Question

Fossils of marine organisms high in the Andes mountains led Darwin to which of these conclusions

A. Earth is 6,000 years old
B. An earthquake had taken place
C. Great change can happen over time
D. Interspecific variation had taken place

Answer 1

The presence of marine fossils high in the Andes led Darwin to conclude that significant changes have occurred over Earth's history, indicating that a great deal of time must have passed for such changes to happen.

Step-by-step explanation:

Discoveries of marine organism fossils high in the Andes mountains led Charles Darwin to conclude that great change can happen over time (C). This conclusion was informed by his knowledge of geology and paleontology, particularly by the work of Charles Lyell. Lyell's writings contributed to Darwin's understanding that the Earth was much older than 6,000 years, suggesting that extensive changes, such as the rise of mountains, could occur over millions of years. Darwin's observations during his voyage on the Beagle included instances of geological uplift and the presence of fossils in unlikely places, which reinforced the idea that the Earth's surface and living organisms undergo gradual change.