Science Test: The Universe

Question 1

Where did Aristotle believe life came from?

Answer 1

Aristotle believed that God had created higher organisms and that life, such as insects and frogs, could come from mud or decaying matter.

Question 2

What did Louis Pasteur have to say about Aristotle’s theory of spontaneous generation?

Answer 2

Lois Pasteur disagreed with Aristotle. He gave proof that even bacteria and other micro-organisms came from parents resembling them.

Question 3

What was the atmosphere mainly made up of in primitive Earth?

Answer 3

• Methane
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen
• Water
  There was no oxygen.

Question 4

What were the first organisms called and where did they live?

Answer 4

The first organisms are called cyanobacteria and they are present in the Earth’s oceans.

Question 5

What does cyanobacteria do? How is it helpful?

Answer 5

Since cyanobacteria had no predators and they were protected from UV rays, all they did was reproduce. They were all doing photosynthesis, and putting oxygen into the atmosphere. At one point, there were so many of them that they were able to add enough oxygen that other organisms could develop and eventually come out of the water.

Question 6

When was the universe created?

Answer 6

About 13.8 billion years ago.

Question 7

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 7

The theory is that one single atom containing a lot of important gases exploded releasing all of those gases into the universe. After the explosion, matter and energy existed. The explosion formed galaxies, stars, planets, moons, and other celestial bodies.

Question 8

The universe is mostly made up of what?

Answer 8

Empty space.

Question 9

What is our galaxy called?

Answer 9

The Milky Way.

Question 10

What does our solar system contain?

Answer 10

The sun, 8 planets, many moons and other celestial bodies.

Question 11

What are the names of the planets in our solar system (listed in the order from the closest to the farthest from the sun).

Answer 11

• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune

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Question 12

What is an astronomical unit (AU)?

Answer 12

An astronomical unit is used to measure the distance between celestial bodies within a solar system. One AU is the average distance from the sun to the Earth.

Question 13

What is a light year?

Answer 13

A light year is used to measure the distance between celestial bodies outside of a solar system. A light year is the distance that light can travel in one year.

Question 14

What are the conditions/factors needed for life on Earth?

Answer 14

• The orbit should be roughly circular
• The need of a sun and the ideal distance from the sun
• An atmosphere
• The ideal mass
• Water
• Lithosphere

Question 15

What is the reason of importance for having a circular orbit?

Answer 15

If the orbit is not circular, there will be too much variation in the amount of solar energy that reaches the planet.

Question 16

What is the reason of importance for the need of a sun and the ideal distance from the sun?

Answer 16

If the planet’s too close to the sun, then it would be too hot and if the planet’s too far, then it would be too cold.

Question 17

What is the reason of importance for an atmosphere?

Answer 17

Atmospheres block dangerous radiation such as UV rays and X-rays. Atmospheres are also necessary for respiration.

Question 18

What is the reason of importance for having an ideal mass?

Answer 18

The ideal mass can hold the right type and amount of gases.

Question 19

What is the reason of importance for liquid water?

Answer 19

Water needs to be in liquid form to allow reactions in the body to occur.

Question 20

What is the reason of importance for a lithosphere?

Answer 20

A solid surface is required for creatures to live on.

Question 21

What are fossils?

Answer 21

Fossils are the preserved remains or impressions of animals and plants (or footprints and burrows) that are generally found in sedimentary rocks.

Question 22

What are fossils formed from?

Answer 22

Fossils are formed from the bones/teeth of decaying plants or animals, since soft tissue decay much more quickly.

Question 23

Why do fossils of one animal show up in various places?

Answer 23

Wind and rivers carry the bones to different locations.
Other animals carry the bones to different locations.
Natural erosion also separates the bones.

Question 24

Where are fossils found?

Answer 24

Fossils are found in sedimentary rocks that form layers called stratas.

Question 25

Which fossils are the oldest and the youngest?

Answer 25

The oldest layer of rock is always at the bottom of the earth and the youngest layer is always at the top, which means the oldest fossils can be found at the bottom and the youngest at the top.

Question 26

What’s a cross-cutting relationship?

Answer 26

When the youngest layer of rock is slanted in the earth.

Question 27

What are the eras, from oldest to youngest?

Answer 27

• Precambrian (4, 600 - 570 million years ago)
• Palaeozoic (570 - 245 million years ago)
• Mesozoic (245 - 65 million years ago)
• Cenozoic (65 million years ago - present day)

Question 28

What are some interesting events that took place during the precambrian era?

Answer 28

• The formation of Earth
• The first life forms appeared (prokaryotes - cells with no nuclei and bacteria)
• Bacteria performs photosynthesis, which releases oxygen into the atmosphere
• Eukaryotes - cells with a nucleus - appear

Question 29

What are some interesting events that took place during the palaeozoic era?

Answer 29

• There’s a population explosion in the ocean
• The first animals with a spine appears
• The first land plants appear
• A mass extinction occurs, causing half the animals to disappear.
• Trees and giant ocean life appear
• Amphibians appear
• Another mass extinction occurs, causing 70% of marine life to die
• The first small reptiles appear
• The largest mass extinction occurs, causing 96% of ocean life and 75% of land species to die

Question 30

What are some interesting events that took place during the mesozoic era?

Answer 30

• The first large reptiles appear
• A mass extinction occurs, causing half of the ocean life t to disappear
• The first birds and small mammals appear
• The first flowering plants appear
• A mass extinction occurs, causing the dinosaurs to disappear

Question 31

What are some interesting events that took place during the cenozoic era?

Answer 31

• Mammals continue to thrive
• The first large mammals appear
• The first primates appear
• There’s some extinction, mostly large mammals due to hunting and disease