Early Forms of Life and Evolution Quiz
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Early Forms of Life and Evolution Quiz

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Questions and Answers

During which era were gymnosperms dominant?

  • Mesozoic Era (correct)
  • Precambrian Era
  • Cenozoic Era
  • Paleozoic Era

    • What significant evolutionary development is associated with red algae?

  • Initiation of sexual reproduction (correct)
  • Transition to multicellularity
  • Formation of hard shells
  • Invention of photosynthesis

    • What were trilobites known to do for self-protection?

  • Secrete toxins
  • Change color
  • Curl up into balls (correct)
  • Burrow into the sand

    • Which of the following characteristics did trilobites possess?

    <p>They had hard shells and jointed legs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary diet of Anomalocaris?

    <p>Trilobites and other arthropods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What size could Anomalocaris grow up to?

    <p>Up to 6 feet</p> Signup and view all the answers

    For how long did trilobites exist as a dominant species?

    <p>300 million years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant evolutionary feature is associated with the ferns?

    <p>Evolution of spores</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which event marked the major diversification of plants and animals?

    <p>Paleaozoic Era</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do cyanobacteria primarily use for their metabolic processes?

    <p>Photosynthesis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which eon witnessed the first life forms emerging?

    <p>Archean Eon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which period did the extinction of dinosaurs occur?

    <p>Mesozoic Era</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant evolutionary development occurred around 1.85 billion years ago?

    <p>Rise of eukaryotes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which eon is characterized by well-displayed life forms?

    <p>Phanerozoic Eon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What leads to a significant increase in species diversity during the Cambrian explosion?

    <p>Evolution of multicellular organisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of organisms are most prokaryotes, including cyanobacteria?

    <p>Unicellular</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do spores play in plant reproduction?

    <p>They are unicellular and mobile structures that can reproduce new individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant development occurred in Earth's atmosphere that made land a safer ecosystem?

    <p>Development of an ozone layer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which animal is considered one of the earliest known tetrapods?

    <p>Acanthostega</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which geological period did Acanthostega emerge?

    <p>Devonian</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event is known for the diversification of most modern animals and plants?

    <p>The Cambrian explosion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of organism was Acanthostega considered to be a missing link between?

    <p>Lobe-finned fishes and tetrapods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about primitive Earth is true?

    <p>It had high levels of UV radiation due to the lack of an ozone layer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many years ago did the Earth form?

    <p>4.5 billion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Early Forms of Life

    • Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, and the earliest life appeared 3.7 billion years ago
    • Hydrothermal vents are a possible source of early life
    • The earliest life forms were microbes

    Timeline of Life

    • 3.5 billion years ago (bya): Photosynthetic organisms evolved
    • 1.85 bya: Eukaryotes emerged
    • 525 mya: Cambrian explosion, a period of rapid diversification of life

    4 Eons of Evolution

    • Hadean Eon: Period of young Earth and earliest possible life
    • Archean Eon: Rock and soil formation, rise of photosynthetic bacteria, and oxygen in the atmosphere
    • Proterozoic Eon: Evolution of eukaryotes and multicellular organisms, beginning of animal evolution
    • Phanerozoic Eon: Period of well-displayed life

    3 Eras of the Phanerozoic Eon

    • Paleozoic Era: Major diversification of plants and animals
    • Mesozoic Era: Jurassic Period, great diversity of plants and animals, dinosaur extinction
    • Cenozoic Era: Evolution of primates, increased diversity of organisms, extinction of primitive plants and animals, ice age

    Cyanobacteria

    • Prokaryotic organisms that lack nuclei
    • Photosynthetic
    • Unicellular
    • Can form blooms

    Gymnosperms

    • Dominant during the Mesozoic Era (252.2 million to 66 million years ago)
    • Were displaced by angiosperms during the Cretaceous Period (145 million to 66 million years ago)
    • Still successful in many parts of the world

    Red Algae

    • First multicellular organisms, appearing 1.2 billion years ago
    • Earliest microfossils found in Arctic Canada, dated 1.2 billion years ago
    • Introduced sexual reproduction to organisms

    Trilobites

    • Dominant species during the Cambrian period
    • Extinct arthropods with hard shells and jointed legs
    • Related to modern lobsters and horseshoe crabs
    • Had three segmented top-plated bodies
    • Curled up for protection against predators
    • Over 17,000 species existed, surviving for 300 million years

    Anomalocaris

    • One of the most dominant animals during the Cambrian Period
    • Giant predator, reaching up to six feet in length
    • Had two claws with hooks in front of their mouths and eyes
    • Used claws to trap prey, including trilobites and arthropods
    • Swam like a dolphin
    • Considered the largest and most fearsome predator of the Cambrian Period

    Ferns

    • Widespread evolution of spores, present in today's ferns
    • Spores are unicellular, mobile, and capable of reproducing new plant individuals

    Land Animals

    • Primitive Earth lacked an ozone layer, making it unsafe for land animals due to UV radiation
    • An oxygen-rich atmosphere formed an ozone layer, making land suitable for life
    • First large land animals were likely walking fish that still lived in water
    • Acanthostega, one of the earliest known tetrapods, with distinct recognizable limbs, emerged during the late Devonian period (365 million years ago)
    • Acanthostega is considered a missing link between lobe-finned fishes and tetrapods

    The Cambrian Explosion

    • Occurred around 541 million years ago during the Cambrian Period
    • Led to the diversification of most modern animals and plants.

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    Lesson 11: Early Forms of Life PDF

    Description

    Explore the origins of life on Earth from its formation to the evolution of complex organisms. This quiz covers the timeline of life, significant eons, and eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Test your knowledge on how life diversified and adapted over billions of years.

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