Geologic Time and Evolution Study Guide

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on the study guide for geologic eras, extinction, and evolutionary history.

Glacial grooves

Marks left by glaciers that show where they moved during the ice age.

Cambrian Explosion

A time when many new multi-cellular life forms appeared due to evolution.

Mesozoic Era

A period known for dinosaurs, the formation of mountains, and a mass extinction.

Australian Marsupials

Animals that started in South America and evolved in isolation after continents shifted.

Geologic Time Scale

A timeline that uses fossils to show when mass extinctions and new species occurred.

Geographic Isolation

When species are separated by physical barriers like mountains or oceans.

Extinction

When a species completely disappears.

Coal beds

Coal formed from plant material in tropical swamp environments.

Age of Mammals

Also known as the Cenozoic Era, marked by the success of mammals.

Mass extinction

When many species die out in a short time, often due to changes in environment.