[Campbell Biology P.582] Using the analogy of a 1-hour countdown timer 60 minutes for Earth'... | Practice Question

Using the analogy of a 1-hour countdown timer 60 minutes for Earth's history, as described in the figure: 1. When did prokaryotes originate? 2. When did the colonization of land occur?

  • A: Prokaryotes: Around 30 minutes past the hour; Colonization of land: Around 5 minutes before the hour.
  • B: Prokaryotes: At the beginning (around 60 minutes, with the origin of Earth); Colonization of land: Approximately 4-5 minutes before the hour.
  • C: Prokaryotes: Approximately 45 minutes before the hour; Colonization of land: Around 1 minute before the hour.
  • D: Prokaryotes: Around 15 minutes before the hour; Colonization of land: Just before present.

Explanation

The circular timeline illustrates Earth's history as a 60-minute clock. The 'Origin of the Solar System and Earth' is at the 60-minute mark, and the 'Prokaryotes' section begins immediately there. The 'Colonization of land' is a segment shown just after 'Animals' and 'Multicellular eukaryotes', approximately 4-5 minutes before the 'Present' mark.