Question 1

Fossils of prokaryotic cells are dated as far back as approximately _____ billion years ago.

Accepted Answer

A) 1.5 
B) 2.8 
C) 3.8 
D) 4.8 
A) 1.5 
B) 2.8 
C) 3.8 
D) 4.8

Question 2

Which event and date is mismatched?

Accepted Answer

A) origin of multicellular organisms-650 million years ago 
B) origin of life-4.8 billion years ago 
C) origin of eukaryotic cells-2.2 billion years ago 
D) All the choices are incorrect. 
A) origin of multicellular organisms-650 million years ago 
B) origin of life-4.8 billion years ago 
C) origin of eukaryotic cells-2.2 billion years ago 
D) All the choices are incorrect.

Question 3

The time that it takes for half of a radioactive isotope to change into another stable element is its

Accepted Answer

A) activation time. 
B) life span. 
C) half-life. 
D) chemical life cycle. 
A) activation time. 
B) life span. 
C) half-life. 
D) chemical life cycle.

Question 4

Dinosaurs were the dominant group during the Mesozoic Era and many scientists believe that they were

Accepted Answer

A) endothermic,or warm blooded. 
B) ectothermic,or cold-blooded. 
C) exergonic,or energy releasing. 
D) both endothermic and ectothermic.Some scientists believe that certain dinosaurs were endothermic while others believe that certain dinosaurs were ectothermic. 
A) endothermic,or warm blooded. 
B) ectothermic,or cold-blooded. 
C) exergonic,or energy releasing. 
D) both endothermic and ectothermic.Some scientists believe that certain dinosaurs were endothermic while others believe that certain dinosaurs were ectothermic.

Question 5

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 6

Who was the individual who proposed the hypothesis of continental drift during the 1920s?

Accepted Answer

A) Alfred Wegener 
B) Charles Darwin 
C) Alfred Russel Wallace 
D) Charles Lyell 
A) Alfred Wegener 
B) Charles Darwin 
C) Alfred Russel Wallace 
D) Charles Lyell

Question 7

When and where did the first multicellular protists evolve?

Accepted Answer

A) Africa / 2.3 BYA 
B) Canada / 1.4 BYA 
C) Middle East / 4.6 BYA 
D) Asia / 3.2 BYA 
A) Africa / 2.3 BYA 
B) Canada / 1.4 BYA 
C) Middle East / 4.6 BYA 
D) Asia / 3.2 BYA

Question 8

Which of the following lists of 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 9

Which piece of evidence supports the hypothesis of continental drift?

Accepted Answer

A) Alfred Wegener believed that the continents formed a supercontinent called Pangea. 
B) Charles Darwin believed that the continents formed a supercontinent called Pangea. 
C) Charles Lyell believed that the continents split into two smaller continents called Gondwana and Laurasia. 
D) Alfred Wallace believed that the distribution of seed fern fossils supported continental drift. 
A) Alfred Wegener believed that the continents formed a supercontinent called Pangea. 
B) Charles Darwin believed that the continents formed a supercontinent called Pangea. 
C) Charles Lyell believed that the continents split into two smaller continents called Gondwana and Laurasia. 
D) Alfred Wallace believed that the distribution of seed fern fossils supported continental drift.

Question 10

The first person who proposed that small organic molecules could have arisen by chemical evolution was

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 11

Which of the following mass extinction events is correct?

Accepted Answer

A) During the Permian period over 90% of the species disappeared due to an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 
B) At the end of the Ordovician period over 90% of the species went extinct due to a bolide impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks. 
C) At the end of the Cretaceous period over 90% of the species went extinct due to a bolide impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks. 
D) At the end of the Devonian period 70% of the terrestrial vertebrates went extinct when Gondwana drifted back towards the South Pole. 
A) During the Permian period over 90% of the species disappeared due to an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 
B) At the end of the Ordovician period over 90% of the species went extinct due to a bolide impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks. 
C) At the end of the Cretaceous period over 90% of the species went extinct due to a bolide impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks. 
D) At the end of the Devonian period 70% of the terrestrial vertebrates went extinct when Gondwana drifted back towards the South Pole.

Question 12

The synthesis of DNA or RNA from the organic soup would have been guided by the actions of enzymes in the

Accepted Answer

A) protein-first hypothesis. 
B) RNA-first hypothesis. 
C) clay-catalyst hypothesis. 
D) chloroplast. 
A) protein-first hypothesis. 
B) RNA-first hypothesis. 
C) clay-catalyst hypothesis. 
D) chloroplast.

Question 13

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 14

Which of the following forms of energy was NOT involved in the production of large organic molecules in the primitive reducing atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) radioactivity 
B) electrical energy 
C) heat 
D) radiation from the sun 
E) sound 
A) radioactivity 
B) electrical energy 
C) heat 
D) radiation from the sun 
E) sound

Exam 18: Origin and History of Life

Fossils of prokaryotic cells are dated as far back as approximately _____ billion years ago.

Which event and date is mismatched?

The time that it takes for half of a radioactive isotope to change into another stable element is its

Dinosaurs were the dominant group during the Mesozoic Era and many scientists believe that they were

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

Who was the individual who proposed the hypothesis of continental drift during the 1920s?

When and where did the first multicellular protists evolve?

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

Which piece of evidence supports the hypothesis of continental drift?

The first person who proposed that small organic molecules could have arisen by chemical evolution was

Which of the following mass extinction events is correct?

The synthesis of DNA or RNA from the organic soup would have been guided by the actions of enzymes in the

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

Which of the following forms of energy was NOT involved in the production of large organic molecules in the primitive reducing atmosphere?

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

Behavioral Ecology

Population Ecology

Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

Conservation of Biodiversity

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