Earth's History and Diversity of Life Review

A genetics engineer wants to recreate living dinosaurs from fossilized genetic material. According to the engineering design process, what should he do first?

• Ask questions to identify the problem

• Ask questions about the criteria and constraints

• Communicate his proposal

• Ask questions about possible solutions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

During which era did reptiles first appear according to this model?

• Paleozoic

• Mesozoic

• Carboniferous

• Mississippian

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which of the following is the earliest time division?

• The Cenozoic Era

• The Oligocene Epoch

• The Cambrian Period

• The Jurassic Period

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which of the following best explains why each era is represented with different organisms?

• A major extinction of animals occurred at the end of each era

• Organisms gradually evolved at the end of each era

• Organisms changed into new species at the beginning of each era

• A major population explosion of organisms occurred at the end of each era.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

If fossils in layer 5 were identified as being from the Mesozoic Era, what can you infer about fossils from layer 2?

• They may be from the Cenozoic Era

• They may be from the Paleozoic Era

• They may be from the Quaternary Period

• They may be from the Holocene Epoch

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which of the following would be the best inference for the relative age of the dinosaur fossil that is circled?

• The absolute age of the dinosaur is 500 million years old

• The relative age of the dinosaur is younger than rock layer C.

• The absolute age of the dinosaur is 150 million years old.

• The relative age of the dinosaur is older than rock layer D.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

If a geologist finds index fossils of Leptodus americanus in a rock layer, what can she infer from that discovery?

• The rock layer was formed after the Triassic Period

• The rock layer was formed during the Late Paleozoic Era

• The rock layer was formed during the Late Mesozoic Era

• The rock layer was formed before the Devonian Period

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What is the best explanation for the peaks in the graph?

• Major changes in the environment occurred, primarily due to natural disasters and climatic change.

• Epidemics of infectious disease occurred, causing sickness to many types of organisms.

• Variations occurred in the amount of solar radiation which reaches Earth due to the cycle of sun-spots.

• The effect of human population growth on the environment damaged many species of organisms.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which of the following claims is best supported by the data in the graph?

• The average temperature of Earth is lower today and more suitable for mammals than in the past

• The average temperature of Earth is higher today and more suitable for mammals than in the past.

• The average temperature of Earth is lower today and more suitable for cold-blooded animals than in the past.

• The average temperature of Earth is higher today and more suitable for cold-blooded animals than in the past.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Scientists found evidence that a large asteroid or comet hit Earth at the end of the Mesozoic Era and think this led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. What is the most likely explanation for this mass extinction?

• The impact caused flooding in many parts of the Earth which killed the dinosaurs

• Heat from the impact increased carbon dioxide which caused climate change.

• Heat from the impact covered the Earth and killed the dinosaurs

• The impact caused dust to rise into the atmosphere causing climate change.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2