Evolution Practice Quiz (Easy Version)

1. In the early stages of development, embryos of dogs, pigs, and humans resemble one another. This observation suggests that these animals have:

Identical DNA

Similar habitat requirements

The same blood components

A common ancestry

Unique ancestral origins

Similar developmental patterns suggest common ancestry - ancient body plans from past ancestors continue to serve as required 'foundations' in the developing modern organisms.

Explanation

Similar developmental patterns suggest common ancestry - ancient body plans from past ancestors continue to serve as required 'foundations' in the developing modern organisms.

2. Differences between members of a population will most likely be passed on to future generations if they are:

Due to genetic changes and result in unfavorable variations

Due to genetic changes and result in favorable variations

Not due to genetic changes and result in unfavorable variations

Not due to genetic changes and result in favorable variation

None of the above

Inherited characteristics that differ between parent and offspring are the result of genetic mutations or during meiosis. If these characteristics are favorable, these adaptations will help the organism survive within its population.

Explanation

Inherited characteristics that differ between parent and offspring are the result of genetic mutations or during meiosis. If these characteristics are favorable, these adaptations will help the organism survive within its population.

3. In a certain area of undisturbed layers of rock, fossils of horseshoe crabs are found in the upper layer, and a lower layer contains fossils of trilobites. Trilobites are extinct aquatic anthropoids resembling modern horseshoe crabs. This information suggests:

Horseshoe crabs will soon become extinct

Horseshoe crabs and trilobites are completely unrelated

Horseshoe crabs may have evolved from trilobites

Trilobites may have evolved from horseshoe crabs

No inferences can be made from this information

Recall that evolutionarily older animals are placed (typically) in areas of the rock strata (layers) that are below the newer (more recent) fossils.

Explanation

Recall that evolutionarily older animals are placed (typically) in areas of the rock strata (layers) that are below the newer (more recent) fossils.

4. Biological evolution is best described as:

A process of change in a population through time

A process by which organisms become extinct

The reproductive isolation of members of certain species

The replacement of one community by another

Survival of the fittest

Darwinian evolution occurs as a result of the production of variation providing a diversity of phenotypic difference among individuals in a population. Those individuals with favored adaptations pass on their genes to the next generation.

Explanation

Darwinian evolution occurs as a result of the production of variation providing a diversity of phenotypic difference among individuals in a population. Those individuals with favored adaptations pass on their genes to the next generation.

5. This natural philosopher proposed that evolution resulted from the inheritance of acquired characteristics - for example, giraffe offspring acquired longer necks because their parents stretching to reach higher leaves.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

Charles Lyell

Alfred Wallace

Thomas Malthus

None of the above

Lamarck proposed a theory of evolution made possible by inheritance of acquired characteristics. This has long been assumed to be wholly incorrect, yet recent genetic evidence suggests that it may actually occur at the cellular level in some instances.

Explanation

Lamarck proposed a theory of evolution made possible by inheritance of acquired characteristics. This has long been assumed to be wholly incorrect, yet recent genetic evidence suggests that it may actually occur at the cellular level in some instances.

6. The relationship between a plant and its pollinator is an example of which of the following patterns of evolution:

Divergent evolution

Coevolution

Convergent evolution

Adaptive radiation

Disruptive selection

Coevolution is a continuous process - earlier plant and pollinators likely did not have as extreme a phenotype as the currently do, and future plant/pollinators may continue to evolve in such a predictable direction (however, other selective factors may work against such a proposition)

Explanation

Coevolution is a continuous process - earlier plant and pollinators likely did not have as extreme a phenotype as the currently do, and future plant/pollinators may continue to evolve in such a predictable direction (however, other selective factors may work against such a proposition)

7. An example of a pair of analogous structures is:

The wing of an insect and the wing of a bat

The forelimb of a human and the forelimb of a cat

An appendix and wisdom teeth

The wing of a bird and the forearm of a human

None of the above

Analagous structures share similar physical function without sharing common ancestry. In this instance, both bat and insect wing share a common function - flight - yet their development and ancestry are highly unrelated.

Explanation

Analagous structures share similar physical function without sharing common ancestry. In this instance, both bat and insect wing share a common function - flight - yet their development and ancestry are highly unrelated.

8. Dolphins and sharks share very similar body forms, but in terms of common ancestry, are separated by more than 400 million years of evolution. The pattern of evolution demonstrated by the shark and dolphin is called:

Divergent evolution

Convergent evolution

Coevolution

Artificial selection

Adaptive radiation

Recall that converging means coming to the same point from two different routes - in this case, both the shark (a fish) and a dolphin (a mammal) arrive at the same overall body form to efficiently propel themselves through the water. They share a similar environment, which imposes specific physical conditions that a single body plan appears to be most suitable (and therefore, both animals share this plan because of common selective forces).

Explanation

Recall that converging means coming to the same point from two different routes - in this case, both the shark (a fish) and a dolphin (a mammal) arrive at the same overall body form to efficiently propel themselves through the water. They share a similar environment, which imposes specific physical conditions that a single body plan appears to be most suitable (and therefore, both animals share this plan because of common selective forces).

9. When penicillin was first introduced, it was very effective in destroying the bacteria that cause gonorrhea. Today, certain varieties of this bacterium are resistant to penicillin. Which statement best describes the appearance of these resistant varieties?

Penicillin stimulated the bacteria to become resistant, and this resistance was passed to the offspring

Penicillin used today is not as strong as the penicillin used when it was first introduced

Penicillin strengthened the immune systems of resistant bacteria

Penicillin killed the susceptible bacteria, while naturally resistant varieties survived and reproduced

All of the above

This is also known as directional selection - a single region of a distribution of phenotype is favored, and the normal distribution of phenotypic variation is shifted in a single direction (in this case, the population shifts to those organisms with the genetic predisposition to penicillin resistance).

Explanation

This is also known as directional selection - a single region of a distribution of phenotype is favored, and the normal distribution of phenotypic variation is shifted in a single direction (in this case, the population shifts to those organisms with the genetic predisposition to penicillin resistance).

10. Saint Bernards and Chihuahuas (two breeds of domestic dogs) cannot mate normally due to great differences in size. Thus, they are reproductively isolated to some extent. Which type of isolating mechanism is operating here?

Ecological

Post zygotic

Temporal

Mechanic

Genetic Drift

In this example, the reproductive organs of the two dog varieties are simply too different in size to allow for copulation to take place. Nevertheless, invitro fertilization may still allow an impregnated female Bernard to give birth to such a mix.

Explanation

In this example, the reproductive organs of the two dog varieties are simply too different in size to allow for copulation to take place. Nevertheless, invitro fertilization may still allow an impregnated female Bernard to give birth to such a mix.