Question 1

Primitive reptiles first appeared during the _____ period.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

Clues from geology and paleontology suggest that simple cells,or their precursors,arose about _____ years ago.

Accepted Answer

A)   six billion
B)   six million
C)   one million
D)   four billion
E)   four millionF) B) and C)
G) None of the above

Question 3

Humans,chimpanzees,and bonobos are both

Accepted Answer

A)   hominids.
B)   primates and Homo sapiens.
C)   primates and hominids.
D)   primates.
E)   Homo sapiens.F) C) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 4

The Soviet chemist Oparin suggested that for organic molecules to form on Earth,the atmosphere was probably rich in

Accepted Answer

A)   hydrogen.
B)   argon.
C)   oxygen and water.
D)   oxygen.
E)   helium.F) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 5

The geologic timescale is divided into eons,eras,periods,and epochs defined by major geological or biological events.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth,temperatures ranged from 500-1000°C,atmospheric pressure was 10 times current levels,and the planet was bombarded with meteorites.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Accepted Answer

A)   Oxygen in this high temperature and pressure atmosphere would have been chemically less reactive.
B)   Water and meteorite dust would have provided the chemical reactions necessary for formation of biological molecules.
C)   Many chemical reactions are inhibited by high temperature and pressure.
D)   Oxygen will break down many organic molecules by reduction.
E)   High temperature and pressure are the best conditions for enzyme function, needed to support life.F) None of the above
G) B) and D)

Question 7

Photosynthesis probably originated during the __________ eon,and most likely used _____________ as an electron donor.

Accepted Answer

A)   Paleozoic; water
B)   Proterozoic; hydrogen sulfide
C)   Archean; hydrogen sulfide
D)   Proterozoic; water
E)   Archean; waterF) B) and D)
G) D) and E)

Question 8

A buried skeletal find has the foramen magnum near but not at the rear of the skull; this indicates the skeletal remains may be those of a

Accepted Answer

A)   human.
B)   a lesser ape, like a gibbon.
C)   gorilla or a human.
D)   dog or a gorilla.
E)   gorilla.F) All of the above
G) C) and D)

Question 9

The Cenozoic Era,during which the diversity of animals living today arose,has extended from 65 mya to the present.This is approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Accepted Answer

A)   4%
B)   7%
C)   15%
D)   1.5%
E)   None of the answer choices are correct.F) A) and B)
G) D) and E)

Question 10

Archosaurs and small therapsid reptiles survived the Permian,paving the way for

Accepted Answer

A)   evolution of the largest numbers of reptile groups that dominated during the Mesozoic.
B)   None of the answer choices are correct.
C)   natural selection favoring mammals and dinosaurs.
D)   development of the angiosperm flowering plants that needed to be pollinated by animals.
E)   extensive growth of carboniferous forests, due to the absence of larger foragers and grazers, leading to modern coal beds.F) A) and D)
G) B) and D)

Question 11

Why did Li and other University of Chicago scientists choose to conduct DNA sequencing on sections of DNA not encoding proteins?

Accepted Answer

A)   Segments not encoding proteins would show less variability, due to relatively slow and consistent mutation rates.
B)   The biotechnology necessary to sequence genes would be technologically much less reliable than for the non-encoding sequences.
C)   They would have expected to find only two alleles for each gene, which would have been insufficient for testing the hypothesis.
D)   Segments not encoding proteins would show more variability, due to adaptations associated with different habitats.
E)   Segments not encoding proteins are common to many more species, so a type of experimental control was established.F) A) and D)
G) C) and E)

Question 12

It is thought that the first cells probably arose about _____ years ago.

Accepted Answer

A)   two billion
B)   1.2 billion
C)   six billion
D)   500 million
E)   3.5 billionF) B) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 13

According to endosymbiosis theory,host archaea engulfed ___,which then allowed both popopulations to survive together.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

A buried skeletal find of a specimen has the foramen magnum tucked beneath the skull; this indicates that the skeletal remains are of a

Accepted Answer

A)   lesser ape.
B)   chimpanzee.
C)   All of the answer choices are correct.
D)   human.
E)   gorilla.F) B) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 15

The Primate order arose about ____ years ago,in the ___ period.

Accepted Answer

A)   100 million; Cretaceous
B)   150 million; Jurassic
C)   one million; Quaternary
D)   10 million; Tertiary
E)   60 million; TertiaryF) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 16

The enzyme that copies RNA into complementary DNA is RNA polymerase.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Characteristics shared by primates include

Accepted Answer

A)   large brain size in comparison to body size.
B)   binocular vision and excellent depth perception.
C)   flat nails instead of claws.
D)   All of the answer choices are correct.
E)   grasping hands with opposable thumbs.F) None of the above
G) A) and E)

Question 18

The amniote egg in which an embryo could develop completely on dry land arose during the _____ period.

Accepted Answer

A)   Devonian
B)   Permian
C)   Ordovician
D)   Cambrian
E)   SilurianF) B) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 19

The "Age of Amphibians" was the _____ period.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 20

Clays often have charged surfaces.How may this have been important in the formation of organic macromolecules?

Accepted Answer

A)   They are a source of ATP to run chemical reactions.
B)   They can form templates by binding organic building blocks.
C)   They are formed from meteorites that carried organic molecules to Earth.
D)   They form covalent bonds with organic building blocks.
E)   They are a source of oxygen to break down organic building blocks.F) D) and E)
G) B) and E)

Exam 15: The Origin and History of Life

The amniote egg in which an embryo could develop completely on dry land arose during the _____ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to endosymbiosis theory,host archaea engulfed ___,which then allowed both popopulations to survive together.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Cenozoic Era,during which the diversity of animals living today arose,has extended from 65 mya to the present.This is approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Clues from geology and paleontology suggest that simple cells,or their precursors,arose about _____ years ago.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Humans,chimpanzees,and bonobos are both

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The "Age of Amphibians" was the _____ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

It is thought that the first cells probably arose about _____ years ago.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The geologic timescale is divided into eons,eras,periods,and epochs defined by major geological or biological events.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why did Li and other University of Chicago scientists choose to conduct DNA sequencing on sections of DNA not encoding proteins?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Primate order arose about ____ years ago,in the ___ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Characteristics shared by primates include

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth,temperatures ranged from 500-1000°C,atmospheric pressure was 10 times current levels,and the planet was bombarded with meteorites.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Soviet chemist Oparin suggested that for organic molecules to form on Earth,the atmosphere was probably rich in

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The enzyme that copies RNA into complementary DNA is RNA polymerase.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Primitive reptiles first appeared during the _____ period.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A buried skeletal find has the foramen magnum near but not at the rear of the skull; this indicates the skeletal remains may be those of a

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A buried skeletal find of a specimen has the foramen magnum tucked beneath the skull; this indicates that the skeletal remains are of a

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Clays often have charged surfaces.How may this have been important in the formation of organic macromolecules?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Photosynthesis probably originated during the __________ eon,and most likely used _____________ as an electron donor.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Archosaurs and small therapsid reptiles survived the Permian,paving the way for

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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The Primate order arose about __ years ago,in the _ period.

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Photosynthesis probably originated during the eon,and most likely used ___ as an electron donor.

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