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EnglandGeologyQuick questions
The Earth and its history
Quick questions on Origin and development of life: the fossil record, evolution and mass extinctions - Eduqas GCSE Geology
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is life through geological time?Show answer
The fossil record, ordered by the age of the rocks that contain the fossils, shows a clear trend: life has become more complex and more diverse through geological time. The oldest rocks hold only simple single-celled life; complexity is added stage by stage in younger rocks.
What are evolution explains the changes?Show answer
The mechanism behind these changes is evolution by natural selection: individuals vary, those whose features suit their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, and so favourable features become more common over generations. Over long spans of geological time this produces new species and the gradual change of life. The fossils are the evidence: they show the actual sequence of forms through time, including transitional forms that link earlier and later groups.
What is mass extinctions reset the course of life?Show answer
The development of life has not been smooth. Several times a large fraction of species died out worldwide in a relatively short interval, a mass extinction:
What is q1?Show answer
State what the order of fossils in undisturbed strata tells you. [1 mark]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain why animals with hard parts are more common in the fossil record than soft-bodied animals. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Name one mass extinction event and one group it affected. [2 marks]
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