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WorksheetsEarth's History/Evolution
Total questions: 44
Worksheet time: 44mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
a)
Large ears
b)
Whiskers
c)
White Fur Coat.
d)
Small feet
2.
An adaptation is best describe as which of the following?
a)
A harmful trait that decreases the success of an organism.
b)
A beneficial trait that decreases the success of an organism.
c)
A harmful trait that increases the success of an organism.
d)
A beneficial trait that increases the success of an organism.
3.
Which of the following increases survival and reproductive success of a species?
a)
An increased number of genetic mutations
b)
Fewer variations among a species
c)
Fewer resources in the habitat
d)
Genetic diversity
4.
Which best describes index fossils?
a)
Common fossils from a distinct time period; useful in defining geologic time periods.
b)
Rare fossils from a distinct time period; useful in defining geologic time periods.
c)
Common fossils from an unknown time period
d)
Rare fossils from an unknown time period.
5.
Which Era covers the largest period of time on the Geologic Time Scale and only contains bacteria and
simple organisms.
a)
Cenozoic
b)
Paleozoic
c)
Precambrian
d)
Mesozoic
6.
a)
trace fossil
b)
carbonized fossil
c)
petrified fossil
d)
index fossil
7.
What is the the type of fossil which contains the orginal remains of an organism?
a)
cast/molds
b)
index
c)
preserved remains
d)
petrified remains
8.
The fossil record shows that life on Earth has changed over time. For example, paleontologist
have found that older rocks containing fossils of which of the following?
a)
organisms that are more complex than those of today
b)
organisms that are simpler than those found today
c)
both simple and complex organisms
d)
only organisms that are alive today
9.
a)
40 mL
b)
43 mL
c)
50 mL
d)
430 mL
10.
What can you infer if you see someone with a cast on their leg?
a)
They fell off a horse
b)
They broke their leg
c)
They will have a cast on their arm as well
d)
They will have to wear the cast for six months
11.
Which of the following statement would be be an observation ?
a)
"That's a pretty flower"
b)
"Dog's make better pets"
c)
"The pond water is 30 degrees Celsius"
d)
"Monkey's are the smartest of all animals"
12.
“Natural selection occurs over time within an ecosystem.” Which best explains this statement?
a)
Organisms must produce food in order to continue their species.
b)
Organisms must eat other organisms in order to reduce the population.
c)
Plants and animals never compete with each other for available resources.
d)
Environmental changes choose which organisms live to produce the next generation.
13.
a)
Fewer elephants with tusks survived to reproduce.
b)
The gene for tusks has become recessive over time.
c)
Elephants began to lose their tusks because of climate changes.
d)
The hunting of elephants resulted in genetic mutation of the tusk gene.
14.
Which statement best explains the survival benefit of high genetic variation in a species?
a)
It prevents a high mutation rate.
b)
It reduces the risk of extinction due to environmental change.
c)
It can only occur if the species population size is already large.
d)
It allows the species to use a variety of strategies to avoid predation.
15.
Which is an example of a behavioral genetic variation?
a)
species coloration
b)
selection of feeding times
c)
birds having hollow bones
d)
an insect with the shape of a leaf
16.
Which genetic variation in a bird’s eggshells would most likely benefit survivability?
a)
greater thickness
b)
greater weakness
c)
unbreakable coating
d)
bright white coloring
17.
Which is the most likely reason that northern Canada has evidence of ancient tropical rain forests?
a)
Earth’s temperature is getting colder.
b)
Evolution changed the plants and animals.
c)
Plate tectonics shifted northern Canada through climate zones.
d)
The sea levels of northern Canada changed and so did the climate.
18.
Which is the best evidence for identifying past extinctions of species?
a)
the species disappearing from the fossil record
b)
scientists having not seen the species in at least twenty years
c)
the species having never been discovered in fossils found in its habitat
d)
the species having been placed on the endangered species list and later removed from that list
19.
From the study of fossils of extinct horse species, scientists have concluded that modern horses
and the extinct species are closely related. What evidence supports this conclusion?
a)
The species went extinct before horses appeared.
b)
The species’ anatomy was similar to that of horses.
c)
The extinct species competed with horses for resources.
d)
The extinct species served the same ecological role as horses.
20.
Which change, as shown in the fossil record, would have been a cause for living things to evolve?
a)
the daily weather
b)
their environment
c)
their mating season
d)
the predator population
21.
Which global factor has caused significant changes in the size of polar ice caps and glaciers?
a)
rainfall
b)
weather
c)
temperature
d)
tectonic activity
22.
A researcher is studying an area’s sedimentary record to determine the relative ages of fossils
present in each layer of rock. Which question must be answered to ensure the study is valid?
a)
Are there multiple index fossils?
b)
Are the local sediments undisturbed?
c)
Are there only a few fossils of each species found?
d)
Are the local sedimentary layers of equal height?
23.
A researcher wants to build a model of how life forms have changed in an area over time. Which
would be the best strategy for the researcher to pursue?
a)
examining only index fossils found in the area
b)
examining only fossils of organisms still found in the area
c)
examining fossils from many sedimentary layers in the area
d)
examining many fossils from a single sedimentary layer in the area
24.
Which material occasionally trapped in ice cores provides direct evidence of ancient life?
a)
gas
b)
mud
c)
pollen
d)
volcanic ash
25.
A geologist studies a land area with a large number of faults in its sedimentary record. What
conclusion can be drawn from the presence of faults in this area?
a)
Earth’s crust has frequently shifted.
b)
It has had extensive climate change.
c)
An ocean covered the area in the past.
d)
Sediments have only begun forming recently.
26.
Which statement best supports the theory of continental drift?
a)
Continents contain a variety of plants and animals.
b)
Similar organisms are found on different continents.
c)
Continents differ in size because of relative sea level.
d)
Weather patterns are different for different continents.
27.
Which is most likely the result of tectonic plate convergence?
a)
climate change
b)
species extinction
c)
rock unconformity
d)
deposition increase
28.
A student examines a fossil. What information about the location can be determined from the
anatomy of the fossil and where it was found?
a)
the ecosystem of the location now
b)
organisms found in the location now
c)
the age of the oldest rocks at the location
d)
environmental conditions at the location when the rocks formed
29.
Which resource provides direct evidence of the composition of the air in Earth’s earlier history?
a)
fossils
b)
ice cores
c)
sedimentary layers
d)
metamorphic rocks
30.
Which will have the greatest effect on how quickly weathering takes place?
a)
slope of land
b)
climate of an area
c)
species in an area
d)
amount of cloud cover
31.
Which best explains why an animal species is found only on a certain group of islands and
nowhere else in the world?
a)
The islands have similar climates.
b)
The islands are geographically isolated.
c)
There are few natural predators found there.
d)
The food these animals eat is only found there.
32.
Which is evidence of climate change due to geological evolution?
a)
minerals found in the oceans
b)
index fossils found in desert areas
c)
dry streambeds found in some areas
d)
fossils from tropical plants found in arctic regions
33.
A student examines a rock with the imprint of a leaf in it. Which conclusion can the student reach
regarding the process of formation of the rock?
a)
It formed by erosion of sediments.
b)
It resulted from the cooling of molten rock.
c)
It formed as sediments compacted and hardened.
d)
It resulted from the heating of rock to make it molten again.
34.
Which statement describes how metamorphic rocks form?
a)
Liquid rock rises from inside Earth and cools.
b)
Chemicals mix in water bodies and settle to form new rock.
c)
Debris accumulates on the ground and compresses to form rock.
d)
The properties of existing rock are changed by heat and pressure.
35.
a)
amount of snowfall
b)
amount of carbon-14
c)
change in air pressure
d)
change in temperature
36.
. Suppose that fossils of a dinosaur species, previously found only in Utah and Wyoming, were
discovered in New Mexico. What question could a scientist investigate to better understand the
dinosaur species’ habitat preference?
a)
Were the largest fossils found in New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming?
b)
Why are scientists just now discovering that the dinosaur lived in New Mexico?
c)
How many fossils were found in New Mexico as compared to Utah and Wyoming?
d)
How did the environment in New Mexico compare to the environments in Utah and Wyoming?
37.
What evidence was used to design the absolute geologic time scale in time segments of millions of
years?
a)
types of erosion
b)
radiometric dating
c)
warming and cooling cycles
d)
occurrences of unconformities
38.
Which is generally true when interpreting the geologic record?
a)
Fossils are not affected by weathering and erosion.
b)
Fossils stopped being formed thousands of years ago.
c)
Fossils are usually located near ancient volcanoes and fault lines.
d)
Fossils found in deeper layers are older than those found in upper layers.
39.
Which provides the clearest evidence of climate change?
a)
Fossils of early reptiles are found in North Carolina.
b)
Valleys in California were carved by massive glaciers.
c)
Rocks in California reveal a history of past earthquakes.
d)
Mountains in North Carolina have been weathered over time.
40.
a)
Layer 1
b)
Layer 2
c)
Layer 3
d)
Layer 4
41.
a)
1
b)
2
c)
3
d)
5
42.
Which evidence must be carefully examined to determine that organisms changed over time?
a)
fossils
b)
soil type
c)
environment
d)
plate tectonics
43.
Which type of dating method can be used on rock layers by applying the Law of Superposition?
a)
relative dating
b)
absolute dating
c)
radioactive dating
d)
radiometric dating
44.
Which statement explains why fossils of both ocean animals, such as starfish, and land animals,
such as insects, are found inland in Australia?
a)
Not all former life was preserved as fossils.
b)
Ocean animals migrated several miles inland.
c)
Ocean waters covered the land millions of years ago.
d)
Volcanoes erupted, and the animals were preserved in the lava.
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