History of Life on Earth Unit 1

(1) How do scientists use fossils to determine the relative ages of rock layers?

• by comparing all the fossils in one rock layer

• by comparing fossils in many different rock layers

• by determining the positions of fossils in many different rock layers

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

(2) Which of these answers best describes a fossil?

• thick layers of rock

• body of an organism that died recently but has not decomposed

• remains of a once-living organism found in layers of rock, ice, or amber

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

(3) Sometimes a fossil is formed as a result of the movement of an organism in soft sediment. These are called trace fossils. Which of the following are two kinds of trace fossils?

• shells and bones

• petrified and mummified fossils

• tracks and burrows

(4) Which of these is NOT considered evidence of evolution?

• similar genetic information in different species

• similar patterns of development in different species

• similarity among organisms that are members of the same species

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

(5) The figure shows one type of physical evidence that scientists use to understand Earth’s past. What type of physical evidence is shown in this figure?

• fossil

• coprolite

• Ice Core

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

(6) Which of these choices is an example of the way an evolutionary biologist would use relative dating?

• placing fossil-containing rock layers in order from oldest to youngest

• classifying rocks as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic

• determining the minerals that make up rocks

• using radioactive isotopes to determine the exact age of fossils found in rock samples

(7) The diagram shows a portion of a fossil record in sedimentary rock. Different rock layers and fossils are clearly visible. Which layer of rock is the oldest?

• Layer A is the oldest.

• Layer D is the oldest.

• They are all the same

• Layer B is the oldest.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

(8) Similarities in the structures of two different species provide evidence that the species evolved from a common ancestor. This type of evidence includes similar structures that have different functions. Which pair of features have a SIMILAR STRUCTURE but a DIFFERENT FUNCTION in each organism?

• the front leg of a cat and the wing of a bat

• a dolphin fin and a shark fin

• human fingernails and monkey fingernails

• the wing of a bumblebee and the wing of a bird

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

(9) William discovered that two modern-day species have very similar DNA. He concludes that the two species are closely related. In addition to genetic evidence, what other types of evidence can William use to support his conclusion?

• anatomical similarities

• habitat similarities

• food preferences

• extinction patterns

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

(10) A team of geologists compared the rock layers found in Florida to those found in northwest Africa. They placed all of the rock layers from the two regions in order from youngest to oldest. What did the team make?

• a geologic column

• a geologic record

• a fossil record

• a topographic map

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4