Question 1

Mass extinctions in the fossil record have often accompanied major _______ in sea level.Such extinctions have particularly affected _______ animals.

Accepted Answer

A)  rises; terrestrial 
B)  rises; marine 
C)  rises; freshwater 
D)  drops; terrestrial 
E)  drops; marine 
A)  rises; terrestrial 
B)  rises; marine 
C)  rises; freshwater 
D)  drops; terrestrial 
E)  drops; marine

Question 2

Which organisms represent the source of our petroleum oil products?

Accepted Answer

A)  The flowering plants that arose during the Cretaceous period 
B)  The remains of the dinosaurs from the Jurassic period 
C)  Phytoplankton that first appeared during the Triassic period 
D)  The remains of the extensive swamp forests from the Carboniferous period 
E)  The remains of fish from the Devonian period 
A)  The flowering plants that arose during the Cretaceous period 
B)  The remains of the dinosaurs from the Jurassic period 
C)  Phytoplankton that first appeared during the Triassic period 
D)  The remains of the extensive swamp forests from the Carboniferous period 
E)  The remains of fish from the Devonian period

Question 3

Refer to the figure to interpret the relative contribution of various risk factors toward the possible local extinction of a species.   Which of the following would be most likely to cause the local extinction of a population of kelp with fewer than three individuals?

Accepted Answer

A)  Random changes in birth or death rates 
B)  Low genetic variation associated with small populations 
C)  A change in temperature, water quality, or sunlight availability 
D)  Disadvantages associated with low population density 
E)  A complex interaction between demographic variation and genetic effects 
A)  Random changes in birth or death rates 
B)  Low genetic variation associated with small populations 
C)  A change in temperature, water quality, or sunlight availability 
D)  Disadvantages associated with low population density 
E)  A complex interaction between demographic variation and genetic effects

Question 4

Experiments with Drosophila grown under higher-than-normal levels of oxygen evolve

Accepted Answer

A)  a larger body size. 
B)  a smaller body size. 
C)  larger wings, but no changes in body size. 
D)  smaller wings, but no changes in body size. 
E)  smaller eyes, but no changes in body size. 
A)  a larger body size. 
B)  a smaller body size. 
C)  larger wings, but no changes in body size. 
D)  smaller wings, but no changes in body size. 
E)  smaller eyes, but no changes in body size.

Question 5

The biogeographical isolation of Australia at a crucial time in mammalian evolution resulted in its being populated with a diverse array of marsupial mammals. Shortly before that, at the time of the mass extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) boundary, Australia was

Accepted Answer

A)  near its current position. 
B)  attached to Antarctica. 
C)  part of Gondwana. 
D)  part of Laurasia. 
E)  part of Pangaea. 
A)  near its current position. 
B)  attached to Antarctica. 
C)  part of Gondwana. 
D)  part of Laurasia. 
E)  part of Pangaea.

Question 6

During the _______ period, the biota recovered after a major mass extinction, the species richness of invertebrate groups increased, the first turtles and frogs appeared, and a large radiation of reptiles began.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 7

Which statement about oxygen is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It was prevalent in the atmosphere of Earth at the origin of life, around 3.8 bya. 
B)  It allowed for the evolution of autotrophic organisms. 
C)  It is advantageous to every type of organism that has lived on Earth. 
D)  It made aerobic heterotrophic life possible. 
E)  It is a product of fermentation. 
A)  It was prevalent in the atmosphere of Earth at the origin of life, around 3.8 bya. 
B)  It allowed for the evolution of autotrophic organisms. 
C)  It is advantageous to every type of organism that has lived on Earth. 
D)  It made aerobic heterotrophic life possible. 
E)  It is a product of fermentation.

Question 8

Which statement about oxygen levels on Earth is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The atmosphere of Proterozoic Earth contained almost as much free oxygen as present-day Earth, but most of this oxygen was lost in the Cambrian. 
B)  Early photosynthetic bacteria generated free oxygen as a by-product of the chemical splitting of water. 
C)  The oxygen-generating cyanobacteria that existed on early Earth have gone extinct. 
D)  Most of early Earth's atmospheric oxygen arose via land plants. 
E)  Today's atmospheric oxygen levels are the highest they have ever been. 
A)  The atmosphere of Proterozoic Earth contained almost as much free oxygen as present-day Earth, but most of this oxygen was lost in the Cambrian. 
B)  Early photosynthetic bacteria generated free oxygen as a by-product of the chemical splitting of water. 
C)  The oxygen-generating cyanobacteria that existed on early Earth have gone extinct. 
D)  Most of early Earth's atmospheric oxygen arose via land plants. 
E)  Today's atmospheric oxygen levels are the highest they have ever been.

Question 9

Refer to the figure, which illustrates a particular period in the fossil record.   Based on the fossil record, the period that corresponds to figure is the _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure, which illustrates a...

Question 10

The nonavian dinosaurs were one group among many that did not survive the Cretaceous mass extinction.What factor(s) most likely contributed to this event?

Accepted Answer

A)  Volcanic eruptions 
B)  Glaciers 
C)  The aftermath of a meteorite collision 
D)  Decrease in the oxygen content of the atmosphere 
E)  A rapid global warming event 
A)  Volcanic eruptions 
B)  Glaciers 
C)  The aftermath of a meteorite collision 
D)  Decrease in the oxygen content of the atmosphere 
E)  A rapid global warming event

Question 11

The geological process of subduction (characterized by one plate sliding under another) accounts for

Accepted Answer

A)  volcanic activity associated with the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. 
B)  the creation of the Himalayan mountain range. 
C)  the formation of stromatolites. 
D)  the crater off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. 
E)  the San Andreas Fault. 
A)  volcanic activity associated with the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. 
B)  the creation of the Himalayan mountain range. 
C)  the formation of stromatolites. 
D)  the crater off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. 
E)  the San Andreas Fault.

Question 12

During the most recent geological era, the _______, certain plants such as legumes formed symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Accepted Answer

The answer of During the most recent geological era, the...

Question 13

The period beginning with the Cambrian and up to the present represents the _______ eon, which spans approximately 500 million years.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The period beginning with the Cambrian and...

Question 14

Which of the following was the most likely cause of the limited diversity of multicellular eukaryotes for much of their early existence?

Accepted Answer

A)  High concentrations of oxygen 
B)  Frequent periods of heat 
C)  Frequent periods of cold 
D)  The existence of plankton 
E)  The lack of plankton 
A)  High concentrations of oxygen 
B)  Frequent periods of heat 
C)  Frequent periods of cold 
D)  The existence of plankton 
E)  The lack of plankton

Question 15

Which of the following represents a correct chronological ordering of Earth's geological history, from earliest to latest?

Accepted Answer

A)  First frogs, earliest fossil flowering plants, Permian extinction 
B)  First frogs, Permian extinction, earliest fossil flowering plants 
C)  Earliest fossil flowering plants, first frogs, Permian extinction 
D)  Permian extinction, first frogs, earliest fossil flowering plants 
E)  Permian extinction, earliest fossil flowering plants, first frogs 
A)  First frogs, earliest fossil flowering plants, Permian extinction 
B)  First frogs, Permian extinction, earliest fossil flowering plants 
C)  Earliest fossil flowering plants, first frogs, Permian extinction 
D)  Permian extinction, first frogs, earliest fossil flowering plants 
E)  Permian extinction, earliest fossil flowering plants, first frogs

Question 16

Vascular plants first appeared during the _______ period.

Accepted Answer

A)  Cambrian 
B)  Ordovician 
C)  Silurian 
D)  Carboniferous 
E)  Permian 
A)  Cambrian 
B)  Ordovician 
C)  Silurian 
D)  Carboniferous 
E)  Permian

Question 17

The half-life of a particular radioactive isotope of element X is 100 years.If you know that 400 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)  0.6 
D)  0.3 
E)  0.15 
A)  5 
B)  2.5 
C)  0.6 
D)  0.3 
E)  0.15

Question 18

Suppose life is found on another planet, and you are part of a team assigned to assess the relative ages of different assemblages of fossils: Hadley, Leverett, Northampton, Sunderland, and Ware.In location A, the Hadley assemblage is found below the Ware assemblage and above the Leverett assemblage.In location B, the Northampton assemblage is found above the Sunderland assemblage.In location C, Ware is found below Sunderland.In location D, Hadley is found below Ware.Assume that the rocks are undisturbed in all locations.Construct a diagram showing the relative positions of all five strata.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose life is found on another planet,...

Question 19

Life first evolved on Earth _______ years ago.

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 1 billion 
B)  between 1 billion and 2 billion 
C)  between 2 billion and 3 billion 
D)  between 3 billion and 5 billion 
E)  more than 5 billion 
A)  less than 1 billion 
B)  between 1 billion and 2 billion 
C)  between 2 billion and 3 billion 
D)  between 3 billion and 5 billion 
E)  more than 5 billion

Question 20

Which statement about Earth's lithospheric crust is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It does not move over time. 
B)  It is composed of molten lava plates. 
C)  It is known as the asthenosphere, or "magma." 
D)  It is made up of "plates" that can move by continental drift. 
E)  It is known as the "mantle" layer. 
A)  It does not move over time. 
B)  It is composed of molten lava plates. 
C)  It is known as the asthenosphere, or "magma." 
D)  It is made up of "plates" that can move by continental drift. 
E)  It is known as the "mantle" layer.

Exam 24: The History of Life on Earth

Mass extinctions in the fossil record have often accompanied major _______ in sea level.Such extinctions have particularly affected _______ animals.

Which organisms represent the source of our petroleum oil products?

Refer to the figure to interpret the relative contribution of various risk factors toward the possible local extinction of a species. Which of the following would be most likely to cause the local extinction of a population of kelp with fewer than three individuals?

Experiments with Drosophila grown under higher-than-normal levels of oxygen evolve

The biogeographical isolation of Australia at a crucial time in mammalian evolution resulted in its being populated with a diverse array of marsupial mammals. Shortly before that, at the time of the mass extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) boundary, Australia was

During the _______ period, the biota recovered after a major mass extinction, the species richness of invertebrate groups increased, the first turtles and frogs appeared, and a large radiation of reptiles began.

Which statement about oxygen is true?

Which statement about oxygen levels on Earth is true?

Refer to the figure, which illustrates a particular period in the fossil record. Based on the fossil record, the period that corresponds to figure is the _______.

The nonavian dinosaurs were one group among many that did not survive the Cretaceous mass extinction.What factor(s) most likely contributed to this event?

The geological process of subduction (characterized by one plate sliding under another) accounts for

During the most recent geological era, the _______, certain plants such as legumes formed symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

The period beginning with the Cambrian and up to the present represents the _______ eon, which spans approximately 500 million years.

Which of the following was the most likely cause of the limited diversity of multicellular eukaryotes for much of their early existence?

Which of the following represents a correct chronological ordering of Earth's geological history, from earliest to latest?

Vascular plants first appeared during the _______ period.

The half-life of a particular radioactive isotope of element X is 100 years.If you know that 400 years ago a fossil contained 10 mg of this isotope, you would expect to find about _______ mg in that fossil today.

Life first evolved on Earth _______ years ago.

Which statement about Earth's lithospheric crust is true?

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

Mass extinctions in the fossil record have often accompanied major _ in sea level.Such extinctions have particularly affected _ animals.