Deck 18: Origin and History of Life

Question 1

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?

A)RNA-first hypothesis
B)protein-first hypothesis
C)simultaneous evolution of RNA and proteins
D)endosymbiotic theory of eukaryote evolution

Answer 1

A

Question 2

________ proposed that polypeptides and RNA evolved simultaneously.

A)Stanley Miller
B)Graham Cairns-Smith
C)Thomas Cech
D)Aleksander Oparin
E)Sidney Fox

Answer 2

B

Question 3

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

A)Stanley Miller.
B)Graham Cairns-Smith.
C)Thomas Cech.
D)Aleksander Oparin.
E)Sidney Fox.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

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

A)Silurian-445.2 mya
B)Devonian-443.7 mya
C)Cretaceous-65.5 mya
D)Triassic-251 mya

Question 5

Which of the following time periods contains the others?

A)Cretaceous
B)Triassic
C)Jurassic
D)Mesozoic

Question 6

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

A)radioactivity
B)electrical energy
C)heat
D)radiation from the sun
E)sound

Question 7

The term "reducing atmosphere" for the early Earth means that the atmosphere

A)was much thinner around the surface of the Earth than now.
B)contained only two or three kinds of gases.
C)contained little or no free oxygen.
D)contained little or no free nitrogen.
E)contained little or no carbon dioxide.

Question 8

If the hypothesis that protocells were based on an "RNA world" is correct,what would be necessary to shift to a "DNA world"?

A)an enzyme or reaction capable of removing one oxygen from ribose in nucleotides
B)enzymes for reverse transcription of RNA into DNA
C)new enzymes to replicate the DNA
D)new enzymes for transcribing DNA back to RNA
E)All would be necessary to switch to a "DNA world."

Question 9

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

A)3)5 BYA
B)2)1 BYA
C)1)4 BYA
D)100 MYA

Question 10

The fact that a nucleic acid is a very complicated molecule suggests that

A)the RNA-first hypothesis is impossible.
B)RNA could not have arisen on its own by chance,but required enzymes to guide the synthesis of nucleotides and then nucleic acids.
C)sophisticated enzymes were not present or available to synthesize it.
D)no natural system could ever generate it.
E)the protein-first hypothesis is therefore the only plausible hypothesis.

Question 11

The Greek terms for "small" and "ball" are the root words for

A)proteinoid.
B)polymer.
C)microsphere.
D)coacervate.
E)liposome.

Question 12

Which statement is NOT true about a protocell?

A)It would have contained DNA as its genetic material.
B)It would have been present before the development of a true cell.
C)It would have had a lipid and protein membrane forming the outer layer.
D)It would have contained a biochemical pathway for energy metabolism.
E)It might have been like a coacervate droplet in which a semipermeable boundary allows some materials to be absorbed from the surrounding environment.

Question 13

List in order of appearance the four stages of the origin of life and explain what was necessary to occur in order for life to have evolved in this fashion.

Question 14

Which of the following molecules are believed to have been absent from the primitive reducing atmosphere?

A)water vapor (H₂O)
B)carbon dioxide (CO₂)
C)hydrogen (H₂)
D)oxygen (O₂)
E)nitrogen (N₂)

Question 15

Which statement is NOT true about the RNA-first hypothesis?

A)It is supported by the discovery that RNA can act as an enzyme.
B)It is supported by the fact that some viruses have RNA as their genetic material.
C)It suggests that there was an "RNA world" about 4 billion years ago.
D)It says that first RNA,then DNA,and then proteins would have been necessary to interact in the chemical evolution that would have led to the development of the first cells.

Question 16

Biological evolution differs from chemical evolution in that it would have been possible only after the development of

A)true cells.
B)nucleic acids.
C)enzymes.
D)a metabolic pathway.

Question 17

Who was the individual who proposed the hypothesis of continental drift during the 1920s?

A)Alfred Wegener
B)Charles Darwin
C)Alfred Russel Wallace
D)Charles Lyell

Question 18

________ discovered that a variety of amino acids and organic acids could be produced in the laboratory in a reducing atmosphere with electrical sparks.

A)Stanley Miller
B)Graham Cairns-Smith
C)Thomas Cech
D)Aleksander Oparin
E)Sidney Fox

Question 19

It is likely that the protocell was

A)heterotrophic.
B)chemoautotrophic.
C)photoautotrophic.
D)a decomposer.
E)either heterotrophic or chemoautotrophic.

Question 20

Which piece of evidence would best support the theory of continental drift?

A)The reptilian diversity on Earth is very different due to the separation of the continents billions of years ago.
B)Australia,South America,and Africa all share a similar mammalian fauna due to the lineage being present on Gondwana.
C)Fossils of seed ferns can only be found on North America and Europe but nowhere else in the world.
D)All of the choices are correct.

Question 21

All of the following statements concerning the theory of continental drift are true EXCEPT

A)the coastlines of several continents are mirror images.
B)similar geological structures are found in areas where the continents touched.
C)continental drift has ceased.
D)the unique distribution patterns of several fossils is explained by continental drift.

Question 22

Three fossils are found in undisturbed layers of rock,or strata.Fossil A is closest to the Earth's surface and Fossil C was deeper than Fossil B.Given this limited data,what assumptions can you make about these fossils?

Question 23

Which hypothesis states that the synthesis of DNA or RNA from the small molecules in the ocean would have come after the evolution of the plasma membrane and enzymes?

A)protein-first hypothesis
B)RNA-first hypothesis
C)clay-catalyst hypothesis
D)chloroplast

Question 24

With the appearance of photosynthetic cyanobacteria and aerobic bacteria during the Precambrian era,

A)an oxidizing atmosphere developed on Earth.
B)the formation of the ozone shield occurred.
C)the amount of UV light reaching the Earth was reduced and chemical evolution slowed.
D)All of the choices are correct.

Question 25

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

A)biosynthesis.
B)genetically modified photosynthesis.
C)abiotic synthesis.
D)chemoautotrophic activity.

Question 26

Which event and date is mismatched?

A)origin of multicellular organisms-650 million years ago
B)origin of life-4.8 billion years ago
C)origin of eukaryotic cells-2.2 billion years ago
D)All the choices are incorrect.

Question 27

The scientific study of fossils and what they reveal about prehistoric life in relation to ancient climates and environments is

A)biogeography.
B)comparative molecular biology.
C)paleontology.
D)geology.

Question 28

Miller and Urey's experiment provided support for what hypothesis? In what way did the discovery of hydrothermal vents alleviate concern about the validity of their simulation of the Earth's primitive atmosphere?

Question 29

Fossils used to define and identify geologic periods are ________ fossils.

A)body
B)index
C)trace
D)stromatolite

Question 30

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

A)1)5
B)2)8
C)3)8
D)4)8

Question 31

The Carboniferous Period is extremely significant to our current society because

A)the Carboniferous forests turned into the coal that fuels modern society.
B)human evolution began in the period.
C)plants and animals first adapted to a terrestrial environment during this period.
D)mammals diversified.

Question 32

Dinosaurs were the dominant group during the Mesozoic Era and many scientists believe that they were

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 33

Fossils from the Paleozoic are plentiful because

A)mammals greatly diversified during this time.
B)multicellular organisms first evolved during this time.
C)this is the time period most studied.
D)hard body parts evolved in plants and animals.

Question 34

The oxygen in the atmosphere developed approximately ________ billion years ago.

A)1)5
B)2)0
C)3)5
D)4)5

Question 35

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

A)2)2
B)2)5
C)3)5
D)4)5

Question 36

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

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 37

The first cells gave rise to

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

Question 38

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

A)Carboniferous Period-Age of Amphibians
B)Mesozoic Era-Age of Reptiles
C)Cambrian Period-Age of Fish
D)Holocene epoch-The Age of Man

Question 39

The time that it takes for half of a radioactive isotope to change into another stable element is its

A)activation time.
B)life span.
C)half-life.
D)chemical life cycle.

Question 40

Mass extinctions

A)have occurred at least 5 times in the Earth's history.
B)may have been due to climatic changes after meteorite collisions.
C)may have been due to changing environments caused by continental drift.
D)All of the choices are correct.

Question 41

Plate tectonics explain that the amount of Earth being formed is much greater than the amount of the Earth's crust being destroyed in subduction zones.

Question 42

Evidence supports the theory of mass extinctions being caused by crater-forming meteorites that initiated climatic changes.

Question 43

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

Question 44

When and where did the first multicellular protists evolve?

A)Africa,2.3 BYA
B)Canada,1.4 BYA
C)Middle East,4.6 BYA
D)Asia,3.2 BYA

Question 45

Wegener first presented the idea of continental drift in 1920 and this theory was confirmed in 1960.

Question 46

Which of the following lists of mass extinctions and eras is correct?

A)The Precambrian experienced 0,Paleozoic experienced 3,Mesozoic experienced 2,and the Cretaceous experienced 0 mass extinctions.
B)The Precambrian experienced 2,Paleozoic experienced 2,Mesozoic experienced 3,and the Cretaceous experienced 0 mass extinctions.
C)The Precambrian experienced 0,Paleozoic experienced 2,Mesozoic experienced 3,and the Cretaceous experienced 0 mass extinctions.
D)The Precambrian experienced 1,Paleozoic experienced 3,Mesozoic experienced 2,and the Cretaceous experienced 1 mass extinctions.

Question 47

Explain why stromatolites are believed to hold a clue to the origin of the first prokaryotic cells on Earth during the Precambrian Era.

Question 48

Which piece of evidence best supports the endosymbiotic theory of organelle evolution?

A)The outer membrane of a mitochondrion and chloroplast resembles a eukaryotic cell while the inner membrane resembles that of a bacterial cell.
B)The inner membrane of a mitochondrion and chloroplast resembles a eukaryotic cell while the outer membrane resembles that of a bacterial cell.
C)Both mitochondria and chloroplasts divide by mitosis.
D)Mitochondria and chloroplasts are much larger than present day bacteria.

Question 49

Which piece of evidence best supports the endosymbiotic theory of organelle evolution?

A)Mitochondria and chloroplasts are the same size as bacteria.
B)Mitochondria and chloroplasts divide by binary fission.
C)Mitochondria and chloroplasts both contain DNA and some can make their own proteins.
D)The outer membrane of chloroplasts and mitochondria resembles that of a eukaryotic cell while the inner membrane resembles that of a bacterial cell.
E)All of these are correct.

Question 50

The lack of oxygen in the ancient Earth's atmosphere was beneficial because oxygen combines with organic molecules to prevent them from forming polymers.

Question 51

The place where two plates meet and scrape past one another,creating stress that results in earthquakes,is a(n)

A)subduction zone.
B)transform boundary.
C)oceanic ridge.
D)supercontinent.

Question 52

Which of the following statements is true regarding the theory of 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 53

Organisms today are living in the Pleistocene epoch of the Cenozoic era.

Question 54

Which biological events took place during the Paleozoic Era and the Mesozoic Era?

A)During the Paleozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life.
B)During the Mesozoic Era,three mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,gymnosperms became the dominant plant life.
C)During the Paleozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Mesozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life.
D)During the Mesozoic Era,five mass extinctions occurred which led to the colonization of land by plants,while during the Paleozoic Era,angiosperms became the dominant plant life.

Question 55

Which of the following mass extinction events is correct?

A)During the Permian period,over 90% of the species disappeared due to an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
B)At the end of the Ordovician period,over 90% of the species went extinct due to a meterorite impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks.
C)At the end of the Cretaceous period,over 90% of the species went extinct due to a meteorite impacting the Earth's surface and causing a cloud of ash to reduce solar exposure for several weeks.
D)At the end of the Devonian period,70% of the terrestrial vertebrates went extinct when Gondwana drifted back towards the South Pole.

Question 56

Describe plate tectonics and why it is important in the evolution of life forms.

Question 57

The formation of the ozone shield during the Precambrian era helped to create favorable conditions for the evolution of terrestrial life forms.