Short Answer Flashcards
1
Q
When did the Big Bang occur?
A
13.75 Ga
2
Q
Immediately after the Big Bang, what was the most common element?
A
Hydrogen
3
Q
What are the major beneficial effects of the Van Allen belts?
A
They prevent ionising radiation reaching the Earth’s surface
4
Q
What happens to iron during the process of planetary differentiation?
A
It sinks and creates a layered core
5
Q
What is the name given to the first 600 million years of Earth history?
A
Hadean
6
Q
Which of the following is the most likely location for the development of the first living organisms on Earth?
A
Hydrothermal vents
7
Q
The Late Heavy Meteorite Bombardment ceased at the end of the Hadean and life took <200My to evolve, therefore in what eon did life emerge?
A
Archean
8
Q
What are features of prokaryotic cells?
A
A lack of internal organelles
Reproduction is by binary fission
9
Q
What are stramatolites?
A
Layers of aerobically photosynthesising cyanobacteria and sediment
10
Q
What important information can be gleaned from the organic compounds called sterols preserved in the Proterozoic Eon?
A
Eukaryotes had evolved
11
Q
In multicellular organisms, what must cells be able to do?
A
Specialise
Communicate
Adhere
12
Q
What geological phenomena mark the end of Snowball Earth events?
A
BIFs
Tillites containing dropstones
Thick carbonate sediments
13
Q
What are essential components of Banded Iron Formations?
A
Iron oxides
Amorphous silica
14
Q
Cyanobacteria produce oxygen as a by-product of their respiration: why are/were they not affected by this toxic substance?
A
They evolved enzyme systems which protected their metabolic processes.
15
Q
In what way did cyanobacteria profoundly and irreversibly change the planet?
A
By producing free oxygen as a metabolic by-product
16
Q
Which significant developments in the Earth System are demonstrated by the first appearance of ‘red’ terrestrial sandstones in the geological record?
A
An ozone layer had begun to develop
Global oceans had become sufficiently aerobic for oxygen to diffuse into the atmosphere
17
Q
Cyanobacterial oxygen began to oxidise the world’s oceans around when?
A
3.0 Ga
18
Q
Oxygen only began to diffuse into the atmosphere when?
A
2.2 Ga
19
Q
The start of the Hadean Eon
A
4.6 Ga
20
Q
The end of the Hadean
A
4.0 Ga
21
Q
The end of the Archaean Eon
A
2.5 Ga
22
Q
The end of the Proterozoic Eon
A
541 Ma
23
Q
What was the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide - [CO2]atm - in the atmosphere needed to generate melting of the Snowball Earth events?
A
350 x current [CO2]atm
24
Q
What was the causative mechanism that resulted in the development of a Snowball Earth?
A
The break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia, causing HCO3- flux increase to the oceans resulting in more biological production and a net sink of CO2 into the sedimentary rock record.
25
Why did banded iron formations (BIFs) re-appear after the glacial ice of Snowball Earth melted?
The oceans became oxygenated again due to re-established oceanic circulation, Fe2+ was oxidized to the less soluble Fe3+, which precipitated out.
26
Although perhaps not the most current thinking, if the Slushball Earth scenario revailed during these pan-global glacial events, Which of the following were likely refuges for life during such events?
Beneath thin sea ice
Hot springs and hydrothermal vents
Brine channels in sea ice
Equatorial seas
27
From around 600 Ma, what feature appears in the sedimentary record that is evidence for the existence of multicellular animals?
Bioturbation
28
To which eon of geological time do the Ediacaran and Cryogenian periods belong?
Proterozoic
29
Why did stromatolites decline in abundance towards the end of the Proterozoic?
They were outcompeted by the evolution of grazing multicellular animals.
30
Why may organisms have first developed mineralised skeletons?
As a means of dealing with toxic metabolic by-product
For protection from predators
To provide sites for muscle attachment
31
Which was the most diverse and common group of animals in the early Cambrian?
The arthopods
32
Which organisms dominated early Cambrian reef systems?
Archaeocyathids
33
Fish mode of life
nektonic
34
Jellyfish mode of life
planktonic
35
Corals mode of life
sessile epibenthic
36
Trilobites mode of life
mobile epibenthic
37
Burrowing echinoids mode of life
infaunal benthic
38
Sessile epifaunal organisms live
on the sediment surface, and are fixed in place
39
Infaunal organisms live
in soft sediments, or are borers
40
Why is there an abundance of trilobite fossils?
Many of the fossils are not of dead animals but only the moulted exoskeletons
41
To which phylum do the crinoids belong?
Phylum Echinodermata
42
The plane of symmetry of lampshells bisects
both valves
43
List some facts about graptolites
Decreasing number of branches (stipes)
Planktonic filter feeders
Two-branched colonies = Ordovician period
44
What is the general structural trend for the geological terranes of the British Isles?
North Easterly to South Westerly (NE-SW)
45
What is the name of the ocean that once separated Gondwana from Laurentia?
Lapetus
46
Which of the following terranes represent ancient ocean crust?
South Mayo
Ballantrae
Lizard
47
Periods of geological time from the oldest (1) to the youngest (5)
```
Silurian
Cambrian
Carboniferous
Devonian
Ordovician
```
1. Cambrian
2. Ordovician
3. Silurian
4. Devonian
5. Carboniferous
48
What palaeontological evidence is an indication that once geographically distant continental land masses have almost converged as ocean crust is being subducted?
The same benthic organisms are found on both sides of the closing ocean
49
Just how old is the oldest ocean crust that can still be found on the modern ocean floor?
Jurassic
50
Plants which live in water possess_____for photosynthesis, and_____easily diffuses into cells whilst____ dissolved in water is easily absorbed by osmosis; water is also full of____and the plants have no need for____as the water is buoyant.
```
chlorophyll
water
carbon dioxide
nutrients
lignin
```
51
What could be considered as disadvantages for plants which were adapted to life in water in the Palaeozoic?
Carbon dioxide is less easily extracted from water than from air
Light levels are lower in water than in air
There was less ecospace available
52
Xylem tissue in plants serves several functions, which of the following statements are correct?
Xylem developed from simple ‘conducting strands’ in early land plants
Only vascular plants possess xylem tissue
53
Which of the following are characteristic of the early land plant Cooksonia?
Cooksonia had a simple vascular bundle
| Cooksonia had simple branching axes
54
Five mass extinction.
```
End-Ordovician
Latest Devonian
Late Permian
End- Triassic
Cretaceous/Tertiary
```
55
What statement would be correct when referring to the oceans of the early Palaeozoic?
Ocean circulation was much slower than today, driven by brines produced in equatorial regions
56
What is the evidence for a glaciation event in the late Ordovician?
Striated rock pavements
The erosion of deep valleys into the palaeo-topography
The global occurrence of the brachiopod Hirnantia
57
Which of the following factors were involved in the second stage of the end-Ordovician extinction?
Sea -level rise
Bottom water warming
Lower bottom water oxygen levels
More stratified ocean water masses
58
Give some statements about lungfish
Their lungs were/are modifications of the swim bladder
| They were/are lobe finned
59
In which of the following environments did vertebrates first develop limbs?
Shallow non-marine waters
60
What was a true tetrapod?
Hynerpeton
61
What adaptations needed to be developed by a vertebrate in order to adapt to life on land?
Development of ear bones from elements of the jaw
| Development of connections between the fin bones and pelvic/shoulder girdles
62
Arborescent plants were found in which time periods?
Late Devonian
| Mid Carboniferous
63
The genera that formed part of the arborescent lycopod Lepidodendron was...
Lepidostrobus
| Stigmaria
64
What features characterise delta-top swamps?
They develop only thin organic (peat) layers
They are short-lived environments due to delta channel-switching
They are fed by groundwater
They support a variety of plants, including strongly lignified ones
65
How did seed-ferns manage to grow to arborescent heights?
Their ‘trunks’ were made of interwoven roots and leaf bases
66
Carboniferous [O2]atm reached which level?
35%
67
Which phenomena allowed Carboniferous arthropods to grow to gigantic sizes?
High [O2]atm
68
Which of the following would provide the best conventional hydrocarbon reservoir rock?
A porous, permeable sandstone
69
What was the primary purpose of the sail on the back of a synapsid pelycosaur?
It was used to help regulate its body temperature
70
Which statement best describes a cynodont?
A mammal-like animal which had canine teeth, and is believed to be warm blooded.
71
Place the geological periods of the Palaeozoic eon in order from oldest (1) to youngest (6)
```
Permian
Silurian
Cambrian
Carboniferous
Devonian
Ordovician
```
```
Cambrian
Ordovician
Silurian
Devonian
Carboniferous
Permian
```
72
Match the following geological rock formations with the correct descriptors.
Rotliegend Sandstone
Coal Measures
Zechstein salts
Reservoir rock
Source rock
Reservoir seal/cap rock
73
Which of the following statements correctly describe the earliest Triassic period?
Reef systems of the early Triassic were very different from those of the Permian
There were no coals deposited in the earliest Triassic
Biogenic siliceous sediments are absent from the earliest Triassic
74
Which one of the following statements is the only one that unequivocally indicates that photic zone anoxia became established in the latest Triassic?
Organic geochemical biomarkers indicate photosynthetic green sulphur bacteria were present
75
Which animal groups were completely wiped out in the late Permian?
```
Gorgonopsians
Glossopteris
Trilobites
Eurypterids
Rugose corals
Blastoids
```
76
Which is the only one of the geochemical parameters which can be used to indicate that eruptions from the Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province were not the only factor responsible for global warming during the end-Permian extinction event?
δ13C isotopic signature
77
Which geological phenomena could provide evidence for rifting and continental break-up (as occurred when the supercontinent of Pangaea broke up)?
Normal faulting at triple junctions
Volcanism at triple junctions
Evaporite deposits
Aulacogens
78
Pangaea began to break apart in the
but rifting in the North Sea did not commence until the
Triassic period
Jurassic period
79
Normal faults resulting from the creation of a three-armed ___ formed the ____ Graben
Triple junction
Triple junction
80
Which groups first appeared in the Triassic period?
Calcareous nannoplankton
Scleractinian corals
Frogs
Dinosaurs
81
Which groups first appeared in the Jurassic period?
Ammonites and Belemnites
| Burrowing echinoids and burrowing bivalves
82
Which of the following plants were particularly characteristic of the Jurassic?
Ginkgos
Araucarians (Monkey Puzzle trees)
Cycads
83
Which of the following are classified as dinosaurs?
Theropods
Saurischians
Ceratopsians
Hadrosaurs
84
Which evidence could be used to identify the nests of dinosaurs which produced precocial offsping?
Nests containing large eggshell fragments
Remains of offspring with well-developed joints
Remains of offspring with unworn teeth
85
Which characteristics would be true of an endothermic animal or population of such animals?
There is a very low predator:prey ratio
86
Bipedal ground-dwelling dinosaurs only possessed feathers of [a] shape, and these could not have been used for [b] as feathers have to be [c] in order to generate lift.
Symmetrical
Flight
Asymmetrical
87
Match the marine reptile with the right morphological characteristic
Pliosaur
Plesiosaur
Elasmosaur
Short neck
Long neck
Very long enck
88
Place the following marine animals in order of size, from the ‘smallest’ (1) to largest (4).
Large mosasaur
Camerocerus
Nothosaur
Leedsichthys
Nothosaur
Camerocerus
Large mosasaur
Leedsichthys
89
Match the marine reptile with its method of locomotion:
Mosasaur
Early ichthyosaurs
Plesiosaurs
Late Cretaceous ichthyosaurs
carangiform
angulliform
"underwater flying"
thunniform
90
Match the reef-building organism with the appropriate geological time division.
```
Rudists
Hexacorals
Archaeocyathid
Stromatolites
Tabulate corals
Stromatoporoids
```
```
Late Cretaceous
Jurassic
Cambrian
Precambrian
Silurian
Carboniferous
```
91
Which geological time period did reefs reach their maximum diversity and geographical extent
Devonian
92
What may contribute to enhancing the potential economic worth of fossil reef complexes?
Primary porosity
Dissolution of aragonitic skeletons of some reef-builders
Later diagenetic alteration to dolomite
93
What statements correctly describes a characteristic of the angiosperms (flowering plants)?
They produce reticulate pollen
| They reproduce by a process of double fertilsation
94
What is the only direct indicator that can be used to demonstrate that global temperatures were very high during the mid and late Cretaceous?
The migration of tropical plants to high latitudes
95
Which Large Igneous Provinces (LIPSs) were active during the mid-late Cretaceous and contributed towards driving CO2atm levels higher, ultimately resulting in greenhouse conditions?
Kerguelan Plateau
Ontong-Java Plateau
Caribbean Plateau
96
Which phenomena were ultimately a result of increased mid-ocean ridge activity in the mid-late Cretaceous?
A rise in global sea levels
A relative drop in the Mg2+ content of ocean waters
A sea-water chemistry that led to massive increases in calcareous planktonic productivity
97
Which phenomena is the only one to be found in the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary clay layer?
Melt-produced tektites
98
What is the origin of the shocked quartz found in the K/T boundary impact layer?
The pressure of the bolide impact imposed shock lamellae on quartz found at 'Ground Zero'
99
As the___tectonic plate slammed into the southern margin of Eurasia around 33-34 million years ago, orogenesis caused the development of the___mountain range, and at the same time continental fragmentation resulted in the southern___plate becoming isolated at high southern latitudes, permitting the creation of cold bottom waters and changing the nature of global ocean circulation patterns.
Indian
Himilayan
Antarctica
100
Which geological phenomena would have played a role in the falling global temperatures at the Eocence-Oligocene boundary?
Isolation of the Antarctic continent on the southern pole
Establishment of the Circum-Antarctic Polar Current
The opening of the Norwegian-Greenland Sea
The opening of the Drake Passage
The rise of the Himalayan mountain range
101
What statements about mammals are correct?
Deer are even-toed ungulates
| Ruminants have huge stomachs like fermentation vats
102
List some hominids
Gorilla
Orangutan
Human
103
Using the lists below, match the primate group with the pertinent morphological characteristic.
Lower primates (strepsirrhines)
Higher primates (haplorrhines)
New World monkeys (playrrhines)
Old World monkeys (catarrhines)
In the skull, the eye sockets are not entirely closed by bone
Dry noses and upper lips separated from the gums
Nostrils point sideways, and they lack opposable thumbs
Nostrils points downwards and they also possess opposable thumbs
104
Place the following in order of their brain sizes, from the smallest capacity (1) to the largest (5).
```
Homo erectus
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
Australopithecus africanus
Homosapiens sapiens
Australopithecus (homo?) habilis
```
```
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus (Homo?) habilis
Homo erectus
Homo sapiens sapiens
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
```
105
List what are/were hominins?
```
Autralopithecus
Denisovians
Ardipithecus
Homo erectus
Neanderthals
```
106
Sea level rise due to climatically induced thermal expansion of the oceans since 1900
Magnitude: tens of centimetres
107
Sea level rise that would ensure following the melting of the Greenland ice cap
Magnitude: around six to ten metres
108
Sea level rise that would result from the melting of the Antarctic ice cap
Magnitude: tens of metres
109
How big would an impactor (a bolide) need to be to produce global-level extinctions?
2-10 km in diameter
110
The Sun is a perfectly normal example of a G-type main-sequence star (or a “yellow dwarf”), but in the future it will evolve as the processes operating inside the star change over time. Which of the following stages will happen soonest (1) and which furthest in the future (4)
1. 10% more luminous phase
2. Red giant phase
3. White dwarf phase
4. Black dwarf phase
