Question 1

The first cells gave rise to

Accepted Answer

A)  bacteria and archaea. 
B)  archaea and protists. 
C)  bacteria and fungi. 
D)  eukaryotes and bacteria. 
A)  bacteria and archaea. 
B)  archaea and protists. 
C)  bacteria and fungi. 
D)  eukaryotes and bacteria.

Question 2

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 3

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 4

The first known multicellular organisms evolved approximately how many years ago?

Accepted Answer

A)  3.5 BYA 
B)  2.1 BYA 
C)  1.4 BYA 
D)  100 MYA 
A)  3.5 BYA 
B)  2.1 BYA 
C)  1.4 BYA 
D)  100 MYA

Question 5

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

Question 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

Which of the following mass extinction 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 10

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 11

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.

Question 12

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 13

Which of the following major divisions of geologic time is mismatched with the organisms that flourished during that time period?

Accepted Answer

A)  Carboniferous Period-Age of Amphibians 
B)  Mesozoic Era-Age of Reptiles 
C)  Cambrian Period-Age of Fish 
D)  Cenozoic Era-Age of Homo sapiens 
A)  Carboniferous Period-Age of Amphibians 
B)  Mesozoic Era-Age of Reptiles 
C)  Cambrian Period-Age of Fish 
D)  Cenozoic Era-Age of Homo sapiens

Question 14

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 15

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 16

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

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

Exam 18: Origin and History of Life

The first cells gave rise to

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

When and where did the first multicellular protists evolve?

The first known multicellular organisms evolved approximately how many years ago?

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

Which piece of evidence supports the hypothesis of continental drift?

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

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

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

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?

It is likely that the protocell was

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

Which of the following major divisions of geologic time is mismatched with the organisms that flourished during that time period?

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

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

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

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: Structureand 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

Filters