Objectives

The progression of life on Earth, from prokaryotes to complex organisms, is described using fossil evidence.

• True

• False

Identify key events in the history of life and discuss the impact of mass extinctions on evolution.

• Mass extinctions have no impact on evolution.

• Mass extinctions lead to increased biodiversity.

• Mass extinctions cause a decrease in biodiversity.

• Mass extinctions have a temporary impact on evolution.

Compare the three hypotheses on the origin of life on Earth and evaluate their plausibility.

• The hypothesis of abiogenesis, panspermia, and creationism are equally plausible.

• Abiogenesis is the most widely accepted hypothesis among scientists.

• Panspermia suggests life originated from microorganisms or chemical precursors of life present in outer space.

• Creationism is supported by scientific evidence as the origin of life.

Read through the 3 hypotheses about how life might have begun on Earth. Which theory is considered most plausible by the scientific community?

• Abiogenesis

• Panspermia

• Creationism

Which hypothesis suggests that life originated on Earth's surface in warm, shallow oceans?

What is the requirement for the hypothesis that life originated in hydrothermal vents deep in the oceans?

What evidence supports the hypothesis that organic molecules were brought to Earth in asteroids or comets?

Fossils play a crucial role in understanding the history of life on Earth by providing evidence of what?

• Past life forms and their evolution

• Current biodiversity

• Future species development

• Weather patterns

The Paleozoic Era contributed to the evolution of life on land by:

• introducing the first vertebrates

• leading to the dominance of dinosaurs

• allowing the first plants and animals to colonize land

• causing the extinction of marine life

Trilobites were significant in the study of early life because they were:

• a type of dinosaur

• early marine arthropods

• ancestors of mammals

• modern-day insects