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Chapter 15: Tracing Evolutionary History
This activity contains 10 questions.
Earth probably formed _____ years ago, and the first life evolved as early as _____ years ago.
4
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Chapter 15: Tracing Evolutionary History
This activity contains 10 questions.
Earth probably formed _____ years ago, and the first life evolved as early as _____ years ago.
4.5 billion … 3.9 billion
3.9 million … 2.0 billion
6,000 … 6,000
10 billion … 4.5 billion
4.5 million … 3.9 million
Stanley Miller's experiments involved generating electrical sparks (simulating lightning) in a lifeless vessel containing hydrogen gas, water vapor, methane, and ammonia. The result was that _____.
nothing much happened. This confirmed that physical processes cannot produce complex molecules
new life-forms arose in the vessel. This clearly demonstrated that life can arise from nonlife in the proper conditions
cell-like protobionts (spherical lipid membranes) formed. This finding helped scientists model how the first cells arose
amino acids and other complex molecules formed in the vessel. This suggested that many of the organic building blocks of life could have arisen on a lifeless early Earth
bacteria from an outside source soon colonized the vessel due to contamination. This indicated that it is probably impossible to maintain sterile conditions in a laboratory experiment
Which of the options places major events in the history of life on Earth in the proper chronological order from earliest to most recent?
photosynthesis → first prokaryotes → first large life on land → first multicellular eukaryotes
first prokaryotes → photosynthesis → first multicellular eukaryotes → first large life on land
photosynthesis → first multicellular eukaryotes → first large life on land → first prokaryotes
first prokaryotes → photosynthesis → first large life on land → first multicellular eukaryotes
first multicellular eukaryotes → first prokaryotes → photosynthesis → first large life on land
Radiometric dating _____.
is based on the idea that radioactive isotopes from the Earth's core accumulate in fossils as they age
cannot be used to date fossils that are more than about 75,000 years old
is based on the idea that radioactive isotopes decay at a steady rate in fossils and associated rocks
has been discredited as a scientific technique because its accuracy cannot be tested
is based on the principle that younger strata lay on top of older strata
What was Pangaea?
a huge unified land mass that broke up, leading to the formation of the present-day continents
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