AP Biology (Mader), 11th Edition

Chapter 18: Origin and History of Life

Learning Outcomes

18.1 Origin of Life

1. List and describe the four stages of the origin of life.
2. Differentiate between the stages of chemical and biological evolution.
3. Summarize a protocell membrane structure and its importance to the evolution of the first living cell.
4. Summarize at least one hypothesis that explains each of the four stages of the origin of life.

18.2 History of Life

1. Explain the processes of relatives and absolute dating of fossils.
2. List three sources of evidence that supports the endosymbiotic theory of organelle evolution.
3. Discuss when and where the first Multicellular organisms evolved.
4. Describe in chronological order the periods of Earth's history, and identify one major biological event that took place in each.

18.3 Geological Factors That Influence Evolution

1. Identify who proposed the theory of continental drift, and the evidence provided to support this theory.
2. Describe plate tectonics and how it explains the drifting of continents.
3. Interpret correlated biogeographic and geologic evidence in support of continental drift.
4. Describe the geological points at which mass extinctions occurred and give one proposed cause for each extinction event.