Biology · Geography

Fossils and Geological Eras

1,140 Questions

Fossils and geological eras provide a window into the history of the Earth. This topic covers prehistoric life, mass extinctions, and the geological time scale. It is an important part of the general science syllabus for many aptitude tests.

Geological time scaleTypes of fossilsPrehistoric lifeAncient climates

Fossils and Geological Eras Questions

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation
Read the passage and answer the following question.
Some dinosaur bones were discovered fairly recently that still contained significant amounts of the protein collagen in a non-fossilized form. Enough material was available to determine its amino-acid sequence. This allowed researchers to compare its sequence with the sequences of collagen from currently existing animals. 
Identify the organisms that are closely resemble to the dinosaur sequence?

  1. Birds

  2. Lizards

  3. Amphibians

  4. Rodents

  5. Fish
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Scientists working across a variety of disciplines have discovered evidence of common descent among the living organisms on earth.  This evidence which constructs a theoretical framework on which evolutionary theory rests demonstrates the natural processes  of earth's biodiversity. These studies are based on fossil studies and comparison of the DNA genetic sequences thereby revealing phylogenetically closer organisms. A protein is a chain of amino acids and the functional end-product of a gene. Studies by evolutionary scientists involve the comparative analysis of both DNA and protein sequences and comparing the same type of gene or protein sequence between organisms helps to determine the closeness of a relation.  According to their studies, two organisms are considered closely related if they share a high percentage of amino acid sequence similarity for a certain protein. The recent studies however, bring to light the close resemblance of Birds to the extinct dinosaur. Thus, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice zoology evolution evidences for evolution - taxonomy, molecular biology and cytology evidences of evolution evidences of biological evolution

Correct sequence of era is

  1. Palaeozoic - Mesozoic - Coenozoic

  2. Mesozoic - Archaeozoic - Proterozoic

  3. Palaeozoic - Archaeozoic -Coenozoic

  4. Archaeozoic -Palaeozoic -Proterozoic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

These are Eras of Geologic history, Phanerozoic eon. Previously the eras assumed were Proterozoic, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Coenozoic. However Proterozoic has now been elevated to a separate Eon.

Multiple choice zoology evolution evidences for evolution - taxonomy, molecular biology and cytology evidences of evolution evidences of biological evolution

Origin of Ginkgos and conifers took place at:

  1. Devonian period

  2. Triassic period.

  3. Cretaceous period.

  4. Permian period.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ginkgos and conifers (gymnosperms) experienced significant diversification and origin during the Permian period, following the decline of earlier flora.

Multiple choice biology skeleton and joints introduction to movement introduction to locomotion movement

A skull excavated from a place had large zygomatic arches, 2 pairs of large incisors, 2 pairs of premolars following a gap and 3 pairs of large molars. The foramen magnum was direction posterior. This skull belongs to a 

  1. Predatory mammal with bipedal locomotion

  2. Predaceous dinosaur with bipedal locomotion

  3. herbivorous mammal with Quadrupedal locomotion

  4. Herbivorous dinosaur with Quadrupedal locomotion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A skull excavated from a place had large zygomatic arches, 2 pairs of large incisors, 2 pairs of premolars following a gap and 3 pairs of large molars. The foramen magnum was direction posterior. This skull belongs to a mammalian skull because it is predatory mammal with bipedal locomotion.

So, the correct option is ‘predatory mammal with bipedal locomotion’.

Multiple choice geography the signature of time movement of the earth's plates development of landforms study of continents - north america biosphere and landscape

 which of the following reason justifies the statement of  that Asia and Australia were joined together some million years ago?

  1. Fossils of Marsupials are found in Asia

  2. Culture of both places has many similarities

  3. Climate is quite similar

  4. The big green fields found in Australia are very much like

    those in Asia
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The presence of marsupial fossils in Asia provides evidence that these animals, now primarily found in Australia, once inhabited a broader range when the continents were connected. This supports the theory of continental drift and ancient land bridges.

Multiple choice zoology selection and evolution extinction extinctions environmental science

Carbon dating is useful for measuring age of a fosil/skeleton/article between

  1. 500,000 - 50,000,000 years

  2. 50,000 - 500,000 years

  3. 1000 - 50,000 years

  4. 1 - 1000,000 years.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Radiocarbon dating (C-14) is effective for organic materials up to approximately 50,000 years old due to the half-life of Carbon-14.

Multiple choice zoology selection and evolution extinction extinctions environmental science

When did the first mass extinctions occur

  1. Devonian-silurian

  2. Permian-triassic

  3. Jurassic

  4. Jurassic-cretaceous.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The 'Big Five' mass extinctions include the Ordovician-Silurian, Late Devonian, Permian-Triassic, Triassic-Jurassic, and Cretaceous-Paleogene. The Permian-Triassic is often cited as the most severe.

Multiple choice zoology selection and evolution extinction extinctions environmental science

Percentage of then living species which became extinct during permian-triassic period is

  1. 56%

  2. 78%

  3. 87%

  4. 96%.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Permian-Triassic extinction event, often called the Great Dying, was the most severe extinction event in Earth's history. It resulted in the loss of approximately 96 percent of all marine species and about 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species.

Multiple choice zoology selection and evolution extinction extinctions environmental science

Second mass extinction occurred during

  1. Jurassic-cretaceous

  2. Cretaceous-tertiary

  3. Cretaceous-palaeocene

  4. Both B and C.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) extinction event is widely known as the fifth mass extinction, but historical classifications sometimes grouped the Cretaceous-Palaeocene boundary as synonymous with the K-T boundary. Since both B and C refer to the same geological transition, D is the correct choice.

Multiple choice zoology selection and evolution extinction extinctions environmental science

Which of the following statements is true?

  1. About 99% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct.

  2. About 75% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct.

  3. About 25% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Extinction is the complete demise of a species. It takes place when all individuals of a species die out. Extinction has occurred throughout the history of life on Earth. It is the ultimate fate of all species. It has been estimated that 99.9% of all species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. The causes of extinction are many and highly variable. They vary from environmental changes brought about by events such as floods, volcanic eruptions, or meteorite impacts, to fluctuations in sea level or climate, to competition between species.

Multiple choice evs - ii stone age: stone tools stone age tools early human life pre-historic india

Many animals became extinct in mesolithic age. Mammoth is an example for such a species.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Humans hunted mammoths for their meat, bones and skin. Some scientists believe that a poor habitat as a result of climate change, combined with increased contact and hunting by humans as they increasingly entered their areas of habitat led to their eventual extinction.
Hence, the above statement is true.