Glacial and Paleolithic Periods Quiz

A large, slow-moving mass of ice formed from compacted layers of snow.

An ice sheet is a massive glacier that covers a large area of land, typically more than 50,000 square kilometers. Glaciers are smaller and can be found in mountainous regions.

A glacial period, also known as an ice age, is a time when glaciers expand significantly across the Earth.

<p>An interglacial period is a warmer phase between glacial periods when ice sheets retreat.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Paleoclimate is the study of past climates, including glacial and interglacial periods.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Milankovitch cycles are cyclical changes in Earth's orbit and orientation that influence climate over thousands of years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Solar insolation is the amount of solar energy received by the Earth at different latitudes and times.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Glacial-interglacial cycles are periodic advances and retreats of ice sheets, which are partly driven by Milankovitch cycles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The ice-albedo effect is a process where ice reflects solar radiation, cooling the Earth, and how reduced ice cover leads to warming.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A glacial maximum is the point during a glacial period when ice sheets were at their largest extent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Geological Time Scale is a timeline of Earth's history, which helps place glaciation and interglacial periods in context.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Paleolithic Era, also known as the 'Old Stone Age,' spanned from about 2.5 million years ago to approximately 10,000 BCE. It marks the earliest and longest period of human history, characterized by the use of rudimentary stone tools, hunting and gathering as a primary subsistence strategy, and the development of early human societies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Lower Paleolithic (roughly 2.5 million to 300,000 years ago) represents the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic Era. During this time, early human ancestors such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus began making and using simple tools like hand axes, primarily from stone. Fire control and basic social structures likely emerged during this period.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Middle Paleolithic (approximately 300,000 to 40,000 years ago) is marked by the development of more advanced stone tools and the rise of Homo neanderthalensis and early Homo sapiens. The period saw the emergence of the Mousterian tool culture, increased evidence of symbolic behavior, and early burials, indicating more complex social and cultural practices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Neolithic Pre-Pottery Phase (circa 10,000-7000 BCE) refers to the early Neolithic period when people had begun to settle and farm but had not yet developed pottery. Tools were primarily made of stone, and architecture often included mud-brick structures. This phase is associated with early experimentation in agriculture and animal domestication.</p> Signup and view all the answers