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Eras and Periods Trivia Quiz

This is a short quiz on the eras and periods scientists use to describe the past history of the earth.

A multiple-choice quiz by GeniusBoy. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
GeniusBoy

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
48,343

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1166

Last 3 plays: Guest 131 (6/10), LauraMcC (8/10), Guest 50 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the oldest period? Hint

Quaternary

Cambrian

Pre-Cambrian

Ordovician

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What era is it right now (A.D. 2001)? Hint

Mesozoic

Cenozoic

Paleozoic

Quaternary

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. The dinosaurs first began to dominate in what period?

Answer: (____ Park by Michael Crichton)

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Question 4 of 10

4. The greatest extinction the planet has ever known took place in which period, which ended 250 million years ago? Hint

Cretaceous

Permian

Triassic

Silurian

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Which era, beginning 544 million years ago, saw an explosion of life on earth with its first period, the Cambrian? Hint

Cenozoic

Cryptozoic

Paleozoic

Mesozoic

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. The first amniotes appeared in which period? Hint

Permian

Devonian

Carboniferous

Ordovician

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. In which period, in the Paleozoic, did the first jawed fish appear? Hint

Triassic

Ordovician

Cambrian

Silurian

8. When the Cretaceous period ended 65 million years ago and the dinosaurs disappeared, mammals began to dominate the planet. During which period (right after the Cretaceous) did mammals begin to dominate? Hint

Tertiary

Cenozoic

Quaternary

Devonian

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The dinosaurs and mammals both appear in the fossil record in which period, in the Mesozoic Era? Hint

Tertiary

Jurassic

Triassic

Cretaceous

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Lastly, what period are we living in? Hint

Ordovician

Tertiary

Quaternary

Cretaceous

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 10 2024 : Guest 131: 6/10
Nov 28 2024 : LauraMcC: 8/10
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 50: 7/10
Nov 25 2024 : Guest 126: 4/10
Nov 12 2024 : Guest 71: 4/10
Nov 02 2024 : Guest 101: 5/10
Oct 29 2024 : Guest 87: 0/10
Oct 26 2024 : Guest 170: 2/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the oldest period?

Answer: Pre-Cambrian

During this long period of the Earth's history the first bacteria and algae appeared.

2. What era is it right now (A.D. 2001)?

Answer: Cenozoic

This era began 65 million years ago with the extinction of the dinosaurs, which allowed mammals to dominate.

3. The dinosaurs first began to dominate in what period?

Answer: Jurassic

The first dinosaurs appeared in the Triassic but they really began to dominate the world in the Jurassic.

4. The greatest extinction the planet has ever known took place in which period, which ended 250 million years ago?

Answer: Permian

Almost all life on Earth came to an end at the end of the Permian period, a time known as the Permian extinction.

5. Which era, beginning 544 million years ago, saw an explosion of life on earth with its first period, the Cambrian?

Answer: Paleozoic

The Cambrian explosion saw life gain a toehold on earth that it's never lost.

6. The first amniotes appeared in which period?

Answer: Carboniferous

Before this time only amphibians (which had to lay their eggs in water) lived on the land. In the Carboniferous period the first tetrapods (four-legged animals, including pretty much everything living on land) that could lay eggs which were enclosed in a membrane called the amnion that keeps the embryo moist as it developes (so that the eggs could now be kept on land) appeared.

7. In which period, in the Paleozoic, did the first jawed fish appear?

Answer: Silurian

During the Ordovician (which immediately preceded the Silurian) only jawless fish existed.

Answer: Tertiary

Before this most mammals were nocturnal, mostly to avoid being eaten by the giant carnivores around at the end of the Cretaceous. Being nocturnal probably saved them from {extinction;} they were used to darkness and well equipped to deal with dropping temperatures caused by an asteroid hitting the Earth (if that is indeed what killed the dinosaurs).

9. The dinosaurs and mammals both appear in the fossil record in which period, in the Mesozoic Era?

Answer: Triassic

Our classes evolved at the same time.

10. Lastly, what period are we living in?

Answer: Quaternary

Source: Author GeniusBoy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
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