Evolution Practice Quiz (Medium Version)
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A (little bit) tougher version of the evolution quiz, with more challenging multiple choice questions and a few open-ended short answer questions. Enjoy, and good luck.
- 1.The distinction between homologous and analogous structures can be summarized as follows:
- A.
Homologous structures share common ancestral origins while analogous structures do not.
- B.
Analogous structures share common ancestral origins while homologous structures do not.
- C.
Homologous structures are like bird wings and bat wings, while analogous structures are like dolphin and shark body plans.
- D.
Analogous structures are like bird wings and dolphin body plans, while homologous structures are like shark body plans and bat wings.
- E.
None of the above are correct.
- 2.
- A.
Experimental fruit flies had their wings clipped for 50 generations, and all of their offspring continued to develop wings.
- B.
Giraffes stretched their necks to eat leaves and over the course of a single generation, the offspring inherited necks that were several feet longer than their parents.
- C.
The great grandchildren of a family who all eat high fat diets will be the least obese kids relative to their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.
- D.
A turtle that can hold its breath under water for 1 minute eventually produces offspring. These turtles will be able to hold their breath slightly longer than their parent. The future generations of these turtles will continue to be able to hold their breath for even longer durations then their parents if all turtles across the generations acquire the ability to take longer breaths.
- E.
None of the above
- 3.A starfish is an animal that has radial symmetry. Which of the following phyla also share a similar body plan type?
- A.
Platyhelminthes (ex. planarian worm)
- B.
Porifera (ex. sponge)
- C.
Chordata (ex. tunicate)
- D.
Cnidaria (ex. anemone)
- E.
Arthropoda (ex. beetle)
- 4.A scientist discovers a previously unidentified primate species and sequences its entire genome and compares it with two currently identified species genomes: Homo sapiens (human) and Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee). Which of the following statements could likely also be correct if the scientist found that the unidentified primate shared more genetic content with the Pan genus than the Homo genus.
- A.
The unidentified primate shares greater morphological (physical shape) similarities with humans than with chimps.
- B.
The unidentified primate shares a common ancestor with both chimps than with humans, but shares a more recent common ancestor with chimps.
- C.
The chimp and human posses more morphological similarity to each other than either species does with the unidentified primate.
- D.
The unidentified chimp shares a common ancestor with both chimps and humans, but shares a more recent common ancestor with humans.
- E.
The unidentified chimp is a hybird offspring of a human and a chimp.
- 5.Darwin’s theory of descent with modification states that:
- A.
Newer forms appearing in the fossil record are the modified descendants older species
- B.
Organisms that descend from high elevations are modified as they acquire new traits
- C.
All living things descended from a recent common ancestor on the Galapagos Islands
- D.
Individuals modify their behavior to survive and then pass those modifications to their descendants
- 6.What are two major causes of genetic variation in a population?
- 7.Explain how geographic isolation and reproductive isolation can lead to speciation.
- 8.If Lamarck and Darwin had debated why giraffes have such long necks, what would each of the naturalists have said was the cause?
- 9.Differentiate between convergent and divergent evolution. Give an example of each.
- 10.What are a few pieces of evidence for evolution?
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