurs when large-scale volcanic eruptions release lava, ash, and gases like carbon dioxide?
Intense volcanic activity
What method did the scientists used to compare fossils from different rock layers and also measure radioactive decay in some fossils?
Relative Dating
During what period did early humans first appear and modern ecosystems begin to take shape?
Neogene Period
Scientists find a three-dimensional replica of an organism in rock, created when minerals filled a hollow left by the decayed organism. What fossil type is this?
Cast fossil
What can plant fossils reveal about past conditions, such as tropical, arid, or temperate climates?
Environmental Conditions
What mass extinction event caused the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs around 66 million years ago?
Cretaceous-Paleogene
During what period did mammals rapidly diversify in size and form after the extinction of the dinosaurs?
Paleogene Period
What type of prokaryote formed stromatolites and performed photosynthesis, gradually releasing oxygen into the atmosphere?
Cyanobacteria
A set of fossilized footprints and burrows are found at a site. These do not include any part of the animal’s body but provide clues about its behavior. What type of fossils are these?
Trace Fossils
A fossil contains radioactive elements that allow scientists to calculate the exact number of years since the organism lived. What dating method is this?
Radiometric Dating
What cause of mass extinction involves rapid shifts in global temperatures that can make environments uninhabitable for many species?
Sudden climate change
What era, called the Age of Mammals, saw mammals rapidly diversify and become the dominant terrestrial animals?
Cenozoic Era