Question 1

Which of the following molecules are believed to have been absent from the primitive reducing atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) water vapor (H2O) 
B) carbon dioxide (CO2) 
C) hydrogen (H2) 
D) oxygen (O2) 
E) nitrogen (N2) 
A) water vapor (H2O) 
B) carbon dioxide (CO2) 
C) hydrogen (H2) 
D) oxygen (O2) 
E) nitrogen (N2) D

Question 2

The first eukaryotic cells probably arose about ________ billion years ago.

Accepted Answer

A) 2.2 
B) 2.5 
C) 3.5 
D) 4.5 
A) 2.2 
B) 2.5 
C) 3.5 
D) 4.5 A

Question 3

It is likely that the protocell was

Accepted Answer

A) heterotrophic. 
B) chemoautotrophic. 
C) photoautotrophic. 
D) a decomposer. 
E) either heterotrophic or chemoautotrophic. 
A) heterotrophic. 
B) chemoautotrophic. 
C) photoautotrophic. 
D) a decomposer. 
E) either heterotrophic or chemoautotrophic. E

Question 4

Africa,Asia,South America,and Antarctica share some patterns of primitive (fossil)plants and early reptiles,but do not have similar mammal populations.These findings

Accepted Answer

A) cast serious doubts upon the theory of continental drift and fused land masses. 
B) are an unsolved puzzle probably due to the random nature of biological evolution. 
C) suggest that a pattern of land bridges existed at different times in geological history. 
D) suggest that the earlier plants and reptiles evolved while continents were joined,but mammals radiated into diverse groups after separation. 
E) suggest that the mammals evolved earlier while continents were joined,but plants and reptiles radiated into diverse groups after separation. 
A) cast serious doubts upon the theory of continental drift and fused land masses. 
B) are an unsolved puzzle probably due to the random nature of biological evolution. 
C) suggest that a pattern of land bridges existed at different times in geological history. 
D) suggest that the earlier plants and reptiles evolved while continents were joined,but mammals radiated into diverse groups after separation. 
E) suggest that the mammals evolved earlier while continents were joined,but plants and reptiles radiated into diverse groups after separation.

Question 5

________ discovered that a variety of amino acids and organic acids could be produced in the laboratory in a reducing atmosphere with electrical sparks.

Accepted Answer

A) Stanley Miller 
B) Graham Cairns-Smith 
C) Thomas Cech 
D) Aleksander Oparin 
E) Sidney Fox 
A) Stanley Miller 
B) Graham Cairns-Smith 
C) Thomas Cech 
D) Aleksander Oparin 
E) Sidney Fox

Question 6

Fossils from the Paleozoic are plentiful because

Accepted Answer

A) mammals greatly diversified during this time. 
B) multicellular organisms first evolved during this time. 
C) this is the time period most studied. 
D) hard body parts evolved in plants and animals. 
A) mammals greatly diversified during this time. 
B) multicellular organisms first evolved during this time. 
C) this is the time period most studied. 
D) hard body parts evolved in plants and animals.

Question 7

Plate tectonics explain that the amount of Earth being formed is much greater than the amount of the Earth's crust being destroyed in subduction zones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Some viruses never use DNA to carry out protein synthesis and have only RNA as their genetic material.This would lend evidence to which theory?

Accepted Answer

A) RNA-first hypothesis 
B) protein-first hypothesis 
C) simultaneous evolution of RNA and proteins 
D) endosymbiotic theory of eukaryote evolution 
A) RNA-first hypothesis 
B) protein-first hypothesis 
C) simultaneous evolution of RNA and proteins 
D) endosymbiotic theory of eukaryote evolution

Question 9

Mass extinctions

Accepted Answer

A) have occurred at least 5 times in the Earth's history. 
B) may have been due to climatic changes after meteorite collisions. 
C) may have been due to changing environments caused by continental drift. 
D) All of the choices are correct. 
A) have occurred at least 5 times in the Earth's history. 
B) may have been due to climatic changes after meteorite collisions. 
C) may have been due to changing environments caused by continental drift. 
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 10

Which of the following mass extinctions is correctly matched with the date of the extinction?

Accepted Answer

A) Silurian-445.2 mya 
B) Devonian-443.7 mya 
C) Cretaceous-65.5 mya 
D) Triassic-251 mya 
A) Silurian-445.2 mya 
B) Devonian-443.7 mya 
C) Cretaceous-65.5 mya 
D) Triassic-251 mya

Question 11

Which piece of evidence would best support the theory of continental drift?

Accepted Answer

A) The reptilian diversity on Earth is very different due to the separation of the continents billions of years ago. 
B) Australia,South America,and Africa all share a similar mammalian fauna due to the lineage being present on Gondwana. 
C) Fossils of seed ferns can only be found on North America and Europe but nowhere else in the world. 
D) All of the choices are correct. 
A) The reptilian diversity on Earth is very different due to the separation of the continents billions of years ago. 
B) Australia,South America,and Africa all share a similar mammalian fauna due to the lineage being present on Gondwana. 
C) Fossils of seed ferns can only be found on North America and Europe but nowhere else in the world. 
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 12

The scientific study of fossils and what they reveal about prehistoric life in relation to ancient climates and environments is

Accepted Answer

A) biogeography. 
B) comparative molecular biology. 
C) paleontology. 
D) geology. 
A) biogeography. 
B) comparative molecular biology. 
C) paleontology. 
D) geology.

Question 13

The formation of simple organic monomers,such as sugars,amino acids,and nucleotide bases,from inorganic molecules is

Accepted Answer

A) biosynthesis. 
B) genetically modified photosynthesis. 
C) abiotic synthesis. 
D) chemoautotrophic activity. 
A) biosynthesis. 
B) genetically modified photosynthesis. 
C) abiotic synthesis. 
D) chemoautotrophic activity.

Question 14

Which biological events took place during the Paleozoic Era and the Mesozoic Era?

Accepted Answer

A) During the Paleozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life. 
B) During the Mesozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life. 
C) During the Paleozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life. 
D) During the Mesozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life. 
A) During the Paleozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life. 
B) During the Mesozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life. 
C) During the Paleozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life. 
D) During the Mesozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life.

Question 15

The Greek terms for "small" and "ball" are the root words for

Accepted Answer

A) proteinoid. 
B) polymer. 
C) microsphere. 
D) coacervate. 
E) liposome. 
A) proteinoid. 
B) polymer. 
C) microsphere. 
D) coacervate. 
E) liposome.

Question 16

The distribution of mammalian fossils on Australia,South America,and Africa help support the idea of continental drift.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

With the appearance of photosynthetic cyanobacteria and aerobic bacteria during the Precambrian era,

Accepted Answer

A) an oxidizing atmosphere developed on Earth. 
B) the formation of the ozone shield occurred. 
C) the amount of UV light reaching the Earth was reduced and chemical evolution slowed. 
D) All of the choices are correct. 
A) an oxidizing atmosphere developed on Earth. 
B) the formation of the ozone shield occurred. 
C) the amount of UV light reaching the Earth was reduced and chemical evolution slowed. 
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 18

Wegener first presented the idea of continental drift in 1920 and this theory was confirmed in 1960.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Fossils used to define and identify geologic periods are ________ fossils.

Accepted Answer

A) body 
B) index 
C) trace 
D) stromatolite 
A) body 
B) index 
C) trace 
D) stromatolite

Question 20

All of the following statements concerning the theory of continental drift are true EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) the coastlines of several continents are mirror images. 
B) similar geological structures are found in areas where the continents touched. 
C) continental drift has ceased. 
D) the unique distribution patterns of several fossils is explained by continental drift. 
A) the coastlines of several continents are mirror images. 
B) similar geological structures are found in areas where the continents touched. 
C) continental drift has ceased. 
D) the unique distribution patterns of several fossils is explained by continental drift.

Exam 18: Origin and History of Life

Which of the following molecules are believed to have been absent from the primitive reducing atmosphere?

The first eukaryotic cells probably arose about ________ billion years ago.

It is likely that the protocell was

Africa,Asia,South America,and Antarctica share some patterns of primitive (fossil)plants and early reptiles,but do not have similar mammal populations.These findings

________ discovered that a variety of amino acids and organic acids could be produced in the laboratory in a reducing atmosphere with electrical sparks.

Fossils from the Paleozoic are plentiful because

Plate tectonics explain that the amount of Earth being formed is much greater than the amount of the Earth's crust being destroyed in subduction zones.

Some viruses never use DNA to carry out protein synthesis and have only RNA as their genetic material.This would lend evidence to which theory?

Mass extinctions

Which of the following mass extinctions is correctly matched with the date of the extinction?

Which piece of evidence would best support the theory of continental drift?

The scientific study of fossils and what they reveal about prehistoric life in relation to ancient climates and environments is

The formation of simple organic monomers,such as sugars,amino acids,and nucleotide bases,from inorganic molecules is

Which biological events took place during the Paleozoic Era and the Mesozoic Era?

The Greek terms for "small" and "ball" are the root words for

The distribution of mammalian fossils on Australia,South America,and Africa help support the idea of continental drift.

With the appearance of photosynthetic cyanobacteria and aerobic bacteria during the Precambrian era,

Wegener first presented the idea of continental drift in 1920 and this theory was confirmed in 1960.

Fossils used to define and identify geologic periods are ________ fossils.

All of the following statements concerning the theory of continental drift are true EXCEPT

A View of Life

Basic Chemistry

The Chemistry of Organic Molecules

Cell Structure and Function

Membrane Structure and Function

Metabolism: Energy and Enzymes

Photosynthesis

Cellular Respiration

The Cell Cycle and Cellular Reproduction

Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction

Mendelian Patterns of Inheritance

Molecular Biology of the Gene

Regulation of Gene Expression

Biotechnology and Genomics

Darwin and Evolution

How Populations Evolve

Speciation and Macroevolution

Taxonomy,systematics,and Phylogeny

Viruses,bacteria,and Archaea

Protist Evolution and Diversity

Fungi Evolution and Diversity

Plant Evolution and Diversity

Flowering Plants: Structure and Organization

Flowering Plants: Nutrition and Transport

Flowering Plants: Control of Growth Responses

Flowering Plants: Reproduction

Invertebrate Evolution

Vertebrate Evolution

Human Evolution

Animal Organization and Homeostasis

Circulation and Cardiovascular Systems

The Lymphatic and Immune Systems

Digestive Systems and Nutrition

Respiratory Systems

Body Fluid Regulation and Excretory Systems

Neurons and Nervous Systems

Sense Organs

Locomotion and Support Systems

Hormones and Endocrine Systems

Reproductive Systems

Animal Development and Aging

Behavioral Ecology

Population Ecology

Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

Conservation of Biodiversity

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