Explore the foundations of evolutionary theory in the 'Principles of Evolution quiz'. Assess your understanding of key historical figures and concepts, including natural selection and the progression of species over time. Ideal for students and enthusiasts eager to deepen their knowledge of biological evolution.
Extinct organisms found only as fossils were destroyed in global catastrophes.
In many parts of the world, a rock layer of type A always appears below a rock layer of type B.
Species in a location resemble one another more than species in another location.
Fossil A always appears in a layer below fossil B.
Layers of rock are deposited in a slow, gradual process.
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Comte de Buffon
Charles Darwin
Jacques Cuvier
Alfred Wallace
Jean Baptiste Lamarck
Aristotle
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Take a population of white mice. Dye the hair of the mice black and show that their children are still born with white hair.
Separate male mice from female mice. Allow males to attack one another to prove dominance. Only allow the dominant males to breed with the females. Show that the male children are no more aggressive than their parents.
Separate male mice from female mice. Race the male mice down a track. Only allow the fastest males to breed with the females. Show that the male children are no faster than their parents.
Measure the tail lengths of a population of mice. Cut the tails off and then let them breed. Show that the children's tails are no shorter than their parents' tails.
Separate black mice from white mice. Breed black mice together and white mice together and show that children resemble their parents in color.
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Comte de Buffon
Aristotle
Charles Darwin
Alfred Wallace
Jean Baptiste Lamarck
Jacques Cuvier
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Pavlov, Lamarck, Darwin
Hutton, Watson, and Darwin
Lyell, Lamarck and Darwin
Pasteur Wallace and Darwin
Darwin, Watson, Crick
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Darwin published his beliefs about genetic changes in a species. Lamarck did not publish.
Darwin focused on the genetic changes in a species. Lamarck believed that species were unchanged.
Darwin focused on genetic changes based on physical fitness. Lamarck focused on genetic changes based on behaviors.
Lamarck focused on genetic changes in an individual. Darwin focused on genetic changes in a population.
Darwin focused on genetic changes as a function of time. Lamarck focused on genetic changes as a function of distance.
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Fossils of extinct species of reptiles and lizards
Penguins that used their wings for paddles while swimming
The presence of vestigial organs in human anatomy
Snakes with evidence of vestigial legs
Different finch populations that appeared closely related
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Darwin presented his findings to a more prestigious society than Wallace did.
Darwin published a book in addition to presenting his paper on natural selection.
Darwin published his paper before Wallace
Darwin discovered natural selection many years before Wallace did.
Darwin published his discovery and Wallace did not.
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Individuals in a population vary.
Some individuals fail to survive and reproduce.
Traits are passed from parent to offspring.
Survival and reproduction are not determined by chance.
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Gene
Life
Allele
Population
Species
Individual
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Physical changes in an organism while it is living can be passed on to the next generation
Individual members of a population differ from one another
Two different species can form a hybrid
Traits evolve to adapt to the environment
Natural selection works on the likelihood of reproduction
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These organisms evolved at the same time
The bird and bat evolved from the pterodactyl.
Flight is a good adaptation for land-dwelling organisms.
These organisms evolved in a similar environment.
These organisms evolved in the same place.
These organisms share a common ancestor with each other.
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Comparative anatomy
Fossils
Genetics
Biochemistry
Embryology
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Analogous structure
Ancestral structure
Evolved structures
Homologous structure
Vestigial structure
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Homologous structures
Ancestral structures
Convergent structures
Analogous structures
Divergent structures
Vestigial structures
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Sexual reproduction
DNA as genetic material
Four-chambered heart
Mitochondria for energy generation
Membrane-enclosed nucleus
Limbs for locomotion
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Humans will not evolve because we are no longer subject to natural selection. Survival is no longer a struggle for us.
The human lifespan will get longer and longer until it is common for us to live past age 100.
Organs that are no longer useful to us will continue to shrink until they disappear.
Any traits that result in a human having more children will be increased in the population.
Humans will become smarter, but weaker, as our lifestyle shifts away from physical labor and more toward computers and technology
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Guppies were larger in the absence of prey.
Guppies were mating based on color.
Guppies were more colorful in the absence of predators.
Guppies were larger in the absence of predators.
Guppies were mating based on size.
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Individuals in a population vary.
Traits are passed from parent to offspring.
Some individuals fail to survive and reproduce.
Survival and reproduction are not determined by chance.
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The roach bait acted as a force of natural selection to create mutations that disliked the bait.
The roach bait caused the population to evolve by selecting against roaches that preferred the bait.
The roach bait caused individuals that preferred the bait to evolve a dislike for it.
The roach bait evolved the roaches that liked the bait to become roaches that disliked the bait.
The roach bait made the population of roaches more evolved to dislike the bait.
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Convergent structure
Vestigial structure
Homologous structure
Analogous structure
Bilateral structure
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Development of antibiotic resistance by a bacterial infection in a patient
Change in leg length of transplanted Anole lizards
Loss of guppy color in the presence of a predator
Avoidance of Combat® baits by Florida roaches
Creation of the domesticated dog from wolves
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Variation must exist.
Adaptation to the environment must occur.
Change must occur to the environment.
Population genetics must change.
Artificial selection must occur.
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