Question 1

Where today would you expect to find rocks deposited by late Paleozoic glaciers?

Accepted Answer

During the late Paleozoic era, the supercontinent Gondwana, which included present-day India, was located near the South Pole, where glaciers were prevalent. Rocks deposited by these glaciers can be found in India today.

Question 2

Most DNA in the cells of animals and plants is housed within a nucleus;such cells are termed ________.

Accepted Answer

Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus that houses most of the cell's DNA. Prokaryotic cells, on the other hand, lack a nucleus and have their DNA scattered throughout the cytoplasm. "Prokinetic" is not a term commonly used in biology, and "analgesic" refers to pain relief medication, which is unrelated to cell structure.

Question 3

The earliest forests containing woody trees appeared during the ________.

Accepted Answer

The earliest forests containing woody trees appeared during the Middle Paleozoic (Devonian) period, approximately 380 million years ago. This is when plants first evolved the ability to produce lignin, which allowed them to grow tall and form woody trunks.

Question 4

Once an ancient mountain range is destroyed by erosion,what evidence can geologists look for to learn of its past existence?

Accepted Answer

The crust containing igneous activity, deformation, and metamorphism is evidence of a past mountain range. These processes occur during the formation of mountains and leave a lasting record in the rock layers.

Answer: C 
 Fossils of mountain-dwelling plants and animals can also provide evidence of the past existence of a mountain range. These organisms are specific to mountain environments and are not found elsewhere, so their presence in a certain area can indicate the presence of a former mountain range.

Question 5

The small cells of bacteria lack nuclei and are termed ________.

Accepted Answer

The word "prokaryotic" is used to describe cells that lack a true nucleus, which is a defining characteristic of bacteria. Choice A, "prokinetic," is not a term used in biology. Choice C, "eukaryotic," describes cells that do have a true nucleus, but this does not apply to bacteria. Choice D, "analgesic," refers to pain relief and is completely unrelated to the topic of bacteria cells.

Question 6

The Taconic,Acadian,and Alleghenian orogenic events all led to uplift in the region of the modern ________.

Accepted Answer

The Taconic, Acadian, and Alleghenian orogenic events all occurred in the Appalachian region of North America, leading to the uplift and formation of the Appalachian Mountains.

Question 7

The first mammals appeared during the ________ Period.

Accepted Answer

The first mammals appeared during the Triassic Period, which occurred between 251 million and 201 million years ago.

Question 8

Dinosaurs first appeared during the ________ Period.

Accepted Answer

Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic Period, which occurred between 252 and 201 million years ago. The Cambrian Period (541-485 million years ago) is known for the diversification of complex marine organisms, the Devonian Period (416-359 million years ago) for the first appearance of amphibians and the Permian Period (299-252 million years ago) for the diversification of reptiles and the extinction of many life forms, including the famed Permian-Triassic extinction event.

Question 9

The Cambrian Period is a time in Earth history when ________.

Accepted Answer

The Cambrian Period is known for the sudden appearance and diversification of many shelly organisms in the fossil record. This was a time of rapid evolution and diversification of life forms, particularly in the oceans. Options B and C do not describe the Cambrian Period specifically, and option D is incorrect as dinosaurs did not appear until much later in Earth's history.

Question 10

The Chicxulub crater is located on which continent?

Accepted Answer

The Chicxulub crater is located in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which is part of North America.

Question 11

The Cambrian explosion not only produced an abundance of new animal species but also gave rise to the first shells,spines,and active swimmers.This suggests the important influence of ________ in driving animal evolution.

Accepted Answer

The presence of carnivorous predators likely drove the development of shells and spines as a means of protection, and the development of active swimmers as a means of escape. This is known as the "arms race" hypothesis for the Cambrian explosion. Photosynthetic organisms and filter-feeding organisms may have played a role in providing food sources, but they would not have driven the evolution of defensive structures and swimming abilities. Climate could have had an indirect influence on evolution, but it would not have directly driven the development of these traits.

Question 12

Animals and plants are both ________.

Accepted Answer

Both animals and plants are eukaryotes, meaning they have cells with a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Autotrophs produce their own food through photosynthesis (plants) or chemosynthesis (some bacteria), while animals are heterotrophs that must consume other organisms for energy. Archaea and prokaryotes are both unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, and are distinct from eukaryotes.

Question 13

The first terrestrial vertebrates (with an amphibian life cycle)are represented by fossils that are Late ________ in age.

Accepted Answer

The first terrestrial vertebrates with an amphibian life cycle are represented by fossils that are Late Devonian in age, specifically around 365 million years ago. This group is known as the tetrapods and includes ancestors of modern amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The Cambrian is too early for this group, the Permian is too late, and the Triassic is when reptiles began to diversify but not when the first terrestrial vertebrates appeared.

Question 14

An iridium-rich layer of clay,glass spherules,and shocked quartz grains strongly suggest that the K-T boundary extinctions were at least in part caused by ________.

Accepted Answer

The presence of an iridium-rich layer along with other evidence such as glass spherules and shocked quartz grains strongly suggest that the K-T boundary extinctions were caused by the impact of a bolide (meteoroid or comet), rather than global warming or cooling or volcanic activity.

Question 15

Rodinia and Pangaea are supercontinents that assembled during the ________ and ________,respectively.

Accepted Answer

Rodinia assembled during the Proterozoic Eon, while Pangaea assembled during the Paleozoic Era.

Question 16

The late Proterozoic Grenville orogeny is an event related to ________.

Accepted Answer

The late Proterozoic Grenville orogeny is an event related to the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia.

Question 17

The eon represented by abundant deposits of strata with shelly fossils is the ________.

Accepted Answer

The Phanerozoic eon is known for having abundant deposits of strata with shelly fossils, indicating the emergence of diverse marine life during this time period. The other options (Archean, Hadean, and Proterozoic) do not have as extensive shelly fossil deposits.

Question 18

The oldest terrestrial insect fossils are found in rocks from the ________ Period.

Accepted Answer

The oldest terrestrial insect fossils are found in rocks from the Devonian Period.

Question 19

The fossil fish Tiktaalik made headlines in 2005 because it ________.

Accepted Answer

Tiktaalik represents a transitional form between lobe-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates, providing important evidence for the evolution of fish to amphibians.

Question 20

Tree-sized relatives of the living ferns,club mosses,and scouring rushes were common in environments termed coal swamps during the ________ Period.

Accepted Answer

The tree-sized relatives of the living ferns, club mosses, and scouring rushes were common in environments termed coal swamps during the Carboniferous Period.

Quiz 13: A Biography of Earth