Studied by 3 peopleAge of Earth
4.54 billion years old
Largest time span of Earth’s history
Precambrian
Shields
areas of Precambrian rock exposed at Earth’s surface
Gasses of Earth’s early atmosphere
Water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide
How did these early gasses form?
Volcanic eruptions
Significance of “Red Beds”
They showed when free oxygen was available because the rocks rusted
When did the first fossils form?
3.5 billion years ago
Stromatolites
Most common Precambrian fossils, the houses that were built by cyanobacteria
Order of the Eras
Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic
Length of the Paleozoic Era
292 million years
How many million years ago did abundant fossil information become available?
540 million years ago, after the Cambrian life explosion
Which continents make up Gondwana?
South America, Africa, Australia, and India
Which continents make up Laurasia?
North America, Europe, parts of Asia, and Siberia
When did Pangaea form?
End of the Paleozoic
Where was most life found during the Paleozoic?
In oceans or along coastlines
When did coal swamps form?
Carboniferous
When did the “Age of Fishes” occur?
Devonian
How did “hard parts” help animals survive and evolve?
They protected animals from predators and waves, giving them a longer life span and allowing them to reproduce.
What is meant by the “Cambrian explosion” of life
many new organisms evolved rapidly in a relatively short time span, and when most major animal groups appear in the fossil record.
When did Pangaea begin to break apart?
During the Mesozoic
What was the noteworthy tectonic event tool that took place 200 million years ago?
Pangaea began to break up
Which “group” do dinosaurs technically belong to?
They are considered reptiles
Which animals were the first to inhabit the land?
Reptiles
Which animal linked birds to dinosaurs?
Archaeopteryx
What caused the extinction of dinosaurs?
Large meteorite colliding with Earth
What period are we part of?
Quaternary
What causes mountain building?
Collision of two landmasses by plate movement
Which mountains formed during the Cenozoic?
Himalayas, Alps, and the Rockies
Why are Milankovitch cycles considered the cause of Ice Ages?
The ways the Earth spins causes periods of warming and cooling
Mammals
warm-blooded, insulating body hair, adaptations to survive in cold regions
Reptiles
cold-blooded, no insulating body hair, no adaptations to survive in cold temperatures
When did Mammals become the dominant land animals?
After the extinction of dinosaurs
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