Question 1

Evidence for continental drift might include

Accepted Answer

A)   the good fit of the coastlines of western Africa and eastern South America.
B)   that similar fossils are found in places distant from each other.
C)   that similar rock formations are found in Appalachia and Antarctica.
D)   the mass extinctions of marine organisms.
E)   All of the above

Question 2

Oxygen-generating cyanobacteria liberated enough O2 to open the door to _______ reactions in metabolic pathways leading to the evolution of larger _______ cells.

Accepted Answer

A)   reduction; prokaryotic
B)   reduction; archaea
C)   oxidation; prokaryotic
D)   oxidation; eukaryotic
E)   None of the above

Question 3

The first period of the Mesozoic, the _______, saw the breakup of the supercontinent _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The first period of the Mesozoic, the...

Question 4

Heat generated in Earth's core results in _______ currents in the magma. This process pushes the _______ plates along with the land masses on top of them.

Accepted Answer

convection...

Question 5

One billion years ago, Earth was in the _______ era.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One billion years ago, Earth was in...

Question 6

The concentration of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)   has increased steadily through time.
B)   has decreased steadily through time.
C)   has been both higher and lower in the past than at present.
D)   was lower during most of the Permian than at present.
E)   was at its highest levels in the Cambrian.

Question 7

Use the following to answer questions:
Refer to the diagram below, showing the decay of a radioactive substance. 
-Assuming this substance started decaying 280,000 years ago, and 4 mg of it remains, there was roughly how much of the original substance?

Accepted Answer

A)   1 mg
B)   2 mg
C)   8 mg
D)   16 mg
E)   64 mg

Question 8

Based on the experiment in which Drosophila flies were raised at a higher than normal oxygen concentration, which of the following statements is most likely true?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fly body size is constrained because there are not enough alleles that increase body size.
B)   Fly body size is constrained because alleles that increase body size are selected against at normal oxygen levels.
C)   At normal oxygen concentration levels, fly body size is under strong directional selection.
D)   Fly body size would likely increase if flies were raised at lower than normal oxygen concentrations.
E)   Increased oxygen levels appear to have little effect on fly body size, even after many generations.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about the Mesozoic is true?

Accepted Answer

A)   Atmospheric levels of oxygen fell during the Mesozoic.
B)   The same groups of animals that were dominant during the Permian were also dominant throughout the Mesozoic.
C)   Pangaea came together during the Mesozoic.
D)   All of the above
E)   None of the above

Question 10

Which of the following experienced major radiations during the Cenozoic?

Accepted Answer

A)   Non-avian dinosaurs
B)   Mammals
C)   Flowering plants
D)   Both a and b
E)   Both b and c

Question 11

A fossil of a rodent, suspected to be a billion years old, is discovered in South America. How might the age of the fossil be determined?

Accepted Answer

A)   14C dating of the fossil
B)   From the strata the fossil was found in
C)   Comparison to other fossil organisms in the same strata
D)   40K dating of igneous rocks near the fossil
E)   Both a and d

Question 12

Rocklike structures formed by the oxygen-generating cyanobacteria are known as

Accepted Answer

A)   strata.
B)   stromatolites.
C)   igneous.
D)   lithospheric.
E)   rift valleys.

Question 13

Which of the following gases has substantially increased in concentration in the last 200 years?

Accepted Answer

A)   Oxygen
B)   Carbon dioxide
C)   Nitrogen
D)   Argon
E)   Hydrogen

Question 14

Over geologic time, the concentration of O2 in Earth's atmosphere has increased. During the _______ period, the O2 concentration decreased significantly and resulted in _______.

Accepted Answer

A)   Devonian; rapid evolution of lineages
B)   Carboniferous; mass extinctions
C)   Permian; mass extinctions
D)   Cretaceous; rapid evolution of lineages
E)   Cretaceous; mass extinctions

Question 15

During which geological period did Pangaea became fully divided and distinctive assemblages of plants and animals begin to arise on different continents?

Accepted Answer

A)   Cambrian
B)   Tertiary
C)   Devonian
D)   Permian
E)   Jurassic

Question 16

At the end of which of the following periods did oxygen concentrations decrease from about 30 percent to 15 percent?

Accepted Answer

A)   Cambrian
B)   Cretaceous
C)   Permian
D)   Devonian
E)   None of the above

Question 17

Which of the following statements about radioisotope dating is false?

Accepted Answer

A)   The isotopes in sedimentary rocks contain reliable information about the dates of their formation.
B)   Igneous rocks are formed when molten material cools.
C)   The decay of potassium-40 to argon-40 has been used to date most of the ancient events in the evolution of life.
D)   Paleomagnetic dating relates the ages of rocks to patterns in Earth's magnetism.
E)   All of the above are true; none is false.

Question 18

14C can be used to determine the ages of fossil organisms because

Accepted Answer

A)   all organisms contain many carbon compounds.
B)   14C has a regular rate of decay to 14N.
C)   the ratio of 14C to 12C in living organisms is always the same as that in the atmosphere.
D)   the production of new 14C in the atmosphere just balances the natural radioactive decay of 14C.
E)   All of the above

Question 19

Oxygen (O2)  in Earth's atmosphere was

Accepted Answer

A)   generated by photosynthetic cyanobacteria by oxidation of water.
B)   generated abiotically.
C)   generated by nonphotosynthetic bacteria.
D)   present in high amounts before the origin of life.
E)   present in low amounts when larger eukaryotes evolved.

Question 20

Paleontologists have subdivided the Cenozoic era into epochs because

Accepted Answer

A)   Homo sapiens evolved at the start of the Cenozoic.
B)   the continents had achieved their present positions.
C)   the number of species stopped increasing at this time.
D)   our knowledge of the evolutionary events of the Cenozoic is more extensive than for other eras.
E)   starting with the Cenozoic, the fossil record is no longer a necessary source of information about evolutionary relationships.

Exam 25: The History of Life on Earth

Paleontologists have subdivided the Cenozoic era into epochs because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Oxygen-generating cyanobacteria liberated enough O2 to open the door to _______ reactions in metabolic pathways leading to the evolution of larger _______ cells.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following gases has substantially increased in concentration in the last 200 years?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Heat generated in Earth's core results in _______ currents in the magma. This process pushes the _______ plates along with the land masses on top of them.

Correct Answerverifiedconvection...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following statements about radioisotope dating is false?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During which geological period did Pangaea became fully divided and distinctive assemblages of plants and animals begin to arise on different continents?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Evidence for continental drift might include

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements about the Mesozoic is true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Over geologic time, the concentration of O2 in Earth's atmosphere has increased. During the _______ period, the O2 concentration decreased significantly and resulted in _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following to answer questions: Refer to the diagram below, showing the decay of a radioactive substance. -Assuming this substance started decaying 280,000 years ago, and 4 mg of it remains, there was roughly how much of the original substance?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Oxygen (O2) in Earth's atmosphere was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The concentration of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One billion years ago, Earth was in the _______ era.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

14C can be used to determine the ages of fossil organisms because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Based on the experiment in which Drosophila flies were raised at a higher than normal oxygen concentration, which of the following statements is most likely true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Rocklike structures formed by the oxygen-generating cyanobacteria are known as

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The first period of the Mesozoic, the _______, saw the breakup of the supercontinent _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following experienced major radiations during the Cenozoic?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A fossil of a rodent, suspected to be a billion years old, is discovered in South America. How might the age of the fossil be determined?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

At the end of which of the following periods did oxygen concentrations decrease from about 30 percent to 15 percent?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Oxygen-generating cyanobacteria liberated enough O₂ to open the door to _ reactions in metabolic pathways leading to the evolution of larger _ cells.

Correct Answer
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Heat generated in Earth's core results in _ currents in the magma. This process pushes the _ plates along with the land masses on top of them.

Correct Answer
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convection...
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Over geologic time, the concentration of O₂ in Earth's atmosphere has increased. During the _ period, the O₂ concentration decreased significantly and resulted in _.

Correct Answer
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Oxygen (O₂) in Earth's atmosphere was

Correct Answer
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¹⁴C can be used to determine the ages of fossil organisms because

Correct Answer
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The first period of the Mesozoic, the _, saw the breakup of the supercontinent _.

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