History of Life on Earth

What do scientists estimate is the approximate age of Earth?

• 3.5 billion years
• 6.2 billion years
• 4.6 billion years

• 2.8 billion years

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What organism has been found in the oldest fossils?

• plants
• viruses
• cyanobacteria

• fungi

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A picture of a trilobite is given. These animals were once present in the ocean but are now completely extinct.

What is a likely cause of trilobite extinction? 

• Meteorite impact
• Overhunting by predators
• Climate change
• Environmental changes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What do scientists think that two species with homologous structures probably had in common?

• Different ancestor
• No relation
• Common ancestor
• Convergent evolution

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

According to the principle of faunal succession, what must be true of the fossils on a layer below?

• The fossils on a layer below are the same age as the fossils on the layer above.
• The fossils on a layer below are older than the fossils on the layer above.
• The fossils on a layer below are younger than the fossils on the layer above.
• The fossils on a layer below are randomly distributed in age compared to the fossils on the layer above.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which process is responsible for continually wearing away the earth's surface?

• Deposition
• Weathering
• Volcanism
• Erosion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What does the principle of uniformitarianism state?

• Natural laws and processes have changed over time
• The same natural laws and processes that operate in the universe now have always operated in the universe in the past and will continue to operate in the future.
• The universe operates differently now than in the past
• Future events will not be influenced by past processes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which choice is most likely to yield the fossils that help scientists reconstruct the Earth's biological history?

• Exploring sedimentary rock layers
• Exploring igneous rock layers
• Studying cloud formations
• Analyzing ocean currents

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What is one reason why rock layers are not horizontal?

• Tectonic forces
• Volcanic eruptions
• Earthquakes
• Meteor impacts

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What can cause a gap in the rock record?

• Biological evolution
• Erosion, tectonic activity, or lack of sediment deposition
• Climate change
• Volcanic activity

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2