Deck 18: The History of Life

Question 1

RNA molecules that function as enzymes

A) developed from protein- based enzymes.
B) are called ribozymes.
C) duplicate lipid molecules.
D) degrade proteins.
E) form primitive cells.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

One theory holds that the first self- replicating molecules were

A) carbohydrates.
B) DNA.
C) RNA.
D) lipids.
E) amino acids.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Who is credited with proposing that prebiotic chemical conditions could lead to the evolution of complex molecules and, eventually, to living organisms?

A) Alexander Oparin and John Haldane
B) Sidney Altman
C) Louis Pasteur
D) Stanley Miller
E) Francisco Redi

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The idea that river mud left in the sun will turn into frogs illustrates

A) the endosymbiont theory.
B) spontaneous generation.
C) how prokaryotes evolve.
D) self- replication.
E) prebiotic evolution.

Question 5

The outer boundaries of Miller and Urey's laboratory- created vesicles are most similar to

A) bacteria.
B) cell membranes.
C) RNA.
D) complete cells.
E) amino acids.

Question 6

Which of the following scientists was part of a pair who first discovered that cellular reactions can be catalyzed by a ribozyme?

A) Stanley Miller
B) Alexander Oparin
C) Francisco Redi
D) John Tyndall
E) Sidney Altman

Question 7

The oldest fossil organisms presently known have been dated at approximately how many years old?

A) 1.7 billion
B) more than 4.5 billion
C) 3.4 billion
D) less than 1.7 billion
E) 4.5 billion

Question 8

The scientists usually given credit for disproving the theory of spontaneous generation of bacteria are

A) Oparin and Haldane.
B) Cech and Altman.
C) Luis and Walter Alvarez.
D) Tyndall and Pasteur.
E) Miller and Urey.

Question 9

The experiments that demonstrated that meat does not spontaneously generate maggots were conducted by

A) Louis Pasteur.
B) Francisco Redi.
C) Harold Urey.
D) Sidney Altman.
E) Alexander Oparin.

Question 10

Louis Pasteur's experiment illustrated that

A) some complex molecules associated with living organisms can be synthesized by heating and cooling a solution of simple molecules and providing an electric spark.
B) microbes will not grow in a nutrient broth that has been sterilized unless air is allowed to enter the vessel through an opening.
C) microbes will grow spontaneously in a nutrient broth that has been sterilized and sealed.
D) only some organisms can form spontaneously in nutrient broth.
E) life began by chemical evolution.

Question 11

Based on current knowledge about the conditions of early Earth, the first organisms were most likely

A) photosynthetic eukaryotes.
B) anaerobic prokaryotes.
C) multicellular eukaryotes.
D) anaerobic eukaryotes.
E) photosynthetic prokaryotes.

Question 12

The theory that life began in the distant past from nonliving molecules that became able to reproduce themselves is called

A) endosymbiont evolution.
B) spontaneous evolution.
C) prehistoric evolution.
D) natural selection.
E) prebiotic evolution.

Question 13

What compounds were used in Miller and Urey's experiment to simulate the atmosphere of early Earth?

A) Water, oxygen, hydrogen, and methane
B) Water, oxygen, ammonia, and methane
C) Ammonia, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide
D) Water, ammonia, hydrogen, and methane
E) Oxygen, ammonia, hydrogen, and methane

Question 14

The scenario of prebiotic evolution leading to the origin of life on Earth is plausible because

A) experiments suggest that all of the chemical components of living cells can be formed quickly from inorganic precursors.
B) it has been observed to occur on other planets.
C) there was a vast period of time for simple chemicals to evolve into complex molecules found in cells that exist today.
D) it has been observed under laboratory conditions.
E) it has been observed to occur near thermal vents at the bottom of the ocean.

Question 15

Theories on the atmosphere of early Earth indicate that it lacked

A) CH₄.
B) O₂.
C) H₂.
D) H₂O.
E) NH₃.

Question 16

Which is the correct series of events in the evolution of life on Earth?

A) O₂ -photosynthesis -aerobic metabolism
B) Photosynthesis -O₂ -aerobic metabolism
C) O₂ -aerobic metabolism -photosynthesis
D) Aerobic metabolism -photosynthesis -O₂

Question 17

Who disproved the "broth- to- microorganisms" hypothesis?

A) Stanley Miller
B) Louis Pasteur
C) Sidney Altman
D) Francisco Redi
E) Alexander Oparin

Question 18

Miller and Urey's experiments to simulate prebiotic evolution produced

A) protocells.
B) a rich mixture of organic molecules.
C) mitochondria and chloroplasts.
D) large amounts of free oxygen.
E) prokaryotic cells.

Question 19

If you open a can of chicken noodle soup and immediately examine it microscopically, you will find no microorganisms. If you let the open can sit on the shelf for a few weeks and then examine it, you will find many microorganisms. The origin of these microorganisms is most likely

A) improper sterilization of the soup prior to canning.
B) endosymbiotic evolution.
C) spontaneous generation.
D) prebiotic evolution.
E) airborne microorganisms.

Question 20

Some RNA molecules have been discovered that can

A) degrade proteins.
B) form primitive cells.
C) convert organic molecules to protocells.
D) act as enzymes.
E) duplicate lipid molecules.

Question 21

The organisms originally responsible for putting oxygen in Earth's atmosphere lived around

A) 3.5 million years ago.
B) 2.4 billion years ago.
C) 3.5 billion years ago.
D) 1.5 million years ago.
E) 6 billion years ago.

Question 22

The earliest photosynthetic organisms

A) probably did not produce oxygen.
B) probably used water as a source of hydrogen.
C) date back to the time when life first emerged on Earth.
D) possessed chloroplasts.
E) probably used hydrogen sulfide as a source of hydrogen.

Question 23

The earliest multicellular animals in the fossil record are

A) worms.
B) sponges.
C) kelp.
D) mammals.
E) trilobites.

Question 24

Exoskeletons provided an evolutionary advantage to organisms by

A) allowing exposure to oxygen.
B) increasing predation.
C) increasing their mobility and protecting them from predation.
D) allowing increased opportunities for symbiotic relationships.
E) increasing their ability to find a mate and reproduce.

Question 25

Multicellularity enables organisms to overcome cellular limits and

A) be photosynthetic.
B) become big.
C) become fast.
D) reproduce more efficiently.
E) undergo aerobic respiration.

Question 26

About 530 million years ago, what adaptation evolved to make fish the dominant predators of the sea?

A) Scales
B) Sensory organs
C) Internal skeleton
D) Jaws
E) Fins

Question 27

To be classified as a eukaryote, an organism must have

A) sexual reproduction.
B) centrioles.
C) internal membranes.
D) a cell wall.
E) flagella.

Question 28

Probably the greatest advantage for the original multicellular organisms was their ability to

A) avoid predation.
B) use more oxygen.
C) increase their food intake.
D) increase their metabolism.
E) photosynthesize.

Question 29

Modern invertebrates first appear in the fossil record during the

A) Devonian period.
B) Cambrian period.
C) cyanobacteria.
D) Silurian period.
E) Precambrian era.

Question 30

The oxygen that arose in early Earth's atmosphere was likely produced by organisms that were very similar to modern

A) fungi.
B) cyanobacteria.
C) algae.
D) plants.
E) protists.

Question 31

The earliest fossil organisms resemble modern

A) green algae.
B) eukaryotes.
C) protists.
D) protocells.
E) prokaryotes.

Question 32

One advantage that enabled the seed plants to greatly surpass the ferns in colonizing the land was the evolution of

A) sex without swimming sperm.
B) a fibrous root system.
C) photosynthesis.
D) spores.
E) a woody stem.

Question 33

The hypothesis that certain eukaryotic cell structures may have evolved from a prokaryotic cell being engulfed by a eukaryotic cell is called the

A) prebiotic evolution hypothesis.
B) protocell hypothesis.
C) living intermediate hypothesis.
D) endosymbiont hypothesis.
E) spontaneous generation hypothesis.

Question 34

Water- based photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide and which of the following to energy- containing molecules?

A) Chlorophyll
B) Water
C) Hydrogen sulfide
D) Hydrogen bromide
E) Methane

Question 35

The first multicellular eukaryotic fossils were

A) reptiles.
B) cyanobacteria.
C) fungi.
D) amphibians.
E) algae.

Question 36

The endosymbiotic hypothesis accounts for the origin of which cell structure?

A) Ribosome
B) Plasma membrane
C) Cell wall
D) Chromosome
E) Chloroplast

Question 37

An anaerobic prokaryote engulfs a prokaryote capable of using oxygen to produce energy. The anaerobe could now perform

A) both photosynthesis and aerobic metabolism.
B) aerobic metabolism.
C) photosynthesis.
D) only anaerobic metabolism.

Question 38

The first multicellular terrestrial organisms were

A) fungi.
B) reptiles.
C) insects.
D) plants.
E) amphibians.

Question 39

If early Earth's atmosphere contained little or no O₂, then where did most of the O₂ in our modern atmosphere come from?

A) Respiration
B) The oxidation of metals
C) Photosynthesis
D) The breakdown of carbon dioxide
E) The splitting of water vapor by sunlight

Question 40

To survive successfully on land, plants needed to develop

A) methods to prevent water loss.
B) swimming sperm.
C) the ability to use oxygen.
D) internal skeletons.
E) photosynthesis.

Question 41

Arthropods were the first terrestrial animals because their exoskeletons allowed them to withstand

A) ultraviolet radiation.
B) the force of gravity.
C) starvation.
D) high oxygen concentrations.
E) lower atmospheric pressure.

Question 42

The generally slow and steady succession of species on Earth has been interrupted by

A) genetic equilibrium.
B) extreme specialization of a few species.
C) episodes of mass extinction.
D) balanced polymorphism.
E) unusually high rates of plate tectonics.

Question 43

Most scientists attribute the mass extinction of the dinosaurs to

A) gradual climate change.
B) sunspots.
C) sea- level change.
D) predation by mammals.
E) meteorite impact.

Question 44

Birds and mammals have a more active lifestyle than reptiles due to

A) internal fertilization.
B) insulation over their body surface.
C) internal fertilization and a high, constant body temperature.
D) a slower metabolism.
E) a high, constant body temperature and insulation over their body surface.

Question 45

The modern- day group of vertebrates that bridges the evolutionary gap between land- dwelling and water- dwelling organisms is

A) fish.
B) aquatic birds.
C) whales and dolphins.
D) reptiles.
E) amphibians.

Question 46

The "pre- adaptations" of early arthropods that allowed them to evolve into terrestrial forms were

A) lungs.
B) eggs.
C) exoskeletons.
D) kidneys.
E) vertebral columns.

Question 47

The largest mass extinction event of all time occurred at the end of the

A) Cambrian period.
B) Cretaceous period.
C) Mesozoic era.
D) Permian period.
E) Pleistocene epoch.

Question 48

Early land plants required adaptations that

A) helped support the plant.
B) aided reproduction.
C) decreased water loss.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.

Question 49

Ferns and club mosses had an advantage over earlier plants because they developed

A) swimming sperm.
B) mitochondria.
C) flowers.
D) cones.
E) photosynthesis.

Question 50

The exoskeleton of early marine arthropods can be considered a "pre- adaptation" for life on land because it

A) resisted water loss.
B) reflected ultraviolet radiation.
C) absorbed light.
D) protected against predators.

Question 51

The earliest group of land animals was the

A) protists.
B) lungfish.
C) lobefins.
D) amphibians.
E) arthropods.

Question 52

Which group of vertebrates was the first to evolve a waterproof egg, which allowed the group to move away from water, deeper onto dry land?

A) Primates
B) Mammals
C) Lobefins
D) Reptiles
E) Birds

Question 53

Flowering plants first rose to prominence in the

A) Paleozoic era.
B) Cretaceous period.
C) Cambrian period.
D) Precambrian era.
E) Eocene epoch.

Question 54

By examining fossil evidence, paleontologists believe that mammals evolved from ancestors of modern

A) sharks.
B) amphibians.
C) reptiles.
D) arthropods.
E) lobefins.

Question 55

The "Southern Beech" tree is found in such diverse places as Australia, South Africa, and South America. People did not transplant it. How did it probably get to these widely separated locations?

A) Glaciers split what was once a continuous, huge population of beeches.
B) Seeds were carried by birds.
C) The simultaneous creation of the same species occurred in different geographic locations.
D) These landmasses were once connected and later drifted apart.
E) Seeds were blown by the prevailing winds.

Question 56

The earliest group of land plants whose reproduction did not require water for swimming sperm were the

A) algae.
B) ferns.
C) conifers.
D) lobefins.
E) club mosses.

Question 57

The first terrestrial animals were probably

A) reptiles.
B) mammals.
C) arthropods.
D) dinosaurs.
E) amphibians.

Question 58

Reptiles evolved scaly body coverings as a means for

A) courtship rituals.
B) heat production.
C) protection from drying out.
D) flight.
E) insulation.

Question 59

Amphibians assumed to have evolved from

A) segmented worm.
B) reptiles.
C) arthropods.
D) lobefin fish.
E) mollusks.

Question 60

The first land plants were restricted to moist, marshy environments because of

A) the need for nutrients.
B) the need for stem support.
C) reproductive cell requirements.
D) the lack of a cuticle.
E) sensitivity to sunlight.

Question 61

An adaptation that is closely associated with hominin evolution is

A) grasping hands.
B) omnivory.
C) a backbone.
D) hair.
E) lungs.

Question 62

Which era saw the rise of seeds and pollen in plants?

A) Paleozoic
B) Precambrian
C) Cenozoic
D) Mesozoic
E) Cretaceous

Question 63

Which of the following species do paleoanthropologists believe may be the most direct ancestor to Homo sapiens?

A) Homo heidelbergensis
B) Homo habilis
C) Homo erectus
D) Homo neanderthalensis
E) Homo ergaster

Question 64

The scientific name for Neanderthals is

A) Homo erectus.
B) Australopithecus robustus.
C) Homo habilis.
D) Homo sapiens.
E) Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 65

It has been proposed that large brains evolved in Homo species because

A) evolution of a large brain was a consequence of evolution of overall larger body size.
B) large brains allowed better visual acuity, which was favored by natural selection.
C) genetic drift increased the frequency of large- brained alleles.
D) large- brained individuals were better able to outwit and escape predators.
E) natural selection favored large- brained individuals because they were better in social interactions.

Question 66

The hobbit- sized hominin whose fossilized remains were recently discovered on a remote oceanic island belonged to the species

A) Homo sapiens.
B) Homo floresiensis.
C) Homo neanderthalensis.
D) Homo erectus.
E) Homo habilis.

Question 67

What is the significance of upright walking?

A) It provides good posture.
B) It facilitates digestion.
C) It frees the hands for gathering and carrying food.
D) It facilitates circulation.
E) It facilitates social interactions.

Question 68

The first hominin species associated with the use of tools was

A) Homo habilis.
B) Australopithecus robustus.
C) Australopithecus afarensis.
D) Homo sapiens.
E) Homo erectus.

Question 69

Which of the following processes involves behaviors that are acquired by learning and can be modified and passed on from one generation to the next?

A) Prebiotic evolution
B) Environmental selection
C) Natural selection
D) Cultural evolution
E) Pre- adaptation

Question 70

Which of these characteristics separates primates from other mammals?

A) Precision grip
B) Placental young
C) Parental care of young
D) Tree- dwelling
E) Mammary glands

Question 71

What species of hominin created the cave paintings at Lascaux, France?

A) Australopithecus robustus
B) Australopithecus afarensis
C) Homo sapiens
D) Homo habilis
E) Homo erectus

Question 72

All surviving hominins belong to the species

A) Homo robustus.
B) Homo habilis.
C) Homo sapiens.
D) Australopithecus robustus.
E) Homo erectus.

Question 73

A major human cultural innovation that happened about 10,000 years ago was the

A) ability to think in abstract terms.
B) use of tools.
C) development of language.
D) development of self- expression in art forms.
E) development of domesticated crops and livestock.

Question 74

In addition to Homo, another genus within the hominins is

A) Lemur.
B) Australopithecus.
C) Habilis.
D) Tarsius.
E) Cro- Magnon.

Question 75

Current research indicates that hominins originally evolved in which continent?

A) Africa
B) Australia
C) Asia
D) Europe
E) North America

Question 76

If the Cretaceous mass extinction had not occurred, which group of animals would probably include the largest land animals today?

A) Bony fish
B) Insects
C) Reptiles
D) Birds
E) Amphibians

Question 77

The human species first appeared in the

A) Jurassic period.
B) Cretaceous period.
C) Permian period.
D) Quaternary period.
E) Tertiary period.

Question 78

Which characteristic sets hominins apart from other primates?

A) Bipedal locomotion
B) A four- chambered heart
C) Facial hair
D) Binocular vision
E) Grasping hands

Question 79

Current theories hold that hominin species migrated out of Africa

A) once, nearly 800,000 years ago.
B) once, about 150,000 years ago.
C) multiple times throughout history.
D) once, nearly 2 million years ago.
E) once, 10 million years ago.

Question 80

Homo heidelbergensis is believed to be the ancestor species of

A) Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens.
B) Homo ergaster and Homo sapiens.
C) Homo ergaster.
D) Homo sapiens.
E) Homo neanderthalensis.