Question 1

Stratigraphy is

Accepted Answer

A)  the study of stratosphere. 
B)  a method used to create autoradiographs. 
C)  the generation of stratigraphs. 
D)  the study of the relative positions of rock layers. 
E)  used to calculate the absolute age of clades. 
A)  the study of stratosphere. 
B)  a method used to create autoradiographs. 
C)  the generation of stratigraphs. 
D)  the study of the relative positions of rock layers. 
E)  used to calculate the absolute age of clades. D

Question 2

Radiocarbon dating

Accepted Answer

A)  requires carbon-12. 
B)  relies on knowledge of the half-life of argon. 
C)  can obtain accurate results on any fossil. 
D)  has assisted in dating events during the Quaternary. 
E)  depends on the decay of potassium-40. 
A)  requires carbon-12. 
B)  relies on knowledge of the half-life of argon. 
C)  can obtain accurate results on any fossil. 
D)  has assisted in dating events during the Quaternary. 
E)  depends on the decay of potassium-40. D

Question 3

Fossil evidence suggests that the oldest terrestrial animals were

Accepted Answer

A)  arthropods. 
B)  amphibians. 
C)  reptiles. 
D)  brachiopods. 
E)  cephalopods. 
A)  arthropods. 
B)  amphibians. 
C)  reptiles. 
D)  brachiopods. 
E)  cephalopods. A

Question 4

Which of the following were common predators in the shallow marine seas of the Ordovician?

Accepted Answer

A)  Large marine reptiles 
B)  Cartilaginous fishes 
C)  Jawless fishes 
D)  Cephalopods 
E)  Lungfish 
A)  Large marine reptiles 
B)  Cartilaginous fishes 
C)  Jawless fishes 
D)  Cephalopods 
E)  Lungfish

Question 5

During the Cenozoic era

Accepted Answer

A)  mammals first appeared. 
B)  insect pollination of flowering plants developed 
C)  ice ages caused extinction of some large animals. 
D)  prosimians disappeared. 
E)  pelycosaurs appeared. 
A)  mammals first appeared. 
B)  insect pollination of flowering plants developed 
C)  ice ages caused extinction of some large animals. 
D)  prosimians disappeared. 
E)  pelycosaurs appeared.

Question 6

The oldest evidence of life on earth is provided by

Accepted Answer

A)  fossilised tracks and burrows. 
B)  bands of ironstones rich in iron oxides. 
C)  stromatolites. 
D)  trilobites. 
E)  Ediacaran Fauna. 
A)  fossilised tracks and burrows. 
B)  bands of ironstones rich in iron oxides. 
C)  stromatolites. 
D)  trilobites. 
E)  Ediacaran Fauna.

Question 7

Deep sea trenches are formed by

Accepted Answer

A)  volcanoes. 
B)  subduction. 
C)  erosion. 
D)  undersea currents. 
E)  deep sea sink holes. 
A)  volcanoes. 
B)  subduction. 
C)  erosion. 
D)  undersea currents. 
E)  deep sea sink holes.

Question 8

The intervals of the geological time scale (eras and periods) are not equal. This is because their length is based on

Accepted Answer

A)  radiometric dating, and radioactive isotopes do not decay at a constant rate. 
B)  fossilisation processes, which have not occurred in the same manner, nor at the same rate, in all parts of the earth. 
C)  the positions of the continents, and the rate of movement of continental plates over the earth's surface has not been constant. 
D)  sediments, which accumulate at different rates dependent on the environment. 
E)  significant biological events, such as extinctions, which have not occurred at regular intervals. 
A)  radiometric dating, and radioactive isotopes do not decay at a constant rate. 
B)  fossilisation processes, which have not occurred in the same manner, nor at the same rate, in all parts of the earth. 
C)  the positions of the continents, and the rate of movement of continental plates over the earth's surface has not been constant. 
D)  sediments, which accumulate at different rates dependent on the environment. 
E)  significant biological events, such as extinctions, which have not occurred at regular intervals.

Question 9

A region that includes northern fir forests found in Europe, Asia and North America would be the

Accepted Answer

A)  Palaeotropical region. 
B)  Neotrpical region. 
C)  Palaearctic region. 
D)  Boreal region. 
E)  Nearctic region. 
A)  Palaeotropical region. 
B)  Neotrpical region. 
C)  Palaearctic region. 
D)  Boreal region. 
E)  Nearctic region.

Question 10

Fossils in rocks tell us of the past forms of life on earth. Trace fossils are

Accepted Answer

A)  dinosaur bones. 
B)  shells of animals. 
C)  tubes of soft-bodied worms. 
D)  fossilised wood. 
E)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  dinosaur bones. 
B)  shells of animals. 
C)  tubes of soft-bodied worms. 
D)  fossilised wood. 
E)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 11

The following are events in the history of the supercontinent Gondwana.
1)Gondwana was part of the single supercontinent, Pangaea.
2)Gondwana fragmented into a number of southern continents.
3)Gondwana was located in the equatorial region.
4)Gondwana separated from Pangaea.
Which of the following places these events in the correct order, from oldest to most recent?

Accepted Answer

A)  1, 4, 2, 3. 
B)  3, 1, 4, 2. 
C)  1, 3, 4, 2. 
D)  1, 4, 3, 2. 
E)  3, 4, 1, 2. 
A)  1, 4, 2, 3. 
B)  3, 1, 4, 2. 
C)  1, 3, 4, 2. 
D)  1, 4, 3, 2. 
E)  3, 4, 1, 2.

Question 12

Which of the following marine groups became extinct during the mass extinctions that mark the close of the Cretaceous?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jawless fishes 
B)  Trilobites 
C)  Ammonoids 
D)  Crinoids 
E)  Gastropods 
A)  Jawless fishes 
B)  Trilobites 
C)  Ammonoids 
D)  Crinoids 
E)  Gastropods

Question 13

The oldest known supercontinent is

Accepted Answer

A)  Gondwana. 
B)  Rodinia. 
C)  Laurentia. 
D)  Laurasia. 
E)  Pangaea. 
A)  Gondwana. 
B)  Rodinia. 
C)  Laurentia. 
D)  Laurasia. 
E)  Pangaea.

Question 14

Descendants of a small rodent-type animal have been identified in North Asia and Europe. The relationship has been confirmed by DNA analysis which also demonstrated that the two species diverged around 20 million years ago. This suggests that

Accepted Answer

A)  a continuous population has been separated by environmental fragmentation, producing two separate populations that evolved into separate species. 
B)  the two populations were separated by plate tectonics. 
C)  a common ancestor existed on Gondwana. 
D)  Eurasia separated after 20 million years ago. 
E)  Pangea separated before 20 million years ago. 
A)  a continuous population has been separated by environmental fragmentation, producing two separate populations that evolved into separate species. 
B)  the two populations were separated by plate tectonics. 
C)  a common ancestor existed on Gondwana. 
D)  Eurasia separated after 20 million years ago. 
E)  Pangea separated before 20 million years ago.

Question 15

The geographical regions recognised for plants are similar to those recognised for animals. The Palaeotropical region of plants includes which of the following regions for animals.

Accepted Answer

A)  Holarctic and Ethiopian. 
B)  Oriental and Neotropical. 
C)  Neotropical. 
D)  Ethiopian and Oriental. 
E)  Ethiopian. 
A)  Holarctic and Ethiopian. 
B)  Oriental and Neotropical. 
C)  Neotropical. 
D)  Ethiopian and Oriental. 
E)  Ethiopian.

Question 16

The oldest land vertebrates lived approximately 416 million years ago, during which period?

Accepted Answer

A)  Carboniferous 
B)  Ordovician 
C)  Triassic 
D)  Permian 
E)  Devonian 
A)  Carboniferous 
B)  Ordovician 
C)  Triassic 
D)  Permian 
E)  Devonian

Question 17

The body of a mammal falls into a lake and is quickly covered by limestone sediment. However, the lake is aseptic and devoid of microbiological life. Could such a lake result in a fossil being formed, and if so what basic characteristics would it be likely to have?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, it would be flattened. 
B)  No, but an imprint would remain. 
C)  Yes, it would be three-dimensional. 
D)  Yes, but it would be devoid of any intricate detail. 
E)  No, a fossil is not possible in an aseptic body of water. 
A)  Yes, it would be flattened. 
B)  No, but an imprint would remain. 
C)  Yes, it would be three-dimensional. 
D)  Yes, but it would be devoid of any intricate detail. 
E)  No, a fossil is not possible in an aseptic body of water.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

Accepted Answer

A)  The earth's lithosphere consists of a number of plates which develop oceanic ridges due to larva upwells from the earth's mantle. 
B)  Plate tectonics recognises that the earth's crust and mantle are divided into plates that move relative to each other. 
C)  Deep-sea trenches are formed when the earth descends back into the mantle. 
D)  Continents are of lower density than the earth's crust and so they tend to remain on the surface. 
E)  The floor of the deep-sea trenches are very old and provide important information on the Precambrian era. 
A)  The earth's lithosphere consists of a number of plates which develop oceanic ridges due to larva upwells from the earth's mantle. 
B)  Plate tectonics recognises that the earth's crust and mantle are divided into plates that move relative to each other. 
C)  Deep-sea trenches are formed when the earth descends back into the mantle. 
D)  Continents are of lower density than the earth's crust and so they tend to remain on the surface. 
E)  The floor of the deep-sea trenches are very old and provide important information on the Precambrian era.

Question 19

All of the following organisms were dominant, within their respective environments, at some time during the Mesozoic era. Which were the earliest to achieve dominance?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dinosaurs. 
B)  Large marine reptiles. 
C)  Mammal-like reptiles. 
D)  Conifers. 
E)  Marine reptiles. 
A)  Dinosaurs. 
B)  Large marine reptiles. 
C)  Mammal-like reptiles. 
D)  Conifers. 
E)  Marine reptiles.

Question 20

The top 1000m of the ocean is called

Accepted Answer

A)  the continental shelf. 
B)  the pelagic zone. 
C)  surface water. 
D)  the benthic zone. 
E)  the Boreal region. 
A)  the continental shelf. 
B)  the pelagic zone. 
C)  surface water. 
D)  the benthic zone. 
E)  the Boreal region.

Exam 33: Evolving Earth

Stratigraphy is

Radiocarbon dating

Fossil evidence suggests that the oldest terrestrial animals were

Which of the following were common predators in the shallow marine seas of the Ordovician?

During the Cenozoic era

The oldest evidence of life on earth is provided by

Deep sea trenches are formed by

The intervals of the geological time scale (eras and periods) are not equal. This is because their length is based on

A region that includes northern fir forests found in Europe, Asia and North America would be the

Fossils in rocks tell us of the past forms of life on earth. Trace fossils are

Which of the following marine groups became extinct during the mass extinctions that mark the close of the Cretaceous?

The oldest known supercontinent is

Descendants of a small rodent-type animal have been identified in North Asia and Europe. The relationship has been confirmed by DNA analysis which also demonstrated that the two species diverged around 20 million years ago. This suggests that

The geographical regions recognised for plants are similar to those recognised for animals. The Palaeotropical region of plants includes which of the following regions for animals.

The oldest land vertebrates lived approximately 416 million years ago, during which period?

The body of a mammal falls into a lake and is quickly covered by limestone sediment. However, the lake is aseptic and devoid of microbiological life. Could such a lake result in a fossil being formed, and if so what basic characteristics would it be likely to have?

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

All of the following organisms were dominant, within their respective environments, at some time during the Mesozoic era. Which were the earliest to achieve dominance?

The top 1000m of the ocean is called

Nature of Molecules

Biomolecules

The Chemistry of Life

Functioning Cells

Movement Across Membranes

Harvesting Energy

Cells, Tissues and Signals

Cell Division

Inheritance

Genes, Chromosomes and Dna

The Genetic Code

Gene Expression

Genomes, Mutation and Cancer

Viruses

Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Reproduction, Growth and Development of Flowering Plants

Structure of Plants

Plant Nutrition, Transport and Adaptation to Stress

Plant Hormones and Growth Responses

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Homeostasis: Water, Solutes and Excretion

Gas Exchange in Animals

Circulation

Metabolism, Temperature Regulation and Environmental Stress

Animal and Human Nutrition

Innate Defences and the Immune System

Hormonal Control in Animals

Nervous Systems

Animal Movement

Animal Behaviour

Evolving Life

Mechanisms of Evolution

Bacteria

The Protists

Plants

Fungi

Simple Animals: Sponges to Flatworms

Annelids, Molluscs, Nematodes and Arthropods

Echinoderms and Chordates

Australian Biota

Population Ecology

Living in Communities

Ecosystems

Human Impacts

Filters