The Cambrian Explosion Resulted in the Evolution of More Than

question 12

Multiple Choice

The Cambrian explosion resulted in the evolution of more than 17,000 species of an animal known as the trilobite.The sheer number of trilobite fossils found in modern times suggests that trilobites were abundant,perhaps the rulers of the seas.Today,no living descendants of this group exist.What happened?

• A) Trilobites evolved before the first mass extinction, so it is possible that any of the five mass extinctions could have wiped out the entire group.
• B) In order to disappear from the planet entirely, trilobites must have undergone the process of adaptive radiation.
• C) It is unlikely that trilobites could have survived the increase in atmospheric oxygen once the process of photosynthesis had evolved.
• D) Being so plentiful, trilobites must have been the major food source for terrestrial dinosaurs. The extinction of the trilobite may have caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs.

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Definitions:

Strict-Liability Tort

A civil wrong that occurs when a defendant takes an action that is inherently dangerous and cannot ever be undertaken safely, no matter what precautions the defendant takes. The defendant is liable for the plaintiff’s damages without any requirement that the plaintiff prove that the defendant was negligent.

Intention

The state of having a purpose or plan in mind when doing something.

Tort Law

The area of law that addresses harm or loss resulting from actions that are not contractual, leading to civil legal liabilities.

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A legal proceeding in which one party sues another for the redress of a private grievance, involving non-criminal matters.