Unit Exam Review Questions

1. Unit Exam Review Questions 1st 9 weeks

2. Saber tooth tiger poop is an example of a _________ fossil. • cast • mold • trace • petrified

3. Which of the following did NOT greatly influence the earliest life forms on Earth? • volcanic activity • mountain erosion • ocean formation • atmosphere formation

4. Which of the following conditions may have affected which organisms survived and which went extinct at different times in Earth’s history? • Energy output by the sun • Volcanic Activity • Asteroid Impacts • Planetary Alignments • Climate Changes • III only • II, III, and V • II only • II and III

5. When does extinction of a species occur? • when there is a change in the environment • when the individuals in a species are not comfortable in an environment • when a species cannot easily adapt to the environmental changes • when a species cannot continue to reproduce

6. According to the chart, when did primates appear? • 55 million years ago • 500 million years ago • 190 million years ago • 345 million years ago

7. If you were looking for the oldest fossils in a river canyon, such as the Grand Canyon, where would look? • near the top of the canyon • near the middle of the canyon • in the topmost layers of igneous rock • in the bottommost layers of sedimentary rock

8. Which statement best summarizes how large amounts of volcanic activity in Earth’s past have affected the life forms present on Earth today? • The volcanic heat allowed many new species to incubate and survive. • Layers of ash turned Earth into a “snowball”. • The cold atmosphere blocked out the sun rays and caused many species to die. • Lava flows, ash clouds that blocked out the sun, and over-heating wiped out life forms.

9. When a mold fills with sand or mud and then hardens, a __________ fossil is formed. • cast • mold • trace • permineralized

10. Which statement best explains how natural selection occurs? • Natural selection occurs when organisms are geographically isolated. • Natural selection occurs when an organism’s offspring grow vestigial structures. • Natural selection occurs when characteristics from the parent organism are inherited. • Natural selection occurs when genetic variation in a population produces different rates of survival and reproduction.

11. Environmental conditions that add to/decrease/ or change the amount of life on Earth is are called • fossil formation • catastrophic events • sea floor spreading • environmental pressures

12. Along with causing mass extinction of certain organisms on Earth, the collision of an asteroid can also cause _______________. • volcanic eruptions • natural selection • climate changes • certain species to mate

13. Which statement correctly explains the relative age of a rock? • The relative age of a rock is the age in thousands of years. • The relative age of a rock is the age in years. • The relative age of a rock is its age in comparison to the age of other things. • The relative age of a rock is determined by how thick the rock layer is.

14. If a certain species prey is a fast flying bird, then that species must have which adaptation if they have been able to survive? • long fingernails • sharp beak • long legs • no eyes

15. Which division is the first in the geologic time scale? • Precambrian • Paleozoic • Holocene • Cambrian

16. Which lists the divisions of geologic time in order from the longest division to the shortest? • era, epoch, period, eon • eon, era, period, epoch • period, eon, epoch, era • epoch, era, eon, period

17. A biologist is studying a modern animal species and wants to get information about species like it in Earth’s history. Which would be the most helpful to him? • studying the animal’s habitat • studying the animal’s diet • examining the wear on the animal’s teeth • examining fossils of related species

18. Some geologic period have been divided into smaller time units called _____________. • epochs • eras • centuries • years

19. The largest unit of geologic time is a(n) ___________. • era • period • epoch • century

20. In some parts of the world, there is strong demand for traditional medicines made from plants. For example, huckleberries are used for this purpose in some parts of Asia. Huckleberry bushes could become endangered if they are allowed to be picked without restriction. This type of endangerment is an example of • pollution • habitat destruction • natural selection • overharvesting

21. The results of natural factors causing extinction of organisms may not always be negative because ___________. • too many organisms are always bad for the environment • the way has been cleared for new kinds of life-forms • the Earth does not have resources for so many life-forms • the extinct life-forms were no longer useful

22. Which is the most likely explanation of why trilobites became extinct? • Human activity increased in the area where the trilobites lived. • Predators of the trilobite grew more numerous and flourished. • Continents moved closer together and sea levels dropped, destroying the trilobite’s habitat. • Acid rain lowered the pH of the water where the trilobites lived to a level where they couldn’t survive.

23. What conclusions may be drawn when comparing fossils found in previously undisturbed strata of sedimentary rock? • Fossils in the upper strata are younger than those in the lower strata. • Fossils in the upper strata are older than those in the lower strata. • Fossils in the upper strata generally are less complex than those in the lower strata. • There are no fossils in the upper strata that resemble those in the lower strata.

24. Invertebrates, such as the trilobite and brachiopods, were very evident during the Paleozoic Era. In which era did vertebrates appear? • Cenozoic • Mesozoic • Paleozoic • Precambrian

25. The appearance of the most complex and the greatest diversity of organisms occurred during __________. • the Paleozoic Era • the Cenozoic Era • Precambrian time • the Mesozoic Era

26. Which type of rock do scientists usually study to determine the relative age of a rock layer? • igneous • metamorphic • sedimentary • igneous and metamorphic