Question 1

During the _____ period,jawless fishes were the first vertebrates to leave fossil evidence.

Accepted Answer

A)   Ordovician
B)   Carboniferous
C)   Devonian
D)   Silurian
E)   CambrianF) A) and D)
G) C) and D)

Question 2

The first vascular plants evolved during the _____ period.

Accepted Answer

A)   Cambrian
B)   Devonian
C)   Silurian
D)   Carboniferous
E)   OrdovicianF) D) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 3

Why do scientists hypothesize that RNA was the first form of genetic material?

Accepted Answer

A)   RNA can catalyze reactions and store genetic information.
B)   RNA can catalyze reactions and form membranes.
C)   RNA can catalyze reactions.
D)   RNA can store genetic information and form membranes.
E)   RNA can store genetic information.F) A) and E)
G) C) and E)

Question 4

Mitochondria are proposed to have evolved before chloroplasts based on which observation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mitochondria produced the oxygen found in the atmosphere.
B)   Mitochondria are larger, with more complex structure than chloroplasts.
C)   All eukaryotes have mitochondria, but not all eukaryotes have chloroplasts.
D)   All organisms have mitochondria and conduct cell respiration.
E)   All prokaryotes have mitochondria, but not all prokaryotes have chloroplasts.F) B) and E)
G) C) and E) C

Question 5

The Precambrian supereon,in which life first appeared,and diversified to multicellular eukaryotes,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Accepted Answer

A)   30%
B)   50%
C)   85%
D)   None of the answer choices are correct.
E)   15%F) A) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 6

Which of the following did not occur during Precambrian time?

Accepted Answer

A)   photosynthesis evolved
B)   eukaryotes arose
C)   O2 accumulated in the Earth's atmosphere
D)   life originated
E)   ancestors of all modern animals appearedF) All of the above
G) None of the above

Question 7

The endosymbiont theory states that eukaryotic cells work together to form a multicellular organism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth the atmosphere was primarily methane,ammonia,and hydrogen,much like other planets in our solar system.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Accepted Answer

A)   Oxygen will break down many organic molecules by reduction.
B)   Oxygen will break down many organic molecules by oxidation.
C)   Oxygen is necessary to produce many organic molecules.
D)   Many chemical reactions are inhibited by high temperature and pressure.
E)   Many chemical reactions are favored by high temperature and pressure.F) A) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 9

The mass extinctions of the Permian period

Accepted Answer

A)   was caused by a drop in sea level.
B)   paved the way for the age of dinosaurs.
C)   All of the answer choices are correct.
D)   was caused by a rise in global temperature.
E)   was caused by a long series of volcanic eruptions.F) A) and D)
G) All of the above C

Question 10

A mass extinction,perhaps caused by a large asteroid hitting Earth near the Yucatan peninsula in the Cretaceous period,would have

Accepted Answer

A)   activated tectonic plate movements that rapidly repositioned continental plates in different regions of Earth.
B)   produced massive volumes of soot, and triggered major climate changes that species could not survive.
C)   All of the answer choices are correct.
D)   produced a geological reaction to the impact, resulting in large numbers of volcanic eruptions for millions of years.
E)   triggered forest and range fires over hundreds of years, destroying habitats and killing plant, animal, and other species.F) C) and D)
G) D) and E)

Question 11

In geologic locations,such as southeastern Kansas,coal deposits can be found in layers called seams.Within these seams,there are also formations called coal balls,which may be the size of melons.When sawn apart carefully,fossils of tree-sized ferns and similar non-vascular plants can be found.The scaly leaves of these tropical plants originally led many paleobiologists to misidentify the trees as fish.Part of tropical coastal forests,the coal and fossil plants are estimated to have been living in

Accepted Answer

A)   None of the answer choices are correct.
B)   the Precambrian supereon, following development of plants.
C)   the Cambrian period, following the "explosion" of diverse life.
D)   both the Mesozoic era and the Cretaceous period.
E)   the Carboniferous period.F) All of the above
G) A) and D)

Question 12

Hominines include

Accepted Answer

A)   All of the answer choices are correct.
B)   humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas.
C)   chimpanzees and gorillas.
D)   humans.
E)   gibbons and orangutans.F) C) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 13

The earliest cells probably originated about 3.5 billion years ago.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Ediacaran organisms

Accepted Answer

A)   lived during the Precambrian period.
B)   have been thought to be ferns, worms, or fungi.
C)   All of the answer choices are correct.
D)   did not leave any modern day descendants.
E)   lived from about 600 million years ago to about 540 million years ago.F) B) and E)
G) None of the above

Question 15

For a span of some 300 million years,the Paleozoic Era,in which vascular plants,fishes,and other diverse life appeared,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Accepted Answer

A)   None of the answer choices are correct.
B)   7%
C)   15%
D)   50%
E)   85%F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 16

Our closest living relatives on the evolutionary tree are

Accepted Answer

A)   orangutans and gibbons.
B)   bonobos and common chimpanzees.
C)   Homo erectus.
D)   Homo neanderthalensis.
E)   gorillas.F) B) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 17

Homo sapiens first appeared during the

Accepted Answer

A)   Mesozoic era.
B)   Tertiary period.
C)   Quaternary period.
D)   Cretaceous period.
E)   Permian period.F) A) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 18

The period in which modern continents were essentially all separated,from an original Pangaea supercontinent,was the

Accepted Answer

A)   Jurassic.
B)   Quaternary.
C)   Permian.
D)   Cretaceous.
E)   Carboniferous.F) C) and E)
G) C) and D) D

Question 19

The "Age of Fishes" was the _____ period.

Accepted Answer

A)   Ordovician
B)   Devonian
C)   Carboniferous
D)   Silurian
E)   PermianF) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 20

Chloroplasts are proposed to have arisen after archaea cells engulfed ___,in endosymbiosis,allowing the engulfed cell to remain,with specialized function.

Accepted Answer

A)   aerobic archaea
B)   photosynthetic archaea
C)   anaerobic bacteria
D)   aerobic bacteria
E)   photosynthetic bacteriaF) B) and C)
G) C) and D)

Exam 15: The Origin and History of Life

During the _____ period,jawless fishes were the first vertebrates to leave fossil evidence.

Correct Answer
verified

The first vascular plants evolved during the _____ period.

Correct Answer
verified

Why do scientists hypothesize that RNA was the first form of genetic material?

Correct Answer
verified

Mitochondria are proposed to have evolved before chloroplasts based on which observation?

Correct Answer
verified
C

The Precambrian supereon,in which life first appeared,and diversified to multicellular eukaryotes,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following did not occur during Precambrian time?

Correct Answer
verified

The endosymbiont theory states that eukaryotic cells work together to form a multicellular organism.

Correct Answer
verified

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth the atmosphere was primarily methane,ammonia,and hydrogen,much like other planets in our solar system.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Correct Answer
verified

The mass extinctions of the Permian period

Correct Answer
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C

A mass extinction,perhaps caused by a large asteroid hitting Earth near the Yucatan peninsula in the Cretaceous period,would have

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Hominines include

Correct Answer
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The earliest cells probably originated about 3.5 billion years ago.

Correct Answer
verified

Ediacaran organisms

Correct Answer
verified

For a span of some 300 million years,the Paleozoic Era,in which vascular plants,fishes,and other diverse life appeared,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Correct Answer
verified

Our closest living relatives on the evolutionary tree are

Correct Answer
verified

Homo sapiens first appeared during the

Correct Answer
verified

The period in which modern continents were essentially all separated,from an original Pangaea supercontinent,was the

Correct Answer
verified
D

The "Age of Fishes" was the _____ period.

Correct Answer
verified

Chloroplasts are proposed to have arisen after archaea cells engulfed ___,in endosymbiosis,allowing the engulfed cell to remain,with specialized function.

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 15: The Origin and History of Life

During the _____ period,jawless fishes were the first vertebrates to leave fossil evidence.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The first vascular plants evolved during the _____ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why do scientists hypothesize that RNA was the first form of genetic material?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Mitochondria are proposed to have evolved before chloroplasts based on which observation?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

The Precambrian supereon,in which life first appeared,and diversified to multicellular eukaryotes,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following did not occur during Precambrian time?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The endosymbiont theory states that eukaryotic cells work together to form a multicellular organism.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth the atmosphere was primarily methane,ammonia,and hydrogen,much like other planets in our solar system.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The mass extinctions of the Permian period

Correct AnswerverifiedC

A mass extinction,perhaps caused by a large asteroid hitting Earth near the Yucatan peninsula in the Cretaceous period,would have

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Hominines include

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The earliest cells probably originated about 3.5 billion years ago.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Ediacaran organisms

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

For a span of some 300 million years,the Paleozoic Era,in which vascular plants,fishes,and other diverse life appeared,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Our closest living relatives on the evolutionary tree are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Homo sapiens first appeared during the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The period in which modern continents were essentially all separated,from an original Pangaea supercontinent,was the

Correct AnswerverifiedD

The "Age of Fishes" was the _____ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Chloroplasts are proposed to have arisen after archaea cells engulfed ___,in endosymbiosis,allowing the engulfed cell to remain,with specialized function.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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C

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C

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D

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