Deck 11: Evidence of Evolution

Question 1

Dinosaurs went extinct approximately ____ years ago.

A) 6500
B) 65,000
C) 650,000
D) 65,000,000
E) 650,000,000

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What is an asteroid?

A) dust and small rock orbiting around the sun
B) a ball of ice with a tail
C) a small planet
D) a small sun with weak solar emissions
E) more than one of these

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Aristotle's ideas on the natural world were most consistent with

A) evolution.
B) biogeography.
C) comparative morphology.
D) creationism.
E) geology.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following has been found in association with the K-T boundary layer?

A) iridium
B) shocked quartz
C) tektites
D) all of these
E) none of these

Question 5

Who,among the following,was the earliest naturalist?

A) Darwin
B) Plato
C) Mendel
D) Galileo
E) Aristotle

Question 6

Biogeography is the study of

A) the distribution of land masses.
B) the patterns in the geographical distribution of species.
C) the patterns of species dispersal.
D) the pattern of population demographics.
E) none of these.

Question 7

Which of the following discoveries would NOT have called into question the idea that species didn't change and/or are unrelated?

A) fossils of whales with legs
B) dandelions are asexual plants that produce non-functional pollen
C) all humans are 99% genetically the same
D) the DNA of humans and chimpanzees is 96-98% the same
E) more than one of these

Question 8

Which of the following are normally associated with asteroids or their impact on Earth?

A) iridium
B) tektites
C) shocked quartz
D) craters
E) all of these

Question 9

Which of the following were confusing discoveries that called into question the concept that species didn't change?

A) isolated species that looked similar to species that lived considerable distances away
B) organisms that had some similar characteristics but other characteristics that were very different
C) organisms with similar structures that have different functions
D) body parts with no apparent function
E) all of these were confusing discoveries that called into question the concept that species didn't change

Question 10

Which naturalist first proposed the theory of catastrophism?

A) Lyell
B) Lamarck
C) Darwin
D) Cuvier
E) Aristotle

Question 11

What discoveries in the fossil record led to questioning the concept that species didn't change?

A) the oldest layers contain fossils of simpler organisms
B) more recent layers contain fossils more similar to existing species
C) many fossils were found of extinct animals
D) more recent layers contain fossils that are more complex than earlier ones
E) all of these are discoveries in the fossil record that led to questioning the concept that species didn't change

Question 12

Which of the following scientists first proposed the theory of uniformity?

A) Lyell
B) Lamarck
C) Darwin
D) Cuvier
E) Aristotle

Question 13

Which of the following is TRUE about asteroids?

A) they can be as large as 1,500 meters in diameter
B) in our solar system, most are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
C) many cross the Earth's orbit
D) one of them impacted Earth as early as 50,000 years ago
E) all of these are true

Question 14

Most scientists accept that the most probable reason for the extinction of the dinosaurs was

A) the result of an asteroid impact.
B) the loss of food sources.
C) from being out-competed by mammals.
D) gas emissions from volcanoes.
E) giant tsunamis caused by earthquakes.

Question 15

Which scientist believed that species gradually improved towards perfection due to "fluida"?

A) Lyell
B) Lamarck
C) Darwin
D) Cuvier
E) Aristotle

Question 16

How much more powerful than the asteroid impact that created the Barringer Crater in Arizona was the asteroid impact that created the crater off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula?

A) 10 million times
B) 20 million times
C) 30 million times
D) 40 million times
E) 50 million times

Question 17

____ is (are)the study of body plans and structures.

A) Evolution
B) Biogeography
C) Comparative morphology
D) Comparative physiology
E) Botany

Question 18

Which of the following naturalists first proposed the Great Chain of Being?

A) Darwin
B) Lamarck
C) Aristotle
D) Lyell
E) Cuvier

Question 19

How much more powerful than an atomic bomb was the impact of the asteroid that created the Barringer Crater in Arizona?

A) 10 times
B) 15 times
C) 100 times
D) 150 times
E) 1000 times

Question 20

The study of the distribution of plants and animals around the Earth is called

A) comparative morphology.
B) botany.
C) biogeography.
D) geology.
E) paleontology.

Question 21

Which of the following animals is most like a glyptodon?

A) dogs
B) finches
C) whales
D) armadillos
E) horses

Question 22

Which of the following terms best fit with the theory of uniformity?

A) gradual
B) catastrophic
C) abrupt
D) extinction
E) more than one of these

Question 23

Which individual proposed the same idea as Darwin after studying the wildlife in the Amazon basin?

A) Cuvier
B) Lyell
C) Lamarck
D) Aristotle
E) Wallace

Question 24

____ is the degree of adaptation to a specific environment.

A) Fecundity
B) Fertility
C) Fitness
D) Adaptation
E) Natural selection

Question 25

Who among the following would receive the most credit for the following scenario? Because humans faced difficult challenges in their evolution,their brains became bigger.

A) Darwin
B) Lyell
C) Aristotle
D) Cuvier
E) Lamarck

Question 26

If a population undergoes selection of adaptive traits,it most logically will lead to ___ of the species.

A) extinction
B) improvement
C) artificial selection
D) evolution
E) more than one of these

Question 27

A trait that enhances an individual's fitness is called ___ trait.

A) an adaptive
B) a fitness
C) a selective
D) an artificial
E) a natural

Question 28

After the publication of On the Origin of Species,the idea of evolution was generally accept.What part of Darwin's theory of evolution,however,was fiercely debated?

A) natural selection
B) environmental change
C) gradual change
D) the old age of the Earth
E) limited resources

Question 29

During the 1800's and earlier,most individuals thought the Earth was approximately

A) 6 billion years old.
B) 600 million years old.
C) 600,000 years old.
D) 60,000 years old.
E) 6,000 years old.

Question 30

Who is referred to as the Father of Biogeography?

A) Cuvier
B) Lyell
C) Lamarck
D) Aristotle
E) Wallace

Question 31

What radical idea did Cuvier propose based on his studies of Earth's history?

A) extinction of species
B) evolution of species
C) the Earth is billions of years old
D) the Earth is unchanged in its history
E) more than one of these

Question 32

In his voyage around the world in the Beagle,what observation did Darwin make about animals?

A) animals in similar climate zones were similar regardless of where they lived
B) animals isolated on islands were unlike any living on nearby mainlands
C) animals living closer together appeared more closely related to each other than animals living further away
D) fossils of animals he found were unlike any animals still living
E) there appeared to be no genetic connections between any of the animals he observed

Question 33

Where would be the best place to search for fossils?

A) an area that was formerly a desert
B) an area that was formerly a volcano
C) an area that is currently a desert but once was an ocean
D) an area that is currently an ocean but was formerly a desert
E) an area that is currently a volcano but was once a desert

Question 34

Which of the following is a concept NOT shared by Larmark and Darwin in their theories of evolution?

A) gradual change of species over time
B) environmental pressures result in changes in populations of species over time
C) a drive for perfection leads to changes in species over time
D) all of these ARE concepts shared by Larmark and Darwin in their theories of evolution
E) none of these are concepts shared by Larmark and Darwin in their theories of evolution

Question 35

In what discipline did Darwin get his degree from Cambridge University?

A) biology
B) geology
C) theology
D) genetics
E) biogeography

Question 36

Whose view on the geological formation of the Earth is most accepted by modern geologists?

A) Lyell's
B) Cuvier's
C) Aristotle's
D) Lamarck's
E) Malthus's

Question 37

Which of the following animals did Darwin study that helped form his ideas on evolution?

A) dogs
B) armadillos
C) glyptodons
D) finches
E) all of these were animals Darwin studied

Question 38

What idea did Malthus champion that Darwin incorporated into his theory of evolution?

A) Populations have the capacity to produce more offspring than the environment can support.
B) Populations will always produce more individuals than the environment can support.
C) Populations will only produce the number of individuals that the environment can support.
D) Populations will never produce offspring in stressful environments.
E) None of these are ideas of Malthus that Darwin incorporated into his theory of evolution

Question 39

Which type of fossil is considered a trace fossil?

A) footprint
B) shell
C) seeds
D) teeth
E) spores

Question 40

On his voyage around the world,which of the following scientists gave Darwin an insight into what would become his theory of evolution?

A) Lyell
B) Cuvier
C) Aristotle
D) Paley
E) Lamarck

Question 41

Typically,where would we expect to find older fossils?

A) superficial layer of the Earth
B) deep layer of the Earth
C) both layers will have old fossils
D) neither layer will have old fossils
E) none of these

Question 42

What is the half-life of the decay of uranium 238 to lead 206?

A) 2.5 million years.
B) 220 million years.
C) 1.2 billion years.
D) 2.5 billion years.
E) 4.5 billion years.

Question 43

What is the method called that indicates the age of material by measuring the content of the radioisotope and the daughter elements?

A) radiometric dating
B) carbon dating
C) catastrophism
D) all of these
E) none of these

Question 44

Which fossil would you expect to be found in the deepest layers of the Earth?

A) dinosaur
B) monkeys
C) frogs
D) bacteria
E) all of these would be at the same level

Question 45

The half life of Carbon 14 is approximately ____ years.

A) 16,000,000
B) 60,000
C) 8,200
D) 5,400
E) 500

Question 46

Which of the following factors is the only one that influences radioactive decay?

A) time
B) temperature
C) pressure
D) moisture
E) chemical bonding

Question 47

What is the cut off age for dating fossils by their Carbon 14 content?

A) 60,000 years
B) 12,000 years
C) 6,000 years
D) 2,000 years
E) 500 years

Question 48

How are fossils older than 60,000 years dated?

A) directly dating the fossil with carbon 14
B) directly dating the fossil with uranium 238
C) dating rock formations below the fossil
D) dating rock formations above the fossil
E) dating rock formations above and below the fossil

Question 49

Zircon crystals that form in molten magma are easily dated because they contain

A) no lead.
B) no uranium.
C) uranium but no lead.
D) lead but no uranium.
E) both lead and uranium.

Question 50

Which of the following fossils are we most likely to find?

A) fossils beneath the Empire State Building
B) fossils of flowers that produce one seed
C) jellyfish fossils
D) fossilized spores from mushrooms
E) fossils of animals living on steep slopes

Question 51

Which of the following organisms is most likely to become fossilized?

A) a lake trout
B) a mountain goat
C) a tulip
D) a mushroom
E) all of these organisms are equally likely to fossilize

Question 52

It will take approximately ____ years for Carbon 14 to be reduced into half of the original substance.

A) 16,000
B) 11,200
C) 8,200
D) 5,370
E) 300

Question 53

The radioactive decay of an isotope can be best compared to a

A) clock.
B) radio.
C) mp3 player.
D) metronome.
E) microwave oven.

Question 54

Which of the following elements favors fossilization?

A) death in an isolated area
B) rapid burial
C) a bony skeleton
D) all of these elements favor fossilization
E) one or more of these is an element that does NOT favor fossilization

Question 55

The time it takes for half of a radioisotope's atom to decay is called the

A) decay time.
B) half-life
C) isotopic life
D) release time
E) denature time

Question 56

How much of any radioisotope remains after two of its half-lives have passed?

A) 1.25%
B) 2.5%
C) 5%
D) 10%
E) 20%

Question 57

Based on DNA evidence,of the following animals,whales are most closely related to

A) sharks.
B) sheep.
C) horses.
D) dogs.
E) elephants.

Question 58

When measuring the age of a fossil using Carbon dating,what is the oldest age that a fossil can be?

A) 2.2 million years old
B) 200,000 years old
C) 85,000 years old
D) 72,000 years old
E) 60,000 years old

Question 59

Why is it unlikely that we will find fossils of every extinct species?

A) Most dead organisms are eaten by scavengers.
B) Organic remains decompose.
C) Not all species have hard parts like bones or teeth.
D) Most fossils are buried too deep for us to find.
E) More than one of these is correct.

Question 60

What is the age of the oldest known terrestrial rock?

A) 4.4 billion years old.
B) 4.4 million years old.
C) 4.4 hundred years old.
D) 4.4 thousand years old.
E) 4.4 qudrillion years old.

Question 61

What is the correct order of land mass formation starting with the oldest and moving towards the most recent?

A)Pangaea ????? Gondwana ????? Earth's crust
B)Earth's crust ????? Pangaea ????? Gondwana
C)Earth's crust ????? Gondwana ????? Pangaea
D)Gondwana ????? Earth's crust ????? Pangaea
E)Pangaea ????? Earth's crust ????? Gondwana

Question 62

Land tetrapods evolved just prior to which mass extinction?

A) Cretaceous
B) Devonian
C) Ordovician
D) Permian
E) Triassic

Question 63

After which Period did the last mass extinction occur?

A) Permian
B) Triassic
C) Jurassic
D) Ordovician
E) Cretaceous

Question 64

Which layer of sedimentary rock is the youngest?

A) Bright Angel Shale
B) Muav limestone
C) Redwall limestone
D) Manakacha Formation
E) Kaibab Limestone

Question 65

Scientists believe whales evolved from land animals for which of the following reasons?

A) they are genetically close to a group of land animals called artiodactyls
B) fossils found had a mix of whale and artiodactyl features
C) some had tails but swam with their feet
D) some had feet but swam with their tails
E) all of these are reasons that scientists believe whales evolved from land animals

Question 66

Which of the following is evidence that the continents are not static?

A) the jigsaw puzzle fit of continents like South America and Africa
B) fossils occur in identical rock formations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean
C) magnetic poles of large rock formations point in different directions
D) at certain places beneath the ocean, the sea floor is spreading
E) all of these are evidence that the continents are not static

Question 67

What was the name of the supercontinent that once contained all of Earth's land masses?

A) Pangea
B) Pandora
C) Gondwana
D) Laurasia
E) Caprica

Question 68

When did the Earth's crust form?

A) 2.9 billion years ago
B) 3.2 billion years ago
C) 4,600 million years ago
D) 4.6 thousand years ago
E) 12,000 years ago

Question 69

The Earth has experienced ____ major mass extinctions during its history.

A) 3
B) 5
C) 8
D) 12
E) 15

Question 70

During which period did the coal forests form?

A) Cambrian
B) Carboniferous
C) Quaternary
D) Jurassic
E) Ordovician

Question 71

Which layer of sedimentary rock shows the presence of fish?

A) Unkar Group
B) Manakacha Formation
C) Kaibab Limestone receptors
D) Redwall Limestone
E) Chuar Group

Question 72

What was the super continent called that included the landmasses that are currently found in the southern hemisphere?

A) Antarctica
B) Pangaea
C) Eurasia
D) Caprica
E) Gondwana

Question 73

Which group is geologically oldest?

A) prokaryotes
B) dinosaurs
C) humans
D) plants
E) bony fish

Question 74

Which event is geologically the oldest?

A) evolution of vascular plants
B) evolution of modern humans
C) oxygen accumulation in the Earth's atmosphere
D) evolution of prokaryotes
E) evolution of reptiles

Question 75

What is the correct order of geological time frames from oldest to most recent?

A)Cambrian ????? Silurian ????? Permian ????? Cretaceous
B)Cambrian ????? Permian ????? Silurian ????? Cretaceous
C)Cretaceous ????? Silurian ????? Permian ????? Cambrian
D)Cretaceous ????? Permian ????? Silurian ????? Cambrian
E)Permian ????? Cretaceous ????? Cambrian ????? Silurian

Question 76

Which Era are we currently living in?

A) Cenozoic
B) Miocene
C) Quaternary
D) Mesozoic
E) Tertiary

Question 77

During which period did Pangaea break apart?

A) Cambrian
B) Carboniferous
C) Quaternary
D) Jurassic
E) Silurian

Question 78

Which layer of sedimentary rock is closest to the surface?

A) Bright Angel Shale
B) Muav limestone
C) Redwall limestone
D) Manakacha Formation
E) Kaibab Limestone

Question 79

The theory of continental movement is called

A) plate tectonics.
B) plate drift.
C) seismology.
D) fault line movement.
E) sea floor spreading.

Question 80

It was concluded that the fossil Dorudon atrox was related to both whales and modern artiodactyls because it had a whalelike skull and

A) whalelike ankle bones.
B) artiodactyl-like ankle bones.
C) whalelike flippers.
D) artiodactyl-like flippers.
E) more than one of these.