There is little fossil evidence of the earliest forms of life because the organisms
A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 19 - 2006 - Paper 1
Question 19
There is little fossil evidence of the earliest forms of life because the organisms
A. decayed quickly in the oxygen-rich atmosphere,
B. did not have hard parts whic... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:There is little fossil evidence of the earliest forms of life because the organisms
A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 19 - 2006 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. decayed quickly in the oxygen-rich atmosphere
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Answer
This option suggests that the organisms' rapid decay due to an oxygen-rich environment led to few fossils being formed. High levels of oxygen could indeed accelerate decomposition.
Step 2
B. did not have hard parts which would fossilise easily
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Answer
Organisms lacking hard parts such as bones or shells are less likely to be preserved as fossils. This could significantly reduce the fossil evidence available.
Step 3
C. evolved so quickly that they left few remains
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Rapid evolution could result in organisms not being around long enough to leave behind significant fossil evidence, indicating a dynamic and transient existence.
Step 4
D. lived in water and were not preserved
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Answer
If early life forms predominantly existed in aquatic environments, various factors could prevent their fossilization, such as the conditions being not conducive to preserving organic material.
