Evolution of Earth

Question 1

Origin and History of Continents

Answer 1

Hot volcanic surface during the Hadean
Principle of Differentiation
First good evidence of plate-tectonics is in the Archean-Protozeroic boundary
Early continents accumulated Felsic Material
The stable interior of the current continents are called cratons they were formed in the Archean

Question 2

What makes up a craton

Answer 2

The stable interior of current continents are called cratons –they were formed in the Archean

the crystalline core (the shield) and the platform made of sedimentary rocks covering the shield. A lot is added to the edges, which we call an orogen

Question 3

Discovering of how life might have originated ***Possible test question check story in textbook

Answer 3

There are isolated ecosystems around hydrothermal vents in the ocean, where organisms survive off of chemosynthesis.

Question 4

First evidence of life

Answer 4

The oldest fossils are from 3.5-3.8 GA
They were called Cyanobacteria
- They were prokayrotes (single cell)

Question 5

Explain the Isua Formation

Answer 5

Is an Archean crustal belt in Greenland, it represents the most complete and largest belt of Archean crust in the world. It is date to 3.7-3.8 billion years old. It is the earthliest known stratigraphic part of earths history.

Question 6

What do rocks from the Eoarchean lack

Answer 6

Fossils

Question 7

How did Banded Iron Formations play into the development of life*** test question

Answer 7

iron remained in solution in the non-oxygenated environment of the earlier Archean Eon. In chemistry, this is known as a reducing environment. Once the environment was oxygenated, iron combined with free oxygen to form solid precipitates of iron oxide, such as the mineral hematite or magnetite. These precipitates accumulated into large mineral deposits with red chert known as banded-iron formations, which are dated at about 2 billion years.

Question 8

Define GOE

Answer 8

Great Oxidation Event

Question 9

Define Stomatolites

Answer 9

A fossil that forms as algal mats grow and capture sediment into mounds.
These first well-preserved fossils are photosynthetic microbial mats, called stromatolites, found in Australia.
Think “layered rock”

Question 10

When did the first Eukaryotes appear

Answer 10

2 billion years ago,

Question 11

Define Eukaryotes

Answer 11

A type of organism in with a cell or cells that contains a nucleus. The process of mitosis or splitting into identical daughter cells.

Question 12

Define and explain the Ediacaran Biota

Answer 12

The instance or biome in the world that preserves the first multicellular life on earth

Question 13

Explain the Cambrian Explosion

Answer 13

Part of the reason there is an explosion of life is because life can be preserved as in the Cambrian more organisms have shells. Small shelly fauna

Question 14

Explain the Burgess Shale formation

Answer 14

massive site of preservation of soft bodied animals

very rare in the geologic record because

Question 15

Life in the Paleozoic

Answer 15

Silurian and Devonian - age of the fishes

Question 16

How did evolutionary advantages assist Coelacanth

Answer 16

a

Question 17

Living Fossils part of Coelacanth

Answer 17

a

Question 18

How would you classify the land in the Paleozoic

Answer 18

Microbial crust or Devoid of plants, thus their is no soil, this lasted until mid to late Ordovician.

Question 19

Define exaptation’s

Answer 19

Definition of exaptation : a trait, feature, or structure of an organism or taxonomic group that takes on a function when none previously existed or that differs from its original function which had been derived by evolution. Like exoskeletons and rigid legs for support

Question 20

What were the first organisms to move to land

Answer 20

Arthropods

Question 21

Where did amphibians develop from

Answer 21

Bony Fish with lungs and strong limbs. First instance was in the Devonian

Question 22

How do we divide marine life

Answer 22

Cambrian Fauna
Paleozoic Fauna
Modern Fauna

Question 23

Explain the End Permian Mass Extinction (EPME)

Answer 23

3 Million cubic kilometers of basaltic lava flowed out of hot spots in Siberia and the burning of all the coal lead to a significant rise in C02. This reduced oceanic circulation which lead to lower oxygen levels, another bioproduct of CO2 was increased chemical weathering. This produced algal blooms which mass consumed C02 and produced anoxic or stratified oceans after the Alga died.

Question 24

What are the time periods within the Mesozoic

Answer 24

Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic

Question 25

What are two defining features of life within the Mesozoic

Answer 25

The late Triassic was the first time Dinosaurs’ came around.
Jurassic had the first flowers and Mammals

Question 26

Two major groups of Dinosaurs

Answer 26

Ornithischian 
---Bird hipped 
-------Stegosaurs: Mid Jurassic - late Cretaceous, 
-------Hadrosaurs: Late Cretaceous: 
-------Ceratopsians: Late Cretaceous
-------Ankylosaurs: 
Saurischian 
-----lizard hipped 
--------Sauropods
--------Theropods: Meat eaters, most major groups in Cretaceous

Question 27

What is a defining feature of Ornithischian

Answer 27

All herbivores

Question 28

Are all reptiles dinosaurs?

Answer 28

No

Question 29

Explain and Define the Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary

Answer 29

Line of evidence suggesting an asteroid impact occurred in the Yucatan, around 60% of all know animals became extinct. A deposit of 1cm of clay with a high iridium content marks the boundary of Cretaceous and Paleogene.

Question 30

What are 3 lines of evidence for an asteroid impact

Answer 30

High iridium content clay
Shock patterns in grains of quartz
Glassy Beads

Question 31

How many major extinction events were there

Answer 31

5

Question 32

What time period did mammals become dominant

Answer 32

Cenozoic

Question 33

when was the first evidence of plate tectonics

Answer 33

First good evidence of plate-tectonics is in the Archean-Protozeroic boundary