Question 1

The first flying animals were _______, which first appeared in the _______ period.

Accepted Answer

A)  birds; Carboniferous 
B)  birds; Cretaceous 
C)  bats; Jurassic 
D)  insects; Permian 
E)  insects; Carboniferous 
A)  birds; Carboniferous 
B)  birds; Cretaceous 
C)  bats; Jurassic 
D)  insects; Permian 
E)  insects; Carboniferous

Question 2

Mountain ranges are ultimately the result of

Accepted Answer

A)  accumulation of sediments once laid on the bottom of ancient oceans. 
B)  climate changes and the movement of glacial ice sheets. 
C)  leftover debris from ancient collisions with an asteroid or meteor. 
D)  the breakup of Laurasia and Gondwana. 
E)  plates in Earth's crust that move against one another on top of a layer of molten rock. 
A)  accumulation of sediments once laid on the bottom of ancient oceans. 
B)  climate changes and the movement of glacial ice sheets. 
C)  leftover debris from ancient collisions with an asteroid or meteor. 
D)  the breakup of Laurasia and Gondwana. 
E)  plates in Earth's crust that move against one another on top of a layer of molten rock.

Question 3

During the _______ period of the _______ era, atmospheric O2 level was almost equal to the present level, and multicellular life forms were abundant and diverse in the sea (but nowhere to be found, yet, on land).

Accepted Answer

A)  Cretaceous; Mesozoic 
B)  Quaternary; Cenozoic 
C)  Carboniferous; Paleozoic 
D)  Cambrian; Paleozoic 
E)  Permian; Paleozoic 
A)  Cretaceous; Mesozoic 
B)  Quaternary; Cenozoic 
C)  Carboniferous; Paleozoic 
D)  Cambrian; Paleozoic 
E)  Permian; Paleozoic

Question 4

The rapid diversification of multicellular organisms occurred in the _______ eon.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The rapid diversification of multicellular organisms occurred...

Question 5

What triggered the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period?

Accepted Answer

A)  The joining of several continents 
B)  A large continent splitting apart 
C)  The impact of a large meteorite 
D)  Global warming 
E)  The accumulation of oxygen 
A)  The joining of several continents 
B)  A large continent splitting apart 
C)  The impact of a large meteorite 
D)  Global warming 
E)  The accumulation of oxygen

Question 6

Abnormally high concentrations of _______ have been found in rocks dating from the end of the Cretaceous.

Accepted Answer

A)  iridium 
B)  mercury 
C)  lithium 
D)  nickel 
E)  tungsten 
A)  iridium 
B)  mercury 
C)  lithium 
D)  nickel 
E)  tungsten

Question 7

In an undisturbed formation, fossils from the Jurassic period are immediately below those from the _______ period.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an undisturbed formation, fossils from the...

Question 8

Rodents, marsupials, and hoofed animals first appeared in North America during the _______ period that followed a mass extinction and presented new evolutionary opportunities for mammals.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

Which sample would be appropriate for dating by means of radioactive carbon?

Accepted Answer

A)  A mastodon that is about 15,000 years old 
B)  A Homo erectus skeleton thought to be around 800,000 years old 
C)  The sediments of the Cretaceous Sea where they are now exposed on land 
D)  An igneous intrusion from a 250-million-year-old volcano eruption 
E)  Stromatolites containing 3-billion-year-old bacterial mats 
A)  A mastodon that is about 15,000 years old 
B)  A Homo erectus skeleton thought to be around 800,000 years old 
C)  The sediments of the Cretaceous Sea where they are now exposed on land 
D)  An igneous intrusion from a 250-million-year-old volcano eruption 
E)  Stromatolites containing 3-billion-year-old bacterial mats

Question 10

The current geological period is the

Accepted Answer

A)  Tertiary. 
B)  Quaternary. 
C)  Triassic. 
D)  Devonian. 
E)  Pleistocene. 
A)  Tertiary. 
B)  Quaternary. 
C)  Triassic. 
D)  Devonian. 
E)  Pleistocene.

Question 11

Earth was devoid of life during the _______ eon.

Accepted Answer

A)  Phanerozoic 
B)  Cambrian 
C)  Archean 
D)  Hadean 
E)  Proterozoic 
A)  Phanerozoic 
B)  Cambrian 
C)  Archean 
D)  Hadean 
E)  Proterozoic

Question 12

Which of the following would most likely have an effect on temperature that is opposite to that caused by humans burning fossil fuels?

Accepted Answer

A)  An input of carbon dioxide 
B)  An increase in volcanic activity 
C)  A decrease in volcanic activity 
D)  An increase in oxygen concentration 
E)  A decrease in oxygen concentration 
A)  An input of carbon dioxide 
B)  An increase in volcanic activity 
C)  A decrease in volcanic activity 
D)  An increase in oxygen concentration 
E)  A decrease in oxygen concentration

Question 13

Which of the following did not take place in the Devonian?

Accepted Answer

A)  The appearance of early reptiles in the fossil record 
B)  The appearance of the first plants to produce seeds 
C)  An acceleration in the rates of evolutionary change in many groups of animals 
D)  The appearance of the first known fossils of insects, spiders, and mites 
E)  A mass extinction marking the end of the period 
A)  The appearance of early reptiles in the fossil record 
B)  The appearance of the first plants to produce seeds 
C)  An acceleration in the rates of evolutionary change in many groups of animals 
D)  The appearance of the first known fossils of insects, spiders, and mites 
E)  A mass extinction marking the end of the period

Question 14

Which statement about paleomagnetic dating is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sedimentary rocks can be used in paleomagnetic dating. 
B)  Igneous rocks can be used in paleomagnetic dating. 
C)  Earth's magnetic poles change their positions over time. 
D)  Paleomagnetic dating relates the ages of rocks to patterns in Earth's magnetism. 
E)  Paleomagnetic dating relies on the known half-life of radioisotopes. 
A)  Sedimentary rocks can be used in paleomagnetic dating. 
B)  Igneous rocks can be used in paleomagnetic dating. 
C)  Earth's magnetic poles change their positions over time. 
D)  Paleomagnetic dating relates the ages of rocks to patterns in Earth's magnetism. 
E)  Paleomagnetic dating relies on the known half-life of radioisotopes.

Question 15

The half-life of a particular radioactive isotope of element X is 100 years.If you know that 500 years ago a fossil contained 10 mg of this isotope, you would expect to find about _______ mg in that fossil today.

Accepted Answer

A)  5 
B)  2.5 
C)  1.2 
D)  0.6 
E)  0.3 
A)  5 
B)  2.5 
C)  1.2 
D)  0.6 
E)  0.3

Question 16

What drives the increase in body size in Drosophila when oxygen concentrations are elevated?

Accepted Answer

A)  Stabilizing selection 
B)  Directional selection 
C)  Disruptive selection 
D)  Mutation 
E)  Genetic drift 
A)  Stabilizing selection 
B)  Directional selection 
C)  Disruptive selection 
D)  Mutation 
E)  Genetic drift

Question 17

Which conditions would most likely increase the likelihood of an animal being fossilized?

Accepted Answer

A)  Living in an oxygen-rich environment 
B)  Having an exoskeleton 
C)  Living in an area where geological processes often transform rocks 
D)  Living in a 14C-rich environment 
E)  Dying in an oxygen-rich environment 
A)  Living in an oxygen-rich environment 
B)  Having an exoskeleton 
C)  Living in an area where geological processes often transform rocks 
D)  Living in a 14C-rich environment 
E)  Dying in an oxygen-rich environment

Question 18

The concentration of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)  has increased steadily over time. 
B)  has decreased steadily over 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. 
A)  has increased steadily over time. 
B)  has decreased steadily over 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 19

Which of the following is the shortest period of time?

Accepted Answer

A)  The length of the Cenozoic era 
B)  The half-life of 40K 
C)  One hundred thousand years 
D)  Two half-lives of 14C 
E)  The time since the Cambrian explosion 
A)  The length of the Cenozoic era 
B)  The half-life of 40K 
C)  One hundred thousand years 
D)  Two half-lives of 14C 
E)  The time since the Cambrian explosion

Question 20

Which of the following statements is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radioisotope dating of rocks, combined with fossil analysis, is the most powerful method of determining geological age. 
B)  Earth's magnetic field has changed over time, and evidence of this can be found in igneous and sedimentary rocks. 
C)  Radioisotope dating can only be performed on rocks or fossils that are younger than the half-life of the decaying isotope. 
D)  To date sedimentary strata, geologists search for places where igneous rock formations have intruded. 
E)  Radioisotope dating can be performed on fossils thousands of years old to billions of years old. 
A)  Radioisotope dating of rocks, combined with fossil analysis, is the most powerful method of determining geological age. 
B)  Earth's magnetic field has changed over time, and evidence of this can be found in igneous and sedimentary rocks. 
C)  Radioisotope dating can only be performed on rocks or fossils that are younger than the half-life of the decaying isotope. 
D)  To date sedimentary strata, geologists search for places where igneous rock formations have intruded. 
E)  Radioisotope dating can be performed on fossils thousands of years old to billions of years old.

Exam 24: The History of Life on Earth

The first flying animals were _______, which first appeared in the _______ period.

Mountain ranges are ultimately the result of

During the _______ period of the _______ era, atmospheric O2 level was almost equal to the present level, and multicellular life forms were abundant and diverse in the sea (but nowhere to be found, yet, on land).

The rapid diversification of multicellular organisms occurred in the _______ eon.

What triggered the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period?

Abnormally high concentrations of _______ have been found in rocks dating from the end of the Cretaceous.

In an undisturbed formation, fossils from the Jurassic period are immediately below those from the _______ period.

Rodents, marsupials, and hoofed animals first appeared in North America during the _______ period that followed a mass extinction and presented new evolutionary opportunities for mammals.

Which sample would be appropriate for dating by means of radioactive carbon?

The current geological period is the

Earth was devoid of life during the _______ eon.

Which of the following would most likely have an effect on temperature that is opposite to that caused by humans burning fossil fuels?

Which of the following did not take place in the Devonian?

Which statement about paleomagnetic dating is false?

The half-life of a particular radioactive isotope of element X is 100 years.If you know that 500 years ago a fossil contained 10 mg of this isotope, you would expect to find about _______ mg in that fossil today.

What drives the increase in body size in Drosophila when oxygen concentrations are elevated?

Which conditions would most likely increase the likelihood of an animal being fossilized?

The concentration of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere

Which of the following is the shortest period of time?

Which of the following statements is false?

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 first flying animals were _, which first appeared in the _ period.

During the _ period of the _ era, atmospheric O₂ level was almost equal to the present level, and multicellular life forms were abundant and diverse in the sea (but nowhere to be found, yet, on land).