Question 1

The ability for one generation to pass on its characteristics to future generations is known as

Accepted Answer

A)  natural selection. 
B)  mutation. 
C)  heredity. 
D)  division. 
E)  duplication. 
A)  natural selection. 
B)  mutation. 
C)  heredity. 
D)  division. 
E)  duplication.

Question 2

In which of the following locations has life been found on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  near deep-ocean hydrothermal vents 
B)  in extremely dry deserts 
C)  in arctic ice 
D)  in hot sulfur springs 
E)  Life has been found in all of these locations. 
A)  near deep-ocean hydrothermal vents 
B)  in extremely dry deserts 
C)  in arctic ice 
D)  in hot sulfur springs 
E)  Life has been found in all of these locations.

Question 3

The earliest life-forms on Earth likely appeared

Accepted Answer

A)  within a billion years after the formation of the Solar System. 
B)  3.65 billion years after the formation of the Solar System. 
C)  4.6 billion years ago. 
D)  250 million years ago. 
E)  20 million years ago. 
A)  within a billion years after the formation of the Solar System. 
B)  3.65 billion years after the formation of the Solar System. 
C)  4.6 billion years ago. 
D)  250 million years ago. 
E)  20 million years ago.

Question 4

In 1952, chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia, methane, and hydrogen in a closed container, zapped it with electrical sparks, and found that

Accepted Answer

A)  they could induce cold fusion. 
B)  amino acids cannot form this way. 
C)  single-celled microorganisms had been spontaneously created. 
D)  amino acids had been created. 
E)  they had created life in a test tube. 
A)  they could induce cold fusion. 
B)  amino acids cannot form this way. 
C)  single-celled microorganisms had been spontaneously created. 
D)  amino acids had been created. 
E)  they had created life in a test tube.

Question 5

Explain why scientists think we are specifically made of star stuff, or, more poetically, that humans are the "children of stars."

Accepted Answer

All elements heavier than lithium would

Question 6

If a certain population of bacteria doubles itself every 10 minutes, how many times bigger will the population be after 1 hour?

Accepted Answer

A)  We need to know the starting population in order to know. 
B)  1 
C)  6 
D)  32 
E)  64 
A)  We need to know the starting population in order to know. 
B)  1 
C)  6 
D)  32 
E)  64

Question 7

The Drake equation estimates the number of

Accepted Answer

A)  exoplanets in the Milky Way. 
B)  exoplanets in their respective habitable zones. 
C)  extraterrestrial life-forms within the Milky Way that are capable of communication. 
D)  advanced civilizations that would self-destruct. 
E)  planets with a high Earth Similarity Index (ESI). 
A)  exoplanets in the Milky Way. 
B)  exoplanets in their respective habitable zones. 
C)  extraterrestrial life-forms within the Milky Way that are capable of communication. 
D)  advanced civilizations that would self-destruct. 
E)  planets with a high Earth Similarity Index (ESI).

Question 8

What are the four main elements that make up all living organisms on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

Carbon,hyd

Question 9

If you wanted to find intelligent life in the universe, what spectral types of stars would you prioritize for study and why?

Accepted Answer

The driving argument is that it took app

Question 10

We search for intelligent life in the universe most effectively by

Accepted Answer

A)  sending out spacecraft with messages on them. 
B)  using radio telescopes to search for radio signals. 
C)  monitoring ultraviolet radiation emitted by stars. 
D)  sending spacecraft to explore other worlds. 
E)  all of the above 
A)  sending out spacecraft with messages on them. 
B)  using radio telescopes to search for radio signals. 
C)  monitoring ultraviolet radiation emitted by stars. 
D)  sending spacecraft to explore other worlds. 
E)  all of the above

Question 11

Planets that are close to their stars may lack the day/night cycle due to

Accepted Answer

A)  having a large fraction of the sky covered by the stellar disk. 
B)  being tidally locked. 
C)  having short orbital periods. 
D)  lacking an atmosphere. 
E)  lacking moons. 
A)  having a large fraction of the sky covered by the stellar disk. 
B)  being tidally locked. 
C)  having short orbital periods. 
D)  lacking an atmosphere. 
E)  lacking moons.

Question 12

Explain why, in a self-replicating system (e.g., bacterial populations) in which a member would copy itself every minute, even mutations that have only a slim rate of occurrence could still significantly improve the survival chance of the system.

Accepted Answer

If the doubling time by self-replication

Question 13

As our Sun ages, it slowly gets brighter.For example, the Sun is about 30 percent brighter than it was in its infancy (4.5 billion years ago), and it will become about 30 percent brighter in the next 3 billion years or so.Explain how this would affect the definition of a habitable zone in our Solar System.

Accepted Answer

If the Sun gets brighter,the Earth inter

Question 14

In order to survive, humans require a minimum of one-third of the oxygen content at sea level.Using the figure below, what was the most recent point in Earth's history at which a human could (barely) survive unaided on the surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  250 million years ago 
B)  600 million years ago 
C)  1 billion years ago 
D)  3 billion years ago 
E)  10 billion years ago. 
A)  250 million years ago 
B)  600 million years ago 
C)  1 billion years ago 
D)  3 billion years ago 
E)  10 billion years ago.

Question 15

How old is Earth? What was the age of Earth when each of the following occurred: microorganisms first formed; oxygen became a significant component of the atmosphere; and humans split from their genetic ancestors?

Accepted Answer

The Earth is 4.6 billion years old.Micro

Question 16

What is the major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Eukaryotes have DNA, and prokaryotes have RNA. 
B)  Eukaryotes have a nuclear membrane surrounding their DNA, and prokaryotes do not. 
C)  Eukaryotes are plants, and prokaryotes are animals. 
D)  Eukaryotes appeared on Earth before prokaryotes. 
E)  Eukaryotes are single-celled, and prokaryotes are multicellular. 
A)  Eukaryotes have DNA, and prokaryotes have RNA. 
B)  Eukaryotes have a nuclear membrane surrounding their DNA, and prokaryotes do not. 
C)  Eukaryotes are plants, and prokaryotes are animals. 
D)  Eukaryotes appeared on Earth before prokaryotes. 
E)  Eukaryotes are single-celled, and prokaryotes are multicellular.

Question 17

Planet Kepler 438-b orbits within its central star's habitable zone, at an average distance of 0.166 AU.Based on the figure below, what would be the temperature and spectral type of the central star?

Accepted Answer

The planet is inside the habitable zone

Question 18

It is hypothesized that both carbon and silicon could form the "backbone" of DNA.Using the figure below, which of the following scenarios might lead to a star system that has more silicon than carbon?

Accepted Answer

A)  It formed in proximity to many high-mass stars, but few low-mass stars. 
B)  It formed near a large number of exploding white dwarf stars. 
C)  It formed near low-mass stars, but no high-mass stars. 
D)  It formed from "raw" material from the Big Bang. 
E)  It is a binary star system. 
A)  It formed in proximity to many high-mass stars, but few low-mass stars. 
B)  It formed near a large number of exploding white dwarf stars. 
C)  It formed near low-mass stars, but no high-mass stars. 
D)  It formed from "raw" material from the Big Bang. 
E)  It is a binary star system.

Question 19

Name at least three main dangers (one human and two astronomical) that could threaten the
continued existence of human life on Earth.

Accepted Answer

Some examples include the following: (1)

Question 20

Why do scientists consider it unlikely that microbes exist on the surface of Mars?

Accepted Answer

Mars has a very cold environment and a v

Exam 24: Life

The ability for one generation to pass on its characteristics to future generations is known as

In which of the following locations has life been found on Earth?

The earliest life-forms on Earth likely appeared

In 1952, chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia, methane, and hydrogen in a closed container, zapped it with electrical sparks, and found that

Explain why scientists think we are specifically made of star stuff, or, more poetically, that humans are the "children of stars."

If a certain population of bacteria doubles itself every 10 minutes, how many times bigger will the population be after 1 hour?

The Drake equation estimates the number of

What are the four main elements that make up all living organisms on the Earth?

If you wanted to find intelligent life in the universe, what spectral types of stars would you prioritize for study and why?

We search for intelligent life in the universe most effectively by

Planets that are close to their stars may lack the day/night cycle due to

Explain why, in a self-replicating system (e.g., bacterial populations) in which a member would copy itself every minute, even mutations that have only a slim rate of occurrence could still significantly improve the survival chance of the system.

In order to survive, humans require a minimum of one-third of the oxygen content at sea level.Using the figure below, what was the most recent point in Earth's history at which a human could (barely) survive unaided on the surface?

How old is Earth? What was the age of Earth when each of the following occurred: microorganisms first formed; oxygen became a significant component of the atmosphere; and humans split from their genetic ancestors?

What is the major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Planet Kepler 438-b orbits within its central star's habitable zone, at an average distance of 0.166 AU.Based on the figure below, what would be the temperature and spectral type of the central star?

It is hypothesized that both carbon and silicon could form the "backbone" of DNA.Using the figure below, which of the following scenarios might lead to a star system that has more silicon than carbon?

Name at least three main dangers (one human and two astronomical) that could threaten the continued existence of human life on Earth.

Why do scientists consider it unlikely that microbes exist on the surface of Mars?

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Formation of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

Planetary Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

The Expanding Universe

Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Filters