Question 1

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

The answer of The Cenozoic Era,during which the diversity of...

Question 2

Chloroplasts are proposed to have arisen after archaea cells engulfed ___,in endosymbiosis,allowing the engulfed cell to remain,with specialized function.

Accepted Answer

Chloroplasts are specialized organelles found in the cells of photosynthetic organisms such as plants, algae, and some bacteria. The proposed theory of endosymbiosis suggests that a photosynthetic bacterium was engulfed by a larger archaeal cell and, over time, the two organisms evolved a symbiotic relationship, with the photosynthetic bacterium becoming the modern-day chloroplasts found in photosynthetic eukaryotic cells. Therefore, the most suitable option is E - photosynthetic bacteria.

Question 3

Homo sapiens first appeared during the

Accepted Answer

Homo sapiens first appeared in the Quaternary period, also known as the "Age of Humans," which began 2.6 million years ago and continues to the present day. During this period, the Earth experienced several glacial and interglacial periods, and early humans were able to adapt and evolve to changes in their environment.

Question 4

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

The answer of During the first 5-600 million years on...

Question 5

Hominines include

Accepted Answer

Hominines are a subfamily of primates that includes humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. Gibbons and orangutans belong to a different subfamily called Hylobatidae. Therefore, B is the best choice as it accurately lists all of the hominines.

Question 6

The three groups in the primate lineage are

Accepted Answer

The three groups in the primate lineage are prosimians (lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers), monkeys (New World monkeys and Old World monkeys), and hominoids (apes and humans). Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A only includes some of the monkey species, option B includes three levels of the same group, and option E only includes three closely related apes.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The primate order arose about 60 million years ago, in the Tertiary period.

Question 8

The swinging from one arm to the other with the body dangling below is

Accepted Answer

The swinging from one arm to the other with the body dangling below is called brachiation. This is a mode of locomotion used by some primates, such as gibbons and siamangs, where they swing by their arms from branch to branch.

Question 9

In geologic locations,such as southeastern Kansas,coal deposits can be found in layers called seams.Within these seams,there are also formations called coal balls,which may be the size of melons.When sawn apart carefully,fossils of tree-sized ferns and similar non-vascular plants can be found.The scaly leaves of these tropical plants originally led many paleobiologists to misidentify the trees as fish.Part of tropical coastal forests,the coal and fossil plants are estimated to have been living in

Accepted Answer

Coal balls, which contain fossils of tree-sized ferns and non-vascular plants, are found in coal seams in locations such as southeastern Kansas. These plants are part of tropical coastal forests and are estimated to have lived during the Carboniferous period. Therefore, the best choice is E.

Question 10

Why do scientists hypothesize that RNA was the first form of genetic material?

Accepted Answer

RNA can both store genetic information and act as a catalyst for chemical reactions, making it a strong candidate for the first genetic material. Additionally, RNA is simpler in structure than DNA, which suggests it may have preceded DNA in evolutionary history.

Question 11

Mitochondria are proposed to have evolved before chloroplasts based on which observation?

Accepted Answer

This observation suggests that mitochondria were present in the common ancestor of all eukaryotes, whereas chloroplasts were acquired later through endosymbiosis in some eukaryotic lineages.

Question 12

During the first 5-600 million years on Earth the atmosphere was primarily methane,ammonia,and hydrogen,much like other planets in our solar system.How would these conditions favor the formation of biological molecules?

Accepted Answer

EOxygen, which was scarce in the early Earth's atmosphere, tends to break down organic molecules through oxidation, not reduction. The absence of oxygen would thus favor the formation of complex organic molecules. Additionally, the conditions of high temperature and pressure prevalent in the early Earth would have facilitated many chemical reactions necessary for the formation of biological molecules, contrary to inhibiting them.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Clays with charged surfaces can act as templates by binding organic building blocks, allowing for the formation of larger organic molecules such as macromolecules. This process has been proposed as a possible mechanism for the origin of life on Earth.

Question 14

Hominids include

Accepted Answer

Hominids refer to the taxonomic family that includes great apes and humans. Therefore, all of the answer choices are correct as they are all part of the hominid family.

Question 15

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

The foramen magnum being tucked beneath the skull is a characteristic feature of the human skeletal structure. Therefore, the buried skeletal find would be of a human.

Question 16

For a span of 248 mya to 65 mya,the Mesozoic Era,in which dinosaurs appeared,dominated and became extinct,lasted approximately ___ of the geologic timescale.

Accepted Answer

The answer of For a span of 248 mya to...

Question 17

How is the ability of phospholipids to spontaneously form membranes when placed in water important in the origin of life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The ability of phospholipids to spontaneously form membranes when placed in water is important in the origin of life on Earth because membranes are used by cells to isolate their contents from the environment. This is a crucial aspect of cellular life, as it allows cells to maintain a unique internal environment and engage in metabolic activities without interference from external factors.

Question 18

Our closest living relatives on the evolutionary tree are

Accepted Answer

Bonobos and common chimpanzees are the closest living relatives on the evolutionary tree to humans, sharing a common ancestor approximately 6-8 million years ago. Orangutans and gibbons are also primates but diverged from humans around 20 million years ago. Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis are extinct hominids and while they are part of our evolutionary lineage, they are not our closest living relatives. Gorillas are also primates but are more distantly related to humans than chimpanzees and bonobos.

Question 19

Characteristics shared by primates include

Accepted Answer

All of the answer choices are correct. Primates have larger brains relative to their body size, which allows for advanced cognitive abilities. They also have binocular vision and excellent depth perception, which is important for living in trees. Flat nails rather than claws allow for more precise manipulation of objects. Lastly, grasping hands with opposable thumbs allow for the ability to grip and manipulate objects more effectively.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

Endosymbiosis theory proposes that aerobic bacteria were engulfed by host archaea, leading to the evolution of mitochondria. This allowed both populations to survive together and eventually gave rise to eukaryotic cells.

Quiz 15: The Origin and History of Life