Biology [CHAPTER 25] (The History of Life On Earth) Flashcards
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| 433958849 | Why is the four-stage hypothesis for the abiotic origin of life useful? A) It leads to predictions that can be tested. B) It can be proven. C) It provides a reason for the origin of living things. D) It is true. E) It proves that RNA was the first genetic molecule. | It leads to predictions that can be tested. | |
| 433958850 | The early atmosphere on Earth is thought to have lacked which of the following gases? A) Water B) Methane C) Nitrogen D) Oxygen E) Carbon dioxide | oxygen | |
| 433958851 | Currently scientists think the early atmosphere probably consisted of _____. A) N2, H2O, CO2, NH3, CH4, and O2 B) H2O, CH4, H2, NH3, and O2 C) N2, H2O, CO2, NH3, CH4, H2, and H2S D) H2O, CH4, H2, and NH3 E) O2, SO2, and H2O | N2, H2O, CO2, NH3, CH4, H2, and H2S | |
| 433958852 | The Miller and Urey abiotic synthesis experiment (and subsequent, similar experiments) showed that _____. A) Long chains of DNA can form under abiotic conditions B) The "concentration gap" probably prevented simple organic molecules from polymerizing C) Simple organic molecules can form spontaneously under conditions like those thought to prevail early in Earth's history D) Life can be created in a test tube E) The earliest life-forms introduced large amounts of oxygen into the atmosphere | simple organic molecules can form spontaneously under conditions like those thought to prevail early in Earth's history | |
| 433958853 | The early atmosphere may not have been as reducing as originally postulated by Haldane, Oparin, Miller, and Urey. In light of current thinking about the composition of the early atmosphere, what is regarded as a likely place for the abiotic synthesis of organic molecules to have occurred? A) Banded iron formations B) Stromatolite mounds C) The surface of ancient oceans D) Near volcanoes E) Dust particles in the atmosphere | near volcanoes | |
| 433958854 | Abiotically produced vesicles display which of the following rudimentary qualities necessary for life? A) The ability to perform simple metabolism and to assemble nucleic acids from nucleotides B) The ability to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic molecules C) The ability to accurately replicate and build macromolecules D) The ability to perform simple reproduction and metabolism E) The ability to maintain an internal chemical environment different from their surroundings and to reproduce sexually | the ability to perform simple reproduction and metabolism | |
| 433958855 | Cech and Altman suggested that the first self-replicating molecules were _____. A) True proteins B) Phospholipids C) RNA D) Viruses E) DNA | RNA | |
| 433958856 | Which of the following organisms is most closely related to the ancestor of modern amphibians? A) Tappania B) Dickinsonia costata C) Coccosteus cuspidatus D) Rhomaleosaurus victor E) Tiktaalik | Tiktaalik | |
| 433958857 | A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 1.2 billion years. As measured by the presence of the isotope and its stable decay product, a rock originally contained 10 grams of the radioactive isotope, and now contains 1.25 grams. Approximately how many years old is the rock? A) 0.3 billion years B) 10,000 years C) 3.6 billion years D) 1,000 years E) 12 billion years | 3.6 billion years | |
| 433958858 | You are watching a movie in which one of the characters excitedly claims to have found human remains in Asia dated at 10 million years old. The date was obtained by carbon-14 dating. What is your reaction? A) This can't possibly be true because the earliest humans came from Africa, not Asia. B) This would be a surprising finding because so far there is no evidence that humans existed that long ago. C) This can't possibly be true because carbon-14 dating can only be used back to about 75,000 years. D) This can't possibly be true because humans weren't around 10 million years ago. E) This is a perfectly reasonable finding. | This can't possibly be true because carbon-14 dating can only be used back to about 75,000 years. | |
| 433958859 | Single-celled prokaryotes had the Earth to themselves for approximately _____. A) 150,000 years B) 3 million years C) 1.5 million years D) 3 billion years E) 1.5 billion years | 1.5 billion years | |
| 433958860 | The correct order of the geologic eras, from most ancient to most recent, is _____. A) Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic, Proterozoic B) Proterozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic, Paleozoic C) Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic D) Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic E) Paleozoic, Cenozoic, Mesozoic | Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic | |
| 433958861 | Ancient cyanobacteria were very important in the history of life because they _____. A) Extracted heat from the atmosphere, cooling Earth B) Were the first truly multicellular organisms C) Are the oldest known archaea D) Were probably the first organisms to live on Earth E) Produced atmospheric oxygen | produced atmospheric oxygen | |
| 433958862 | What prokaryotic adaptation occurred during the oxygen revolution and opened up the possibility for energy-demanding multicellular life-forms? A) Cellular respiration B) Electron transport systems C) Emergence of obligate anaerobes D) Anaerobic fermentation E) Photosynthesis | cellular respiration | |
| 433958863 | What evidence supports the hypothesis that mitochondria and plastids evolved from prokaryotic endosymbionts? A) They have a single circular chromosome similar to bacterial chromosomes. B) They have flagella similar to bacterial flagella. C) Their ribosomes are more like prokaryotic ribosomes than eukaryotic ribosomes. D) They divide by a process similar to meiosis. E) The first and third responses are correct. | The first and third responses are correct. | |
| 433958864 | Prior to the Cambrian explosion, most animals were small and soft-bodied. What development appears to have spurred adaptations such as sharp spines, claws, and body armor (shells)? A) Radial symmetry B) Filter feeding C) Increase in oxygen concentration in the atmosphere D) Aerobic respiration E) Predation | predation | |
| 433958865 | What were the two major "problems" that had to be solved before plants, animals, and fungi could move into terrestrial habitats? A) Prevention of dehydration and locomotion B) Support and absorption C) Cell division and absorption of nutrients D) Reproduction and locomotion E) Reproduction and prevention of dehydration | reproduction and prevention of dehydration | |
| 433958866 | What does the snowball Earth hypothesis propose? A) Larger multicellular eukaryotes are scarce in the fossil record until the late Proterozoic because an ice age limited life to deep-sea vents and hot springs. B) Multicellular organisms evolved when conditions were so cold that plasma membranes of unicellular organisms fused. C) Once the first multicellular eukaryotes appeared, their sizes and populations grew exponentially, like a snowball rolling down a hill. D) Multicellular eukaryotes had an advantage over single-celled organisms in extremely cold conditions. E) The first multicellular eukaryotes formed colonies on the surface of glaciers. | Larger multicellular eukaryotes are scarce in the fossil record until the late Proterozoic because an ice age limited life to deep-sea vents and hot springs. | |
| 433958867 | Plants colonized land in the company of _____; their symbiotic relationships still exist today. A) Insects B) Fungi C) Algae D) Cyanobacteria E) Animals | fungi | |
| 433958868 | What evidence most strongly suggests that an impact by an asteroid or meteorite may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? A) Sedimentary rocks contain a layer of iridium, a mineral uncommon on Earth. B) Most dinosaur fossils are fragmented, indicating that they were crushed by the asteroid. C) There have been several near misses in recent years. D) The dinosaurs disappeared rather abruptly, virtually overnight. E) Fossils show that dinosaurs suffered from cold and starvation. | Sedimentary rocks contain a layer of iridium, a mineral uncommon on Earth. | |
| 433958869 | Which of the following best describes how the breakup of Pangaea affected evolution? A) The geographic isolation of populations that had previously coexisted led to speciation. B) Shallow marine habitat became scarcer. C) Extensive glaciation caused mass extinctions. D) Sympatric speciation became the primary means by which new species were formed. E) Mammals had an opportunity to become dominant. | The geographic isolation of populations that had previously coexisted led to speciation. | |
| 433958870 | The fauna and flora of Australia are very different from those of the rest of the world. Why might this be true? A) Life in Australia was wiped out by ancient volcanic eruptions. B) Australia was never in close proximity to the other continents. C) The climate of Australia is unlike that of any other place in the world. D) Australia has been isolated for about 50 million years. E) They have become different by convergent evolution. | Australia has been isolated for about 50 million years. | |
| 433958871 | Lake Malawi, in the African Rift Valley, is home to more than a hundred species of cichlid fishes, each with slightly different diets and habits. All these species probably evolved from a common ancestor, making them an example of _____. A) Convergence B) Hybrid breakdown C) Adaptive radiation D) Hybrid sterility E) Sympatric speciation | adaptive radiation | |
| 433958872 | Adaptive radiations are often seen after _____. A) Sexual selection takes place B) Major new evolutionary adaptations, such as flight, occur C) Mass extinctions D) Bacteria and plants both have flagellated gametes E) The second and third responses are correct. | The second and third responses are correct. | |
| 433958873 | Although they originated around 180 million years ago, mammals underwent an adaptive radiation starting approximately 65 million years ago. Why? A) Between 180 and 65 million years ago, mammals were outcompeted by the well-established dinosaurs. B) Mammals were mostly nocturnal until 65 million years ago. C) Fur evolved in mammals around 65 million years ago, enabling them to withstand colder temperatures. D) Mammals were not well-adapted to the climate that existed before about 65 million years ago. E) All of the listed responses are correct. | Between 180 and 65 million years ago, mammals were outcompeted by the well-established dinosaurs. | |
| 433958874 | How does continental drift affect speciation? A) The joining of previously separated habitats may produce a hybrid zone or establish competition among previously isolated populations. B) The breaking apart of landmasses or the change in configuration of ocean basins promotes allopatric speciation. C) All of the listed responses are correct. D) The closing of an ocean basin represents an enormous loss of habitat that can wipe out some species. E) Climate change associated with mountain building and plates moving to different latitudes creates new niches for some organisms and wipes out other organisms. | All of the listed responses are correct. | |
| 433958875 | Mutations in what class of genes have probably been responsible for many of the changes leading to the great diversity of life existing today? A) Genes for digestive enzymes B) Genes that regulate mitosis C) Developmental genes D) DNA repair genes E) Genes for aerobic respiration | Developmental genes | |
| 433958876 | The products of Hox genes _____. A) Result in heterochrony B) Can cause paedomorphosis C) May cause polyploidy in some plants D) Provide positional information in animal embryos E) Control the rate of timing and developmental events | provide positional information in animal embryos | |
| 433958877 | If the wings of extant flying birds originally arose as thermoregulatory devices in ancestral reptiles, then the bird wings could be accurately described as _____. A) Exaptations B) Vestigial structures C) Analogous organs D) Degenerate structures E) Anticipatory structures | exaptations | |
| 433958878 | In the species selection model, _____ is to macroevolution as _____ is to microevolution. A) Disruptive selection ... balancing selection B) Genotype ... phenotype C) Allopatric speciation ... sympatric speciation D) Exaptation ... adaptation E) Differential speciation success ... differential reproductive success | differential speciation success ... differential reproductive success |
