Question 1

Life apparently originated on Earth about

Accepted Answer

A) 1 million years ago. 
B) 6000 years ago. 
C) 4.5 billion years ago. 
D) 8 billion years ago. 
E) 3.5 billion years ago. 
A) 1 million years ago. 
B) 6000 years ago. 
C) 4.5 billion years ago. 
D) 8 billion years ago. 
E) 3.5 billion years ago. E

Question 2

A scientist is studying endosymbiosis in cells.This means she is investigating

Accepted Answer

A) how mitochondria and chloroplasts were derived from eukaryotic cells. 
B) how mitochondria and chloroplasts were derived from prokaryotic cells. 
C) how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved into eukaryotic cells. 
D) how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved into prokaryotic cells. 
A) how mitochondria and chloroplasts were derived from eukaryotic cells. 
B) how mitochondria and chloroplasts were derived from prokaryotic cells. 
C) how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved into eukaryotic cells. 
D) how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved into prokaryotic cells. B

Question 3

The early Earth's reducing atmosphere probably contained all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) carbon dioxide. 
B) water. 
C) oxygen. 
D) hydrogen sulfide. 
E) methane. 
A) carbon dioxide. 
B) water. 
C) oxygen. 
D) hydrogen sulfide. 
E) methane. C

Question 4

What is the advantage of having cyanobacteria living inside a cell?

Accepted Answer

A) Enhanced protection of DNA 
B) Intracellular production of glucose 
C) Much more efficient protein synthesis 
D) Allows the cell to manufacture ATP 
A) Enhanced protection of DNA 
B) Intracellular production of glucose 
C) Much more efficient protein synthesis 
D) Allows the cell to manufacture ATP

Question 5

If a scientist found very high concentrations of organic biomarkers deep inside a 3.9 billion year old meteorite,how would this effect the explanation of the origins of life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) This would prove the extraterrestrial origin of life. 
B) This would provide evidence for the extraterrestrial origin of life. 
C) This would disprove the terrestrial origin of life. 
D) This would provide evidence for the uniqueness of life on earth. 
A) This would prove the extraterrestrial origin of life. 
B) This would provide evidence for the extraterrestrial origin of life. 
C) This would disprove the terrestrial origin of life. 
D) This would provide evidence for the uniqueness of life on earth.

Question 6

During the Snowball Earth temperatures at the equator rarely exceeded -20 degrees Celsius.Why didn't heat from the sun melt the ice?

Accepted Answer

A) The high levels of atmospheric moisture created extensive cloud cover. 
B) Ice reflected most of radiant energy. 
C) The ozone layer absorbed all the heat. 
D) The earth's core was cooled and kept the ice frozen. 
A) The high levels of atmospheric moisture created extensive cloud cover. 
B) Ice reflected most of radiant energy. 
C) The ozone layer absorbed all the heat. 
D) The earth's core was cooled and kept the ice frozen.

Question 7

The oldest microfossils are of

Accepted Answer

A) prokaryotes. 
B) eukaryotes. 
C) insects. 
D) pollen grains. 
E) small animals. 
A) prokaryotes. 
B) eukaryotes. 
C) insects. 
D) pollen grains. 
E) small animals.

Question 8

It has been discovered that enzyme-like catalysis can be carried out not only by enzymes but also by

Accepted Answer

A) sugars. 
B) DNA. 
C) phospholipids. 
D) RNA. 
E) steroids. 
A) sugars. 
B) DNA. 
C) phospholipids. 
D) RNA. 
E) steroids.

Question 9

Which of the following was demonstrated by the Miller-Urey experiment?

Accepted Answer

A) Life began in the oceans. 
B) Life can be started experimentally in the laboratory. 
C) Organic molecules important to life could have been formed from a vast array of simple chemicals. 
D) Life began on the prebiotic Earth 3.5 billion years ago. 
A) Life began in the oceans. 
B) Life can be started experimentally in the laboratory. 
C) Organic molecules important to life could have been formed from a vast array of simple chemicals. 
D) Life began on the prebiotic Earth 3.5 billion years ago.

Question 10

Imagine that NASA discovered a new planet with an atmosphere rich in hydrogen gas,hydrogen sulfide,ammonia and methane.We would call this a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) reducing atmosphere,because of the availability of hydrogen atoms that can donate electrons. 
B) reducing atmosphere because the atmosphere would reduce the energy necessary to build molecules. 
C) oxidizing atmosphere because of the availability of oxygen compounds. 
D) oxidizing atmosphere because of the lack of oxygen gas. 
A) reducing atmosphere,because of the availability of hydrogen atoms that can donate electrons. 
B) reducing atmosphere because the atmosphere would reduce the energy necessary to build molecules. 
C) oxidizing atmosphere because of the availability of oxygen compounds. 
D) oxidizing atmosphere because of the lack of oxygen gas.

Question 11

The apparatus in the figure was used by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey to study the origin of life on Earth.What compound was excluded from the apparatus so that it would form a reducing atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) CO2 
B) O2 
C) NH3 
D) H2 
E) H2O 
A) CO2 
B) O2 
C) NH3 
D) H2 
E) H2O

Question 12

The group that probably gave rise to chloroplasts is the

Accepted Answer

A) cyanobacteria. 
B) green photosynthetic bacteria. 
C) purple sulfur bacteria. 
D) nonsulfur purple bacteria. 
E) methane bacteria. 
A) cyanobacteria. 
B) green photosynthetic bacteria. 
C) purple sulfur bacteria. 
D) nonsulfur purple bacteria. 
E) methane bacteria.

Question 13

Which one of the following statements about endosymbiosis and the origin of the eukaryotic cell is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) Mitochondria are the descendants of purple bacteria. 
B) The chloroplasts of red and green algae are the descendants of cyanobacteria. 
C) Algae incorporated prokaryotic cells that became chloroplasts,but never acquired mitochondria. 
D) Many compartments of the eukaryotic cell are derived from the endomembrane system. 
E) Ultimately,both the chloroplast and the mitochondria of eukaryotes are descendants of prokaryotic cells. 
A) Mitochondria are the descendants of purple bacteria. 
B) The chloroplasts of red and green algae are the descendants of cyanobacteria. 
C) Algae incorporated prokaryotic cells that became chloroplasts,but never acquired mitochondria. 
D) Many compartments of the eukaryotic cell are derived from the endomembrane system. 
E) Ultimately,both the chloroplast and the mitochondria of eukaryotes are descendants of prokaryotic cells.

Question 14

An experimental test of the hypothesis to explain the origin of the first organic compounds on Earth might include all of the following sequential steps except

Accepted Answer

A) assembling an atmosphere with H2,CH4,NH3,and H2S. 
B) placing this atmosphere over liquid water. 
C) inoculating with a few bacteria to get the process started. 
D) increasing the temperature of the gases. 
E) providing energy with electrical spark discharges. 
A) assembling an atmosphere with H2,CH4,NH3,and H2S. 
B) placing this atmosphere over liquid water. 
C) inoculating with a few bacteria to get the process started. 
D) increasing the temperature of the gases. 
E) providing energy with electrical spark discharges.

Question 15

Vascular plants appeared about 450 million year ago.Vascular plants have existed on earth for ________.

Accepted Answer

A) 10% of its history 
B) 20% of its history 
C) 50% of its history 
D) 75% of its history 
E) 90% of its history 
A) 10% of its history 
B) 20% of its history 
C) 50% of its history 
D) 75% of its history 
E) 90% of its history

Question 16

Why have plants been implicated in the Ordovician and Devonian glaciations,but not the Proterozoic glaciations?

Accepted Answer

A) Proterozoic plants used anoxygenic photosynthesis. 
B) Proterozoic plants had simple root structures that did not increase rock weathering. 
C) Land plants had not yet evolved during the Proterozoic. 
D) The nonvascular plants present during the Proterozoic did not contribute to global nutrient cycles. 
A) Proterozoic plants used anoxygenic photosynthesis. 
B) Proterozoic plants had simple root structures that did not increase rock weathering. 
C) Land plants had not yet evolved during the Proterozoic. 
D) The nonvascular plants present during the Proterozoic did not contribute to global nutrient cycles.

Question 17

All of the following were produced in experiments on primitive Earth conditions conducted by Miller-Urey and others,except for

Accepted Answer

A) amino acids. 
B) organic molecules. 
C) prokaryotes. 
D) hydrogen cyanide. 
E) urea. 
A) amino acids. 
B) organic molecules. 
C) prokaryotes. 
D) hydrogen cyanide. 
E) urea.

Question 18

Which eon would contain rocks with no fossils?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

Prokaryotic organisms were the only life-forms present on earth for almost 2 billion years.Multicellular eukaryotes have only been around for about 25% of earth's history

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

How did humans colonize the New World?

Accepted Answer

A) Early humans walked across a land bridge during periods of lowered sea level. 
B) Christopher Columbus and a host of other explorers were the first to colonize the Americas. 
C) Humans drifted across the Atlantic on primitive canoes. 
D) Humans were present during the break-up of Gondwana. 
A) Early humans walked across a land bridge during periods of lowered sea level. 
B) Christopher Columbus and a host of other explorers were the first to colonize the Americas. 
C) Humans drifted across the Atlantic on primitive canoes. 
D) Humans were present during the break-up of Gondwana.

Exam 25: The Origin and Diversity of Life

Life apparently originated on Earth about

A scientist is studying endosymbiosis in cells.This means she is investigating

The early Earth's reducing atmosphere probably contained all of the following except

What is the advantage of having cyanobacteria living inside a cell?

If a scientist found very high concentrations of organic biomarkers deep inside a 3.9 billion year old meteorite,how would this effect the explanation of the origins of life on Earth?

During the Snowball Earth temperatures at the equator rarely exceeded -20 degrees Celsius.Why didn't heat from the sun melt the ice?

The oldest microfossils are of

It has been discovered that enzyme-like catalysis can be carried out not only by enzymes but also by

Which of the following was demonstrated by the Miller-Urey experiment?

Imagine that NASA discovered a new planet with an atmosphere rich in hydrogen gas,hydrogen sulfide,ammonia and methane.We would call this a(n)

The apparatus in the figure was used by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey to study the origin of life on Earth.What compound was excluded from the apparatus so that it would form a reducing atmosphere?

The group that probably gave rise to chloroplasts is the

Which one of the following statements about endosymbiosis and the origin of the eukaryotic cell is FALSE?

An experimental test of the hypothesis to explain the origin of the first organic compounds on Earth might include all of the following sequential steps except

Vascular plants appeared about 450 million year ago.Vascular plants have existed on earth for ________.

Why have plants been implicated in the Ordovician and Devonian glaciations,but not the Proterozoic glaciations?

All of the following were produced in experiments on primitive Earth conditions conducted by Miller-Urey and others,except for

Which eon would contain rocks with no fossils?

Prokaryotic organisms were the only life-forms present on earth for almost 2 billion years.Multicellular eukaryotes have only been around for about 25% of earth's history

How did humans colonize the New World?

The Science of Biology

The Nature of Molecules and the Properties of Water

The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

Cell Structure

Membranes

Energy and Metabolism

How Cells Harvest Energy

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

How Cells Divide

Sexual Reproduction and Meiosis

Patterns of Inheritance

Chromosomes, mapping, and the Meiosisinheritance Connection

Dna: the Genetic Material

Genes and How They Work

Control of Gene Expression

Biotechnology

Genomics

Cellular Mechanisms of Development

Genes Within Populations

The Evidence for Evolution

The Origin of Species

Systematics,phylogenies,and Comparative Biology

Genome Evolution

Viruses

Prokaryotes

Protists

Seedless Plants

Seed Plants

Fungi

Animal Diversity and the Evolution of Body Plans

Protostomes

Deuterostomes

Plant Form

Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition and Soils

Plant Defense Responses

Sensory Systems in Plants

Plant Reproduction

The Animal Body and Principles of Regulation

The Nervous System

Sensory Systems

The Endocrine System

The Musculoskeletal System

The Digestive System

The Respiratory System

The Circulatory System

Osmotic Regulation and the Urinary System

The Immune System

The Reproductive System

Animal Development

Behavioral Biology

Ecology of Individuals and Populations

Community Ecology

Dynamics of Ecosystems

The Biosphere and Human Impacts

Conservation Biology

Filters