Questions & Answers
Browse all 15 questions from the
Palaeontology Masterclass study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer â select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which geological period is often called the 'Age of Cycads' due to the dominance of these seed plants?
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A
Triassic
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B
Jurassic
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C
Cretaceous
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D
Permian
2
What is the specific name for the process where minerals replace the organic material of a once-living organism, turning it into stone?
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A
Carbonization
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B
Permineralization
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C
Impression
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D
Mummification
3
Which group of marine reptiles, characterized by their dolphin-like bodies and large eyes, are not actually dinosaurs?
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A
Plesiosaurs
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B
Mosasaurs
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C
Ichthyosaurs
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D
Pterosaurs
4
What defines a 'trace fossil' in the study of palaeontology?
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A
Fossilized bone structure
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B
Fossilized skin impressions
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C
Fossilized footprints or burrows
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D
Fossilized teeth
5
Which era is known as the 'Age of Reptiles' and comprises the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods?
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A
Paleozoic
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B
Mesozoic
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C
Cenozoic
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D
Proterozoic
6
What is the significance of the Burgess Shale fossil site in Canada?
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A
It contains the largest dinosaur skeletons
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B
It preserved soft-bodied organisms from the Cambrian explosion
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C
It is the only place to find trilobites
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D
It was the site of the first T-Rex discovery
7
What do palaeontologists use 'coprolites' for?
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A
Identifying ancient plant species
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B
Determining the diet and digestion of extinct animals
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C
Studying the skin texture of dinosaurs
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D
Calculating the weight of prehistoric mammals
8
Which of these organisms is considered a 'living fossil' because its physical appearance has changed very little over hundreds of millions of years?
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A
Coelacanth
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B
Woolly Mammoth
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C
Sabre-toothed Cat
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D
Triceratops
9
What is the scientific term for the study of the arrangement of rock layers to determine the age of fossils?
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A
Stratigraphy
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B
Taxonomy
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C
Paleobotany
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D
Archaeology
10
Which extinct supercontinent included the lands that are now South America, Africa, Antarctica, India, and Australia?
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A
Laurasia
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B
Pangaea
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C
Gondwana
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D
Rodinia
11
What were 'gastroliths' used for by some herbivorous dinosaurs?
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A
Displaying feathers for mating
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B
Attracting prey
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C
Grinding tough plant material in the gizzard
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D
Defending against predators
12
Which extinction event, occurring about 66 million years ago, resulted in the loss of all non-avian dinosaurs?
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A
Permian-Triassic
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B
K-Pg (Cretaceous-Paleogene)
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C
Late Devonian
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D
Triassic-Jurassic
13
What is the primary difference between an 'endocast' and a regular fossil?
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A
An endocast is a fossilized internal organ
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B
An endocast is a cast of the internal space of a skull
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C
An endocast is a fossil of a tooth
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D
An endocast is a microscopic fossil
14
Which specialized branch of palaeontology focuses on the study of ancient pollen and spores?
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A
Palynology
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B
Micropalaeontology
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C
Ichnology
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D
Taphonomy
15
What is the 'Kimmeridge Clay' formation famous for containing?
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A
Extensive evidence of early human tools
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B
Well-preserved marine reptile fossils from the Jurassic
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C
Fossils of the first flowering plants
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D
Large deposits of dinosaur eggs
