UNIT TEST : HISTORY OF THE EARTH

Which best describes eras and periods? Eras have a smaller time span than periods. Eras and periods are independent of each other. Eras and periods both appear at the start of the Cambrian period. Eras were more recently established on the time scale than periods.

Eras and periods both appear at the start of the Cambrian period.

A scientist has a fossil that was found in a layer of rock close to Earth's surface. He believes that the fossil is around 12,000 years old. Which method would best allow the scientist to confirm the actual age of the fossil? finding another fossil in a deeper layer of rock finding another fossil in the same layer of rock using carbon/nitrogen absolute dating using potassium/argon absolute dating

using carbon/nitrogen absolute dating

Which phrase describes the relative age of a rock? uses the law of superposition to determine which rock is older or younger can determine the age based on location of a rock within the same layer requires only one rock to determine the age can provide the exact age of a rock

uses the law of superposition to determine which rock is older or younger

Mason drew the cladogram shown. Which statements best describe the cladogram? Select three options. Reptiles are the most primitive. Birds and reptiles are most closely related. Frogs are more closely related to fish than birds. Frogs are more closely related to birds than fish. Fish are the most primitive.

Birds and reptiles are most closely related. Frogs are more closely related to birds than fish. Fish are the most primitive.

Which statement best compares a trace fossil to a fossil that forms as a result of an entire organism being trapped in amber? Both show the exact structure of the organism. Both require that the hard parts of the organism dissolve. Both form as a result of the organism leaving imprints in sediment. Both can possibly be used to study the organism's size.

Both form as a result of the organism leaving imprints in sediment.

The diagram shows fossils buried in layers of rock. Which conclusion is best supported by the diagram? Trilobites and gastropods are the youngest fossils. Crinoids and gastropods have lived during the same time period. Ferns have existed for a longer period of time than coral. Every ammonite fossil is older than the gastropod fossils.

Crinoids and gastropods have lived during the same time period.

The image shows cross-cutting relationships. B, W, E, and K represent rock layers, and Q represents a fault. Which statement describes the geologic features? Layer K is the oldest. Layer W is the youngest. Fault Q occurred before layer K was deposited. Layers B, W, and E were deposited after fault Q occurred.

Fault Q occurred before layer K was deposited.

Ariel drew the cladogram shown. Which best describes species C? It has jaws, but no hollow bones. It has hollow bones, but no jaws. It has neither hollow bones nor jaws. It has hollow bones and jaws.

It has neither hollow bones nor jaws.

Which is a feature of a cladogram? The characteristics must be shared among the organisms. The characteristics must be different among the organisms. It must contain at least three different shared characteristics. It must contain at least three different groups of organisms.

It must contain at least three different shared characteristics.

The image shows sedimentary rock layers with index fossils and a fault. Which statement accurately describes the rock layers? Layer 8 is older than layer 1. Layer 3 is younger than layer 6. Layer 4 and layer 10 are the same relative age. Layer 2 and layer 9 are the same relative age.

Layer 2 and layer 9 are the same relative age.

The table shows index fossils. Which conclusion about Paradoxides pinus is supported by the information in the table? Life forms existed during the Cambrian period. Similar fossil species formed after the Devonian period. This fossil species first appeared during the Cenozoic era. Different life forms were surviving during Precambrian time.

Life forms existed during the Cambrian period.

Study the graph about oxygen content of Earth's atmosphere. Which describes oxygen content as Earth evolved over time? Oxygen levels sharply declined about 400 million years ago. Oxygen levels stay above 15 percent starting 200 million years ago Oxygen levels remain below 5 percent starting 1000 million years ago. Oxygen levels raise significantly between 1000 and 700 million years ago.

Oxygen levels stay above 15 percent starting 200 million years ago

Study the diagram of the geologic time scale. Which method is most likely used to identify what happened before the start of the Paleozoic era? Scientists study fossils from the Jurassic period. Scientists observe index fossil records of the Mesozoic era. Scientists examine fossil evidence during the Precambrian time. Scientists explore the emergence of mammals and humans in the Cenozoic era.

Scientists examine fossil evidence during the Precambrian time.

A scientist observes fossil evidence that leads her to believe that certain organisms have a common ancestor. Which observation most likely led to this conclusion? She observed older fossils that contained many of the same minerals as the newer ones. She found skeletons of modern organisms in the same area as fossilized organisms. She observed a fossil with skeletal structures similar to certain modern organisms. She found several fossils in rock layers directly below other fossils of similar size.

She observed a fossil with skeletal structures similar to certain modern organisms.

Which feature causes a gap in the geologic record? extrusion fault intrusion erosion

extrusion

The image shows two siblings with their grandparents. Which best explains why the siblings look more like each other and less like their grandparents? The siblings are more closely related to each other than they are to their grandparents. Each sibling is more closely related to the grandparents than to the other sibling. The grandparents do not have any shared characteristics in common with the siblings. The grandparents do not have any shared characteristics with one another.

The siblings are more closely related to each other than they are to their grandparents.

Three different reptile skulls with a common ancestor show that the skull changed from having no holes behind the eye to having one hole, and then two holes behind the eye. What conclusion did scientists draw about the reptile? The skull evolved as the reptile developed stronger jaws. The reptile evolved from living in water to living on land. The reptiles were different ages when they died. The reptile was never properly preserved during fossil formation.

The skull evolved as the reptile developed stronger jaws.

Three organisms have four shared characteristics. They all have a backbone and scales, lay eggs, and walk on land. What can be determined based on this information alone? They are members of different species. They are members of the same species. Their common ancestor has the same four shared characteristics. Their common ancestor has none of the shared characteristics.

Their common ancestor has the same four shared characteristics.

The image shows flat sedimentary rock layers in the foreground and angled sedimentary rock layers in the background. According to the principle of original horizontality, what most likely happened to the rock layers in the background? They cracked at an angle. They were deposited at an angle. They were deposited vertically and then shifted by a geologic event. They were deposited horizontally and then shifted by a geologic event.

They were deposited horizontally and then shifted by a geologic event.

Which best explains a primary reason for the inability of life to exist in Earth's early atmosphere? There was insufficient energy from material collisions to change their density. High temperatures during Precambrian time caused surface water evaporation. Volcanic eruptions and comet collisions added different gases to the atmosphere. Available oxygen was used to help create an ozone layer within Earth's atmosphere.

Volcanic eruptions and comet collisions added different gases to the atmosphere

Which statements best describe shared characteristics? Select two options. Shared characteristics always exist in the common ancestor and in the modern organism. Shared characteristics never exist in the common ancestor or in the modern organism. The more characteristics organisms share, the more closely related they are. The fewer characteristics organisms share, the more closely related they are. Shared characteristics can exist among organisms that belong to different species. Shared characteristics only exist among organisms that belong to the same species.

c and e

According to the fossil record, which of these evolved after amphibians? Select two options. mammals sponges fish bacteria reptiles

mammals reptiles

Which process contributes to the formation of layers in protoplanets when unstable elements release particles and energy? compaction evaporation radioactive decay collision of space materials

radioactive decay

Study the cladogram. Which two organisms are the most closely related? lamprey and gorilla salamander and lizard tiger and shark lizard and lamprey

salamander and lizard