history of the earth

Question 1

conditions that made early life possible

Answer 1

abiotic synthesis of small organic molecules, joining of these small molecules into macromolecules, packaging of molecules into protocells, origin of self replicating molecules

Question 2

abiotic synthesis of macromolecules

Answer 2

rna monomers have been produced spontaneously, small organic molecules polymerize on hot surfaces, first compounds were made near volcanoes

Question 3

protocells

Answer 3

droplets with membranes that maintained an internal chemistry different from that of their surroundings, early self replicating cells may have appeared in proto cells

Question 4

what protocells may have been made with

Answer 4

may have formed from fluid filled vesicles with a membrane, clay to form vesicles that exhibit simple reproduction

Question 5

fossil record

Answer 5

documents the history of life, based on the sequence in which fossils accumulated in rock layers

Question 6

radiometric dating

Answer 6

method by which absolute age of fossils can be determined

Question 7

Hadean Eon

Answer 7

4,600-3,850 mya, origin of earth, oldest rocks

Question 8

archaen eon

Answer 8

3,850-2,500 mya, oxygen increases, oldest fossils of cells

Question 9

proterozoic eon

Answer 9

2,500-542 mya, oldest eukaryotic fossil cells, diverse algae and soft body inverts

Question 10

phanerozoic eon

Answer 10

paleozoic, mesozoic, cenozoic eras

Question 11

paleozoic

Answer 11

542-251 mya, cambrian explosion, diversification of vascular plants, bony fishes, forests expand, origin of reptiles and amphibians, radiation of reptiles, largest mass extinction (permian)

Question 12

mesozoic

Answer 12

251-65 mya, dinos evolve and radiate, origin of mammals, gymnosperms dominate landscape, angiosperms appear and diversify, dinos become extinct

Question 13

cenozoic

Answer 13

65.5 mya, major radiation of animals, angiosperms dominate, origin of primates, appearance of bipedal humans, ice age, first written language

Question 14

stromatolites

Answer 14

oldest known fossils, rock formed by layers on bacterial mats, 3.5 million years ago

Question 15

mass extinctions

Answer 15

permian extinction, cretaceous mass extinction, triassic extinction, devonian extinction, holocene extinction