Evolution

Question 1

How many years ago was earth formed?

Answer 1

4.6 billion years ago.

Question 2

What has resulted in the physical changes to the earth?

Answer 2

Heating, cooling and movement of continents(tectonic plates).

Question 3

What was the super continent called?

Answer 3

Gondwana

Question 4

What does radiometric dating measure?

Answer 4

The radioactive decay of isotopes(Carbon and uranium).

Question 5

What are the names of the 3 eons and when did they occur?

Answer 5

• Archean (4.6 - 2.5 Billion Years Ago)
• Proterozoic (2.5 - 0.54 Billion Years Ago)
• Phanerozoic ( 542 Million Years Ago - Present

Question 6

When was the first fossil found?

Answer 6

3.5 Billion years ago.

Question 7

What was the “Oxygen Revolution”? and when did it occur?

Answer 7

The “Oxygen Revolution” occurred roughly 2.7 billion years ago when cyanobacteria started creating oxygen through photosynthesis. This allowed for aerobic metabolism meaning more energy could be produced and more complex organisms began to form.

Question 8

What is the Endosymbiont Theory?

Answer 8

• Mitochondria and chloroplasts derived from prokaryotes
• Ingested but not digested
• Reproduced along with host cell

Question 9

What is the Cambrian explosion?

Answer 9

A massive speciation event that occured 500 million years ago and started the paleozoic era.

Question 10

What happened in the Paleozoic era that allowed for the colonisation of the land?

Answer 10

• Dessication
• UV radiation
• Gravity
• Thermal fluctuations

Question 11

What is a mass extinction?

Answer 11

When more than 75% of species go extinct within a (geologically) short period of time.