Question 1

The _______ of the Carboniferous included snails, scorpions, centipedes, insects, amphibians, and early amniotes

Accepted Answer

fauna

Question 2

Which geological period is the most recent (closest to the present)?

Accepted Answer

A)  Devonian 
B)  Jurassic 
C)  Cambrian 
D)  Silurian 
E)  Cretaceous 
A)  Devonian 
B)  Jurassic 
C)  Cambrian 
D)  Silurian 
E)  Cretaceous E

Question 3

The cause of the mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic era probably was

Accepted Answer

A)  continental drift. 
B)  the collision of Earth with a large meteorite. 
C)  changes in Earth's orbit. 
D)  massive glaciation. 
E)  changes in the salt concentration of the oceans. 
A)  continental drift. 
B)  the collision of Earth with a large meteorite. 
C)  changes in Earth's orbit. 
D)  massive glaciation. 
E)  changes in the salt concentration of the oceans. B

Question 4

The half-life of carbon-14 (14C) is approximately 5,000 years.The ratio of 14C to carbon-12 (12C) in a fossil 25,000 years old would be _______ that of a living organism today.

Accepted Answer

A)  the same as 
B)  1/5 
C)  1/8 
D)  1/32 
E)  5/1 
A)  the same as 
B)  1/5 
C)  1/8 
D)  1/32 
E)  5/1

Question 5

Which of the following is the longest period of time?

Accepted Answer

A)  The length of the entire Mesozoic era 
B)  The half-life of 40K 
C)  Five million years 
D)  The half-life of 14C 
E)  The time since the Cambrian explosion 
A)  The length of the entire Mesozoic era 
B)  The half-life of 40K 
C)  Five million years 
D)  The half-life of 14C 
E)  The time since the Cambrian explosion

Question 6

Within human history, global effects on climate such as cooling due to the parasol effect have resulted from major volcanic activity.Examples include the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991and Krakatau in 1883.Describe a time deeper in Earth's history when a much more severe outbreak of volcanic activity is likely to have caused the largest documented mass extinction event.

Accepted Answer

Approximately 250 million years ago, the

Question 7

Which statement about fossils is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The fossil record is most complete for marine animals that had hard skeletons. 
B)  Paleontologists have studied a large fraction of the sites that contain fossils. 
C)  Most organisms live and die in oxygen-rich environments. 
D)  Oxygen generally increases the rate of decomposition of fossils. 
E)  Fossils of similar organisms have been found in areas that are geographically far apart from one another. 
A)  The fossil record is most complete for marine animals that had hard skeletons. 
B)  Paleontologists have studied a large fraction of the sites that contain fossils. 
C)  Most organisms live and die in oxygen-rich environments. 
D)  Oxygen generally increases the rate of decomposition of fossils. 
E)  Fossils of similar organisms have been found in areas that are geographically far apart from one another.

Question 8

Refer to the figure, which shows the position of the continent(s) during two eras in geologic history.   Describe the flora and fauna associated with the geologic eras shown in the figure.

Accepted Answer

The Paleozoic era (left) was characteriz

Question 9

Which statement about continental drift is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  When it was proposed, the idea received almost immediate acceptance. 
B)  Continents move because as magma rises, it exerts tremendous pressure on the plates that float on top of it. 
C)  Deep rift valleys have been generated from the same process that causes continental drift. 
D)  The theory of plate tectonics describes the movement of major landmasses. 
E)  The lithospheric plates float on a fluid layer of molten rock. 
A)  When it was proposed, the idea received almost immediate acceptance. 
B)  Continents move because as magma rises, it exerts tremendous pressure on the plates that float on top of it. 
C)  Deep rift valleys have been generated from the same process that causes continental drift. 
D)  The theory of plate tectonics describes the movement of major landmasses. 
E)  The lithospheric plates float on a fluid layer of molten rock.

Question 10

Which geological period is the most ancient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cambrian 
B)  Cretaceous 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Silurian 
E)  Devonian 
A)  Cambrian 
B)  Cretaceous 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Silurian 
E)  Devonian

Question 11

The first snakes evolved during the _______ period.

Accepted Answer

A)  Cretaceous 
B)  Permian 
C)  Triassic 
D)  Devonian 
E)  Cambrian 
A)  Cretaceous 
B)  Permian 
C)  Triassic 
D)  Devonian 
E)  Cambrian

Question 12

Which of the following did not occur at the end of the Ordovician?

Accepted Answer

A)  A mass extinction 
B)  Extensive glaciation of the continents 
C)  A rise in sea level 
D)  A drop in ocean temperatures 
E)  Loss of habitat for many marine organisms 
A)  A mass extinction 
B)  Extensive glaciation of the continents 
C)  A rise in sea level 
D)  A drop in ocean temperatures 
E)  Loss of habitat for many marine organisms

Question 13

Refer to the graph showing variations in oxygen levels during Earth's history.   Which of the following can be concluded from the graph?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increased atmospheric oxygen levels coincided with a decrease in insect size. 
B)  Multicellularity preceded the evolution of photosynthesis. 
C)  The first forms of life on Earth did not use oxygen. 
D)  Overall, atmospheric oxygen levels have decreased over Earth's history. 
E)  The first flowering plants required giant flying insects for pollination. 
A)  Increased atmospheric oxygen levels coincided with a decrease in insect size. 
B)  Multicellularity preceded the evolution of photosynthesis. 
C)  The first forms of life on Earth did not use oxygen. 
D)  Overall, atmospheric oxygen levels have decreased over Earth's history. 
E)  The first flowering plants required giant flying insects for pollination.

Question 14

As compared to anaerobic metabolism, aerobic metabolism is advantageous to cells because it

Accepted Answer

A)  harvests energy more efficiently. 
B)  proceeds at a less rapid rate. 
C)  permits the growth of smaller, more complex cells. 
D)  allowed photosynthetic organisms to develop. 
E)  allowed aerobic organisms to replace all anaerobes on Earth. 
A)  harvests energy more efficiently. 
B)  proceeds at a less rapid rate. 
C)  permits the growth of smaller, more complex cells. 
D)  allowed photosynthetic organisms to develop. 
E)  allowed aerobic organisms to replace all anaerobes on Earth.

Question 15

During which period did Pangaea begin to separate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cambrian 
B)  Triassic 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Permian 
E)  Quaternary 
A)  Cambrian 
B)  Triassic 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Permian 
E)  Quaternary

Question 16

The plates of Earth's crust collectively make up the

Accepted Answer

A)  asthenosphere. 
B)  lithosphere. 
C)  subduction zone. 
D)  tectonic zone. 
E)  tension zone. 
A)  asthenosphere. 
B)  lithosphere. 
C)  subduction zone. 
D)  tectonic zone. 
E)  tension zone.

Question 17

During which of the following geological periods did the greatest number of new body plans appear?

Accepted Answer

A)  Carboniferous 
B)  Triassic 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Devonian 
E)  Cambrian 
A)  Carboniferous 
B)  Triassic 
C)  Jurassic 
D)  Devonian 
E)  Cambrian

Question 18

Which statement about the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Strong evidence suggests that a meteorite was involved. 
B)  Many marine invertebrates and insect species became extinct. 
C)  Almost all land animals larger than about 25 kilograms, including dinosaurs, became extinct. 
D)  It happened approximately 65 million years ago. 
E)  All of the early birds and mammals alive at that time became extinct. 
A)  Strong evidence suggests that a meteorite was involved. 
B)  Many marine invertebrates and insect species became extinct. 
C)  Almost all land animals larger than about 25 kilograms, including dinosaurs, became extinct. 
D)  It happened approximately 65 million years ago. 
E)  All of the early birds and mammals alive at that time became extinct.

Question 19

Which of the following represents a correct chronological ordering, from earliest to latest?

Accepted Answer

A)  100 million years ago, first mammals appear, dinosaurs go extinct 
B)  100 million years ago, dinosaurs go extinct, first mammals appear 
C)  Dinosaurs go extinct, first mammals appear, 100 million years ago 
D)  First mammals appear, dinosaurs go extinct, 100 million years ago 
E)  First mammals appear, 100 million years ago, dinosaurs go extinct 
A)  100 million years ago, first mammals appear, dinosaurs go extinct 
B)  100 million years ago, dinosaurs go extinct, first mammals appear 
C)  Dinosaurs go extinct, first mammals appear, 100 million years ago 
D)  First mammals appear, dinosaurs go extinct, 100 million years ago 
E)  First mammals appear, 100 million years ago, dinosaurs go extinct

Question 20

One likely reason that only microbes existed for the first approximately 2.5 billion years of life on Earth is that the concentration of _______ was too low to support more complex life.

Accepted Answer

A)  carbon dioxide 
B)  oxygen 
C)  nitrogen 
D)  water vapor 
E)  sulfur dioxide 
A)  carbon dioxide 
B)  oxygen 
C)  nitrogen 
D)  water vapor 
E)  sulfur dioxide

Exam 24: The History of Life on Earth

The _______ of the Carboniferous included snails, scorpions, centipedes, insects, amphibians, and early amniotes

Which geological period is the most recent (closest to the present)?

The cause of the mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic era probably was

The half-life of carbon-14 (14C) is approximately 5,000 years.The ratio of 14C to carbon-12 (12C) in a fossil 25,000 years old would be _______ that of a living organism today.

Which of the following is the longest period of time?

Which statement about fossils is false?

Refer to the figure, which shows the position of the continent(s) during two eras in geologic history. Describe the flora and fauna associated with the geologic eras shown in the figure.

Which statement about continental drift is false?

Which geological period is the most ancient?

The first snakes evolved during the _______ period.

Which of the following did not occur at the end of the Ordovician?

Refer to the graph showing variations in oxygen levels during Earth's history. Which of the following can be concluded from the graph?

As compared to anaerobic metabolism, aerobic metabolism is advantageous to cells because it

During which period did Pangaea begin to separate?

The plates of Earth's crust collectively make up the

During which of the following geological periods did the greatest number of new body plans appear?

Which statement about the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is false?

Which of the following represents a correct chronological ordering, from earliest to latest?

One likely reason that only microbes existed for the first approximately 2.5 billion years of life on Earth is that the concentration of _______ was too low to support more complex life.

Studying Life

Small Molecules and the Chemistry of Life

Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Lipids

Nucleic Acids and the Origin of Life

Cells: the Working Units of Life

Cell Membranes

Cell Communication and Multicellularity

Energy, Enzymes, and Metabolism

Pathways That Harvest Chemical Energy

Photosynthesis: Energy From Sunlight

The Cell Cycle and Cell Division

Inheritance, Genes, and Chromosomes

Dna and Its Role in Heredity

From Dna to Protein: Gene Expression

Gene Mutation and Molecular Medicine

Regulation of Gene Expression

Genomes

Recombinant Dna and Biotechnology

Mechanisms of Evolution

Reconstructing and Using Phylogenies

Speciation

Evolution of Genes and Genomes

Bacteria, Archaea, and Viruses

The Origin and Diversification of Eukaryotes

Plants Without Seeds: From Water to Land

The Evolution of Seed Plants

The Evolution and Diversity of Fungi

Animal Origins and the Evolution of Body Plans

Protostome Animals

Deuterostome Animals

The Plant Body

Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition

Regulation of Plant Growth

Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Plant Responses to Environmental Challenges

Physiology, Homeostasis, and Temperature Regulation

Animal Hormones

Immunology: Animal Defense Systems

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Glia, and Nervous Systems

Sensory Systems

The Mammalian Nervous System: Structure and Higher Functions

Musculoskeletal Systems

Gas Exchange

Circulatory Systems

Nutrition, Digestion, and Absorption

Salt and Water Balance and Nitrogen Excretion

Animal Behavior

The Physical Environment and Biogeography of Life

Populations

Species Interactions

Communities

Ecosystems

A Changing Biosphere

Filters

The half-life of carbon-14 (¹⁴C) is approximately 5,000 years.The ratio of ¹⁴C to carbon-12 (¹²C) in a fossil 25,000 years old would be _______ that of a living organism today.