Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

life science > history of life > Flashcards

history of life Flashcards

1
Q

name the five kingdoms

A

bacteria ,protista, fungi, plantae and animalia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

the 4 questions scientists tried to work out

A
  1. did this diverse range of living organisms develope on earth at the same time or did they develope in a sequence
  2. if they developed in a sequence ,when was this , and how did it take place
  3. if they develpoed in a sequence what was the sequence ? was it kingdom by kingdom
  4. what was the caurses of diversification
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what dis scientists think of earth between 4-6 billion years ago

A

they thought that there was little to no oxygen on primitive earth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

how did the absence of oxygen affect the earth

A

the absence of oxygen allowed the gasses present in the atmosphere at the time to form organic molecules such as fatty acids and protein which is the building blocks of living organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the first formed life forms

A

it is the prokaryotes ,like some present day bacteria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

when di the prokaryotes develop

A

it developed about 3.5 billion years ago

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what does anaerobic mean

A

it means that the prokaryotes did not require oxygen for their activities . they could release energy from their food supply without the use of oxygen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

when did different bacteria’s begin to develop

A

between 3.5 and 2.5 billion years ago

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

name one of the bacteria that began to develop

A

blue -green bacteria (cyanobacteria )

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is the function of blue -green bacteria

A

the function is to manufacture food by the process of photosynthesis , during photosynthesis carbon dioxide is taken in and oxygen is released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is aerobic

A

living organisms that depend on oxygen to release energy from their food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

when did aerobic organisms develop

A

they developed as more oxygen was collected in earths atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what do scientists believe about the absence of oxygen

A

they believe that it led to the creation of life itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what do scientists believe about the increase of oxygen

A

they believe that the increase of oxygen levels led to an increase in the diversity of living organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

define ice age

A

ice age i long periods of time when the earth experienced extremely cold whether

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what are the four ice ages that was identified since the time earth was formed

A

700 million years ago
320 million years ago
286 million years ago
the current ice age , which began slightly less than 3 million years ago

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what are glaciers

A

large sheets of ice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what is glaciantion

A

the process of the formation of large sheets of ice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

when are glaciers formed

A

during the ice age

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what caused large scale of extinction of life forms

A

glaciation and the sudden cooling that it brought about

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is continental drift

A

the changing position if the continents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

plate tectonics

A

upward movement of continental blocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what was responsible for glaciation

A

continental drift and plate tectonics and the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and changes in the earths orbit also played part

24
Q

what is the main theory that scientists use to explain the formation of glaciers

A

continental drift

25
Q

what is pangea

A

when all the continents were originally one big mass or a super continent

26
Q

how many years ago did it break into two large masses

A

225-200 million years ago

27
Q

what were the two large masses called and where were they found

A

Laurasia in the northern hemisphere and Gondwanaland in the southern hemisphere

28
Q

Gondwanaland broke to form ……..

A

south America
Africa
Madagascar
Australia
India
antarctica

29
Q

laurasia broke into

A

north america
europe
the middle east
asia
china

30
Q

what does the continental drift say about antarctica

A

is says that antarctica was once closer to the equator with a temperature climate where there was lush , swampy vegetation

31
Q

what evidence is there that antarctica was once closer to the equator

A

there was a discovery of coal deposits coming from fossils of tropical plants in antarctica

32
Q

how did this antarctica theory cause the formation of glaciers

A

as this large mass drifted towards the south pole , it caused rapid cooling and formation of large masses of ice . the lower temperatures resulted in the mass extinction of many life forms

33
Q

when did the first mass extinction occur

A

approximately 438 million years ago was associated with a long period of rapid glaciation

34
Q

define biography

A

refers to a study of the past and present distribution of individual species

35
Q

what do scientists use geographical structures and identical plants and animal species

A

they use it as proof that the two continents was once joined

36
Q

give an example of the geographical evidence that was found

A

similarities between the species found in Madagascar and these found in the east coast of Africa suggest that these two land masses were once joined

37
Q

explain the plate tectonic theory

A

the earth is made up of about a dozen large plates which fit together like a jig saw puzzle . the plates lie on the top of much hotter materials which allow the plates to move apart even to this day

38
Q

what can plate movements cause

A

upward movements of large continetal blocks

39
Q

over the past 15 million years how many meters on average have the continents risen

A

600 metres on average

40
Q

what do scientists say about the upward movement of the continental blocks

A

they are responsible for the climate changes that have led to the extreme cold periods of ice ages

41
Q

what do scientists believe about the volcanic activity

A

they say that the volcano was the main cause of the three greatest mass extinctions since all three occurred during times of very serious volcanic activity

42
Q

how did volcanoes cause the death of life forms

A

volcanic eruptions threw up huge clouds of rocks and lava and these would have brought about the sudden death of life forms of the time

43
Q

what are fossils

A

remains of ancient life forms preserved in rocks although fossils have been found in ice , tar and the dried sap of trees

44
Q

what is the study of fossils called

A

paleontology

45
Q

what are ammonites

A

they are coiled molluscs which swam and floated in the sea . they are marine

46
Q

to which group does the ammonites belong

A

to the same group as the octopus

47
Q

do ammonites still exist

A

no , they are extinct . they became extinct about 67 million years ago

48
Q

what are trilobites

A

they are marine arthropods distantly related to lobsters and crabs

49
Q

when did trilobites becomes extinct

A

250 million years ago

50
Q

what are bivalves

A

they are marine molluscs which have two shells which are mirror images , hinged together at one end so that they can open and close like two

51
Q

name a present day bivalve

A

scallops

52
Q

name a marine mammal

A

whales

53
Q

where have fossils of ammonites and bivalves been found

A

in the makhatini flats in northern kwa zulu natal

54
Q

where have fossils of trilobites been found

A

in the karoo and the whale fossils where found in the sahara

55
Q

what does the finding of these fossils in these places mean

A

the presence of marine fossils in the parts of the earth which thes fossils where found ( parts of the kwa zulu natal , parts of the karoo ,and parts of the sahara ) indicates that thes where once covered by one sea

life science (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions