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 zoology living and non living characteristics of life attributes of living organisms signs of life biology : an introduction living world and classification

Professor Birbal Sahani discovered 100 million years old fossil plant from fossil forest at Rajmahal Hills, Bihar. This plant was

  1. Rhynia

  2. Horneophyton

  3. Williamsonia

  4. Red alga
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In 1932 Palaeontologica Indica, Birbal Sahni added an account of the Bennettitalean plant that he named Williamsonia sewardi.

So, the correct answer is 'Williamsonia'.

Multiple choice biology diversity in living world characteristics of vertebrates classification of vertebrata classifications of chordata

........... is a living fossil.

  1. Drepanaspis

  2. Lamprey

  3. Cephalaspis

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Petromyzen or Lamprey is a living fossil. The sea lamprey lacks bony teeth and jaws. It has an oral armament of conical teeth made of keratin. The lamprey even has teeth on its tongue. The oral apparatus of the adult lamprey is a sucking disk lined with whorls of over 100 of these teeth. 

So, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice biology animal behaviour ethology natural selection coordination in human beings- chemical control endocrine system in humans

Identify the correct chronological sequence of periods of Mesozoic era:

  1. $Carboniferous \, \rightarrow \, Permian\, \rightarrow \, Triassic\, \rightarrow \, Jurassic\, \rightarrow \, Cretaceous.$
  2. $Cretaceous \, \rightarrow \, Permian\, \rightarrow \, Jurassic\, \rightarrow \, Triassic\, \rightarrow \, Cretaceous.$
  3. $Biogeography.$
  4. $Carboniferous \, \rightarrow \, Jurassic\, \rightarrow \, Permian\, \rightarrow \, Triassic\, \rightarrow \, Cretaceous.$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Multiple choice bio-chemistry unit of living - cell eukaryotic cell kinds of cell introduction to eukaryotic cell

Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given .
Which of the following pairs of occurrence and date is not correct?

  1. Origin of multicellular organisms650 million years ago

  2. Origin of eukaryotic cells1.5 billion years ago

  3. Origin of prokaryotic cells1.5 billion years ago

  4. All of the above are incorrect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The prokaryotic cells lack the nucleus and were the first and simplest life forms and were originated 3.8 billion years ago. But the eukaryotic cells originated 1.5 billion years ago were complex than prokaryotes as they contained the nucleus and the most complex forms called multicellular organisms originated about 600 million years ago. So, the correct option is "origin of eukaryotic cells 1.5 billion years ago".

Multiple choice biology animal behaviour ethology coordination in human beings- chemical control endocrine system in humans

Which of the following is not true?

  1. Small sized reptiles of dinosaurs of that era still exist today

  2. Tyrannosaurs rex was about 20 feet in height and had huge some dagger like teeth.

  3. Dinosaur extinct, a possible reason may be most of them has evolved into birds

  4. Giant ferns fell to form coal deposits very fast
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Coal deposits were formed over millions of years from ancient plant matter, not very fast. The other statements are generally accepted scientific or historical claims regarding dinosaurs.

Multiple choice zoology microbes in human welfare biofertilizers microbes as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers manuring

Cyanobacteria came into existence ....... years ago.

  1. 2.9 billion

  2. 3.4 billion

  3. 1 million

  4. 44 thousands
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Stromatolites are layered bio-chemical structures formed in shallow water by the trapping, binding and cementation of sediments by microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria. Stromatolites provide ancient records of life on earth by fossil remains, which might date from more than 3.5 billion years ago.

Multiple choice botany taxonomy and systematic botany taxonomy and systematics systematics of living world kingdom plantae plant taxonomy classification of biodiversity

In evolutionary history, in which one of the following periods did the flowering plants make their first appearance?

  1. Certaceous of Mesozoic era

  2. Pleocene of cenopzic era

  3. Devonian of Paleozoic

  4. Permian of Paleozoic era
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Angiosperms first appeared in the Early Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era. Fossil records from approximately 130-140 million years ago show the earliest definitive flowering plant evidence.

Multiple choice botany taxonomy and systematic botany taxonomy and systematics systematics of living world kingdom plantae plant taxonomy classification of biodiversity

The modern classification of organisms is based on which of the following aspects?

  1. Physiology

  2. Fossils

  3. Phylogeny

  4. Morphology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
  • Modern taxonomy is based on the hypotheses' of the evolutionary history of organisms, known as Phylogeny. As with the scientific method, scientists develop a hypothesis on the history of an animal and utilize modern science and technology to prove phylogeny.
  • With the advent of such fields of study as phylogenetics, cladistics, and systematics, the Linnaean system has progressed to a system of modern biological classification based on evolutionary relationships between organisms, both living and extinct.
  • So the correct option is 'phylogeny'.
Multiple choice evs - i the earth and its living world introduction to the spheres of the earth origin of universe introduction to natural resources

The first life had appeared about 

  1. 4.8 billion years ago

  2. 3.8 billion years ago

  3. 1.4 billion years ago

  4. 2 billion years ago
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

About 3.8 billion years ago after the formation of earth, single celled prokaryotic cells (bacteria) appeared. It is supposed that the multicellular living organisms evolved from them. So, the correct option is B.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Who first placed fossils in chronological series in evolutionary context?

  1. Leonardo da Vinci

  2. Lamarck

  3. Cuvier

  4. Darwin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The first theory of evolution was proposed by Jean Baptiste de Lamarck. Lamarckism proposed:

  • Some internal forces are present in all organisms. By the presence of these forces, the organism has the tendency to increase the size of their organs or the entire body.
  • Environment influences all type of organisms. Changing environment give rise to new needs. New needs or desires produce new structure and change habits of the organism.
  • If an organ is constantly used, it would be better developed whereas disuse of organ results in its degeneration.

So, the correct option is 'Lamarck'.