Download Chapter 9

How to Use This Presentation
• To View the presentation as a slideshow with effects
select “View” on the menu bar and click on “Slide Show.”
• To advance through the presentation, click the right-arrow
key or the space bar.
• From the resources slide, click on any resource to see a
presentation for that resource.
• From the Chapter menu screen click on any lesson to go
directly to that lesson’s presentation.
• You may exit the slide show at any time by pressing
the Esc key.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Resources
Chapter Presentation
Transparencies
Visual Concepts
Standardized Test Prep
Brain Food Video Quiz
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
A View of Earth’s Past
Table of Contents
Section 1 Geologic Time
Section 2 Precambrian Time and the Paleozoic Era
Section 3 The Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Objectives
• Summarize how scientists worked together to
develop the geologic column.
• List the major divisions of geologic time.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
The Geologic Column
geologic column an ordered arrangement of rock layers that is
based on the relative ages of the rocks and in which the oldest
rocks are at the bottom.
• Evidence of changing conditions on Earth’s surface is recorded
in the rock layers of Earth’s crust.
• The geologic time scale outlines the development of Earth and
of life on Earth.
• No single area on Earth contained a record of all geologic time,
so scientists combined observations to create a standard
geologic column.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
The Geologic Column, continued
• Rock layers in a geologic column are distinguished
by the types of rock the layers are made of and by
the kinds of fossils the layers contain.
• Fossils in the upper layers resemble modern plants
and animals.
• Many of the fossils discovered in old layers are from
species that have been extinct for millions of years.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
The Geologic Column, continued
Reading Check
Where would you find fossils of extinct animals on a
geologic column?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
The Geologic Column, continued
Reading Check
Where would you find fossils of extinct animals on a
geologic column?
You would find fossils of extinct animals in older layers
of a geologic column.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
The Geologic Column, continued
Using a Geologic Column
• Scientists use geologic columns to estimate the age of rock
layers that cannot be dated radiometrically.
• To determine the layer’s age, scientists compare a given rock
layer with a similar layer in a geologic column that contains the
same fossils or that has the same relative position.
• If the two layers match, they likely formed at about the same
time.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time
• The geologic history of Earth is marked by major
changes in Earth’s surface, climate, and types of
organisms.
• Geologists use these indicators to divide the geologic
time scale into smaller units.
• Rocks grouped within each unit contain similar fossils
and each unit is generally characterized by fossils of
a dominant life-form.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Eons and Eras
• The largest unit of geologic unit of time is an eon.
Geologic time is divided into four eons: the Hadean
eon, the Archean eon, the Proterozoic eon, and the
Phanerozoic eon.
• The first three eons are part of a time interval
commonly known as Precambrian Time. This 4 billion
year interval contains most of Earth’s history.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Eons and Eras
era a unit of geologic time that includes two or more
periods
• After Precambrian time the Phanerozoic eon began.
This eon is divided into smaller units of geologic time
called eras.
• The first era of the Phanerozoic eon was the
Paleozoic Era, which lasted 292 million years.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Eons and Eras
• Paleozoic rocks contain fossils of a wide variety of marine and
terrestrial life forms.
• After the Paleozoic Era the Mesozoic Era began and lasted
about 183 million years.
• Mesozoic fossils include early forms of birds and reptiles.
• The present era is the Cenozoic Era, which began 65 million
years ago. Fossils of mammals are common in Cenozoic rocks.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Eons and Eras
period a unit of geologic time that is longer than an epoch but
shorter than an era
epoch a subdivision of geologic time that is longer than an age but
shorter than a period.
• Eras are divided into shorter time units called periods. Each
period is characterized by specific fossils and is usually named
for the location in which the fossils were first discovered.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Divisions of Geologic Time, continued
Eons and Eras
• Where the rock record is most complete and least
deformed, a detailed fossil record may allow
scientists to divide period into shorter time units
called epochs.
• Epochs may be divided into smaller units of time
called ages.
• Ages are defined by the occurrence of distinct fossils
in the fossil record.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 1 Geologic Time
Earth-History Clock
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Objectives
• Summarize how evolution is related to geologic
change.
• Identify two characteristics of Precambrian rock.
• Identify one major geologic and two major biological
developments during the Paleozoic Era.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Evolution
evolution an inheritable change in the characteristics
within a population from one generation to the next;
the development of new types of organisms from
preexisting types of organisms over time
• By examining rock layers and fossils, scientists have
discovered evidence that species of livings things
have changed over time.
• Scientists call this process evolution.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Evolution, continued
Evolution and Geologic Change
• Scientists think that evolution occurs by means of
natural selection. Evidence for evolution included the
similarity in skeletal structures of animals.
• Major geologic and climatic changes can affect the
ability of some organisms to survive.
• By using geologic evidence, scientists try to
determine how environmental changes affected
organisms in the past.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Evolution, continued
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Evolution, continued
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Time
Precambrian time the interval of time in the geologic
time scale from Earth’s formation to the beginning of
the Paleozoic era, from 4.6 billion to 542 million years
ago.
• The time interval that began with the formation of
Earth and ended about 542 million years ago is
known as Precambrian time, which makes up 88% of
Earth’s history.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Time, continued
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Time, continued
• The Precambrian rock record is difficult to interpret,
therefore we do not know much about what
happened during that time.
• Most Precambrian rocks have been so severely
deformed and altered by tectonic activity that the
original order of rock layers is rarely identifiable.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Time, continued
Precambrian Rocks
• Large areas of exposed Precambrian rocks, called
shields, exist on every continent.
• Nearly half of the valuable mineral deposits in the
world occur in the rocks of Precambrian shields.
• These valuable minerals include nickel, iron, gold,
and copper.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Time, continued
Precambrian Life
• Fossils are rare in Precambrian rocks mostly
because Precambrian life-forms lacked bones, or
other hard parts that commonly form fossils.
• One of the few Precambrian fossils that have been
discovered are stromatolites.
• The presence of stromatolite fossils in Precambrian
rocks indicates that shallow seas covered much of
Earth during that time.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era
Paleozoic Era the geologic era that followed
Precambrian time and that lasted from 542 million to
251 million years ago.
• Paleozoic rocks hold an abundant fossil record. The
number of plant and animal species on Earth
increased dramatically at the beginning of the
Paleozoic Era.
• Because of this rich fossil record, the Paleozoic Era
has been divided into seven periods.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Cambrian Period
• The Cambrian Period is the first period of the
Paleozoic Era.
• Marine invertebrates thrived in the warm waters that
existed during this time.
• The most common of the Cambrian invertebrates
were trilobites. Scientists use many trilobites as index
fossils to date rocks to the Cambrian Period.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Cambrian Period
• The second most common animals of the Cambrian
Period were the brachiopods, a group of shelled
animals.
• Fossils indicated that at least 15 different families of
brachiopods existed during this period.
• Other common Cambrian invertebrates include
worms, jellyfish, snails, and sponges.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Name three common invertebrates from the Cambrian
Period.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Name three common invertebrates from the Cambrian
Period.
Your answer should include three of the following:
brachiopods, trilobites, jellyfish, worms, snails, and
sponges.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Ordovician Period
• During this period, populations of trilobites began to shrink, and
clamlike brachiopods and cephalopod mollusks became the
dominant invertebrate life-form.
• Colonies of graptolites also flourished in the oceans, and the
first vertebrates appeared.
• The most primitive vertebrates were fish, which did not have
jaws or teeth and were covered with thick, bony plates.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Silurian Period
• During the Silurian Period, echinoderms, relatives of
modern sea stars, and corals became more common.
• Scorpion-like sea creatures called eurypterids also
existed during this period.
• Near the end of this period, the earliest land plants as
well as animals evolved on land.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Devonian Period
• The Devonian Period is called the Age of Fishes because fossils
of many bony fishes were discovered in rocks of this period.
• On type of fish, called a lungfish, had the ability to breathe air.
Another type of fish, Rhipidistians, were air-breathing fish that
had strong fins that may have allowed them to crawl onto the
land for short periods of time.
• Land plants, such as giant horsetails, ferns, and cone-bearing
plants also began to develop during this period.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Carboniferous Period
• In North America, the Carbiniferous Period is divided
into the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Periods.
• During this time, the climate was warm, and forests
and swamps covered most of the world.
• Amphibians and fish continued to flourish, and the
first vertebrates that were adapted to live on land
appeared.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 2 Precambrian Time and
the Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic Era, continued
The Permian Period
• The Permian Period marks the end of the Paleozoic Era,
because a mass extinction of a several life-forms occurred at the
end of this period.
• During this time, the continents had joined to form Pangaea, and
as a result, the seas that covered the world retreated.
• As the seas retreated, several species of marine life became
extinct. But, reptiles and amphibians survived the environmental
changes.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
Objectives
• List the periods of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras.
• Identify two major geologic and biological
developments during the Mesozoic Era.
• Identify two major geologic and biological
developments during the Cenozoic Era.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era
mass extinction an episode during which large
numbers of species become extinct
Mesozoic Era the geologic era that lasted from 251
million to 65.5 million years ago; also called the Age
of Reptiles.
• Earth’s surface changed dramatically during the
Mesozoic Era. Pangaea broke into smaller
continents, and the climate was warm and humid.
• Lizards, turtles, snakes and dinosaurs flourished
during this era.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
The Triassic Period
• The Mesozoic Era is known as the Age of Reptiles and is
divided into three periods: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the
Cretaceous Periods.
• The Triassic period marked the appearance of dinosaurs. Most
dinosaurs were about 4 m to 5 m long and moved very quickly.
• Reptiles called ichthyosaurs lived in the oceans. The ammonite,
a marine invertebrate, was dominant, and serves as a Mesozoic
index fossil.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
The Jurassic Period
• Two major groups of dinosaurs evolved during the
Jurassic Period: the saurischians, or “lizard-hipped”
dinosaurs, and the ornithischians, or “bird-hipped”
dinosaurs.
• Brontosauruses, now called Apatosauruses were
saurischians. Stegosauruses and Pterosaurs were
ornithischians.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Name two fossils that were discovered in the fossil
record of the Jurassic Period.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Name two fossils that were discovered in the fossil
record of the Jurassic Period.
Your answer could include any two of the following:
Archaeopteryx, pterosaurs, Apatosaurus, and
Stegosaurus
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
The Cretaceous Period
• Among the common Cretaceous dinosaurs were the
Tyrannosaurus Rex, the ankylosaurs, the ceratopsians, and the
hadrosaurs.
• The earliest flowering plants, or angiosperms, appeared during
this period. The most common of these plants were magnolias
and willows.
• Later, trees such as maples, oaks, and walnuts became
abundant.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Mesozoic Era, continued
The Cretaceous-Tertiary Mass Extinction
• The Cretaceous Period ended in another mass extinction. No
dinosaur fossils have been found in rocks that formed after the
Cretaceous Period.
• Many scientists accept the impact hypothesis as the explanation
for the extinction of the dinosaurs. This hypothesis is that about
65 million years ago, a giant meteorite crashed into Earth.
• The impact of the collision raised enough dust to block the sun’s
rays for many years, resulting in a colder climate that caused
plant life to die and many animal species to become extinct.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
Mass Extinction
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era
Cenozoic Era the current geologic era, which began 65.5 million
years ago; also called the Age of Mammals
• During the Cenozoic Era, dramatic changes in climate have
occurred. As temperatures decreased during the ice ages, new
species that were adapted to life in cooler climates appeared.
• Mammals became the dominant life-form and underwent many
changes.
• The Cenozoic Era is divided into two periods: the Tertiary Period
and the Quaternary Period.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Quaternary and Tertiary Periods
• The Tertiary Period includes the time before the last
ice age, and is divided into five epochs: The
Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and
Pliocene Epochs.
• The Quaternary Period began with the last ice age
and includes the present.
• The Quaternary is divided into two epochs: The
Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Paleocene and Eocene Epochs
• The fossil record indicates that during the Paleocene
Epoch many new mammals, such as small rodents,
evolved.
• Other mammals, including the earliest known
ancestor of the horse, first whales, flying squirrels,
and bats, evolved during this time.
• Worldwide, temperatures dropped by about 4ºC at
the end of the Eocene Epoch.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Oligocene and Miocene Epochs
• During these epochs, the worldwide climate became
significantly cooler and drier. The modern Antarctic
icecap began to form. The Mediterranean Sea dried
up and refilled several times.
• This climate change caused many early mammals to
become extinct. However large species of deer, pigs,
horses, camels, cats, and dogs flourished. Also, the
climate change favored grasses, cone-bearing, and
hardwood trees.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Pliocene Epoch
• During the Pliocene Epoch, animals such as bears,
dogs, and cats, evolved into modern forms.
Herbivores, such as the giant ground sloth,
flourished.
• Dramatic climatic changes occurred, and the
continental ice sheets began to spread. The Bering
land bridge and the Central American land bridge
formed, allowing various species to migrate between
the continents.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Why did sea level fall in the Pliocene Epoch?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
Reading Check
Why did sea level fall in the Pliocene Epoch?
During the ice ages, water from the ocean was frozen
as ice, so the amount of liquid water in the seas
decreased and sea level fell.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Pleistocene Epoch
• During the Pleistocene Epoch, ice sheets in Europe
and North America advanced and retreated several
times.
• Some animals had certain features that allowed them
to survive the cold climate, such as the thick fur that
covered woolly mammoths.
• Other species survived by moving to warmer regions,
while some species eventually became extinct.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Pleistocene Epoch
• Fossils of the earliest ancestors of modern humans
were discovered in Pleistocene sediments.
• Evidence of more-modern human ancestors indicated
that early humans may have been hunters.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Section 3 The Mesozoic and
Cenozoic Eras
The Cenozoic Era, continued
The Holocene Epoch
• The Holocene Epoch began as the last glacial period
ended. As the ice sheets melted, sea level rose about
140 m, and the coastlines took on their present
shapes.
• Modern humans developed agriculture and began to
make and use tools made of bronze and iron.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Maps In Action
Maps in Action
Fossil Evidence for Gondwanaland
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
A View of Earth’s Past
Brain Food Video Quiz
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice
1. Dinosaurs first became the dominant life-forms
during which geologic period?
A. Quaternary Period
B. Jurassic Period
C. Triassic Period
D. Cretaceous Period
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
1. Dinosaurs first became the dominant life-forms
during which geologic period?
A. Quaternary Period
B. Jurassic Period
C. Triassic Period
D. Cretaceous Period
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
2. Pangaea broke into separate continents during
F.
G.
H.
I.
the Paleozoic Era.
the Mesozoic Era.
the Cenozoic Era.
Precambrian time.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
2. Pangaea broke into separate continents during
F.
G.
H.
I.
the Paleozoic Era.
the Mesozoic Era.
the Cenozoic Era.
Precambrian time.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
3. Why are fossils rarely found in Precambrian rock?
A. Most Precambrian organisms did not have hard
body parts that commonly form fossils.
B. Precambrian rock is buried too deeply for
geologists to study it.
C. Most Precambrian organisms were too small to
leave fossil remains.
D. Precambrian rock is made of a material that
prevented the formation of fossils.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
3. Why are fossils rarely found in Precambrian rock?
A. Most Precambrian organisms did not have hard
body parts that commonly form fossils.
B. Precambrian rock is buried too deeply for
geologists to study it.
C. Most Precambrian organisms were too small to
leave fossil remains.
D. Precambrian rock is made of a material that
prevented the formation of fossils.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
4. Which of the following statements describes a principle of natural
selection?
F.
The environment has more than enough resources to
support all of the individuals that are born in a given
ecosystem.
G. Only individuals well-suited to the environment are likely to
survive and reproduce.
H. Individuals in a healthy population are identical and have the
same traits.
I. Most species produce plentiful offspring that will all live until
maturity and reproduce.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Multiple Choice, continued
4. Which of the following statements describes a principle of natural
selection?
F.
The environment has more than enough resources to
support all of the individuals that are born in a given
ecosystem.
G. Only individuals well-suited to the environment are likely to
survive and reproduce.
H. Individuals in a healthy population are identical and have the
same traits.
I. Most species produce plentiful offspring that will all live until
maturity and reproduce.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response
5. What is the term for the largest unit of geologic
time?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response, continued
5. What is the term for the largest unit of geologic
time?
An era
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response, continued
6. What is the term for the gradual development of
organism from other organisms by means of natural
selection?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response, continued
6. What is the term for the gradual development of
organism from other organisms by means of natural
selection?
evolution
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response, continued
7. Why is the Cenozoic Era also known as the Age of
the Mammals?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Short Response, continued
7. Why is the Cenozoic Era also known as the Age of
the Mammals?
Mammals became the dominant life-forms and
underwent many evolutionary changes during this
era.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills
Read the passage below. Then, answer questions 8–11.
The Discovery of a Dinosaur
In 1995, paleontologist Paul Sereno was working in a previously unexplored
region of Morocco when his team made an astounding discovery - an enormous
dinosaur skull. The skill was nearly 1.6 m long. Given the size of the skull, Sereno
concluded that the skeleton of the animal that it came from must have been about
14 m long - about as long as a full-sized school bus. The dinosaur was even larger
than the Tyrannosaurus rex. The newly discovered dinosaur was thought to be 90
million years old. It most likely chased other dinosaurs by running on large, powerful
hind legs, and its bladelike teeth must have meant certain death for its prey.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
8. Which of the following is evidence that the dinosaur
described in the passage above was most likely a
predator?
A. It had sharp, bladelike teeth.
B. It had a large skeleton and powerful hind legs
used for running.
C. It was found next to the bones of a smaller
animal.
D. It was more than 90 million years old.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
8. Which of the following is evidence that the dinosaur
described in the passage above was most likely a
predator?
A. It had sharp, bladelike teeth.
B. It had a large skeleton and powerful hind legs
used for running.
C. It was found next to the bones of a smaller
animal.
D. It was more than 90 million years old.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
9. What types of information do you think that fossilized
teeth provide about an organism?
F.
G.
H.
I.
the color of its skin
the types of food it ate
the speed at which it ran
the mating habits it had
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
9. What types of information do you think that fossilized
teeth provide about an organism?
F.
G.
H.
I.
the color of its skin
the types of food it ate
the speed at which it ran
the mating habits it had
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
10. According to the passage, which of the following
statements is true?
A.
B.
C.
D.
This dinosaur was most likely a predator.
This skull belonged to a large Tyrannosaurus rex.
This dinosaur had powerful arms.
This dinosaur ate mainly plants and berries.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
10. According to the passage, which of the following
statements is true?
A.
B.
C.
D.
This dinosaur was most likely a predator.
This skull belonged to a large Tyrannosaurus rex.
This dinosaur had powerful arms.
This dinosaur ate mainly plants and berries.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
11. What are some methods that scientist might have
used to determine that the age of the dinosaur skull
was 90 million years old?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued
11. What are some methods that scientist might have
used to determine that the age of the dinosaur skull
was 90 million years old?
Your answer should include the following points: an
understanding that scientists not only can, but usually do, use
multiple means of authentication when dating the remains of
ancient plants and animals. Scientists could use carbon dating
to determine the skull’s age; scientists could also use nearby
index fossils and stratigraphic layers to further support their
carbon dating results.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics
Use the figure below to answer questions 12 -14. The
timeline shows the time divisions of the Mesozoic and
Cenozoic eras.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
12. Human civilization developed during which of the
following periods of time?
A. Triassic Period
B. Jurassic Period
C. Tertiary Period
D. Quaternary Period
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
12. Human civilization developed during which of the
following periods of time?
A. Triassic Period
B. Jurassic Period
C. Tertiary Period
D. Quaternary Period
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
13. If Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, what
percentage of Earth’s total history did the Cenozoic
period fill?
F.
G.
H.
I.
About 1.5 %
About 10.5%
About 15%
About 50%
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
13. If Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, what
percentage of Earth’s total history did the Cenozoic
period fill?
F.
G.
H.
I.
About 1.5 %
About 10.5%
About 15%
About 50%
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
14. Which event coincides with the start of the Cenozoic
Era?
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
14. Which event coincides with the start of the Cenozoic
Era?
The mass extinction of the dinosaurs.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
The graph below shows data on global temperature
changes during the last millennium. Use this graph to
answer question 15.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
15. How do you think the temperature changes during
the Little Ice Age of the Middle Ages affected the
freezing and thawing of global waters? Explain your
answer.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
15. How do you think the temperature changes during
the Little Ice Age of the Middle Ages affected the
freezing and thawing of global waters? Explain your
answer.
During the Little Ice Age, glaciers did not increase in
size by very much, but local freezing dates came
earlier and thawing dates came later.
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
The Geologic Time
Scale
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Similar Skeletal Structures of Mammals
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Precambrian Time and the Paleozoic Era
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
The Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Chapter 9
Fossil Evidence for Gondwanaland
Chapter menu
Resources
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.