4.6.3.1 Theory of Evolution

Question 1

Who was Charles Darwin?

Answer 1

• scientist
• naturalist

Question 2

What did Charles Darwin put forward?

Answer 2

• theory of evolution

Question 3

What was the theory of evolution supported by?

Answer 3

• experimentation
• knowledge of geology and fossils that he discovered on a round the world expedition

Question 4

What did Charles Darwin publish in 1859?

Answer 4

• On the Origin of Species

Question 5

What does the theory of evolution suggest?

Answer 5

• variation exists within species as a result of mutations in DNA
• survival of the fittest
• beneficial characteristics passed onto next generation
• over many generations, frequency of alleles for this advantageous characteristic increase within population

Question 6

What is survival of the fittest?

Answer 6

• organisms with characteristics most suited to the environment are more likely to survive to reproductive age and breed successfully

Question 7

Why was there controversy surrounding his ideas for many reasons?

Answer 7

• contradicted idea that God was the creator of all species on Earth
• there was not enough evidence at the time as few studies had been done on how organisms change over time
• mechanism of inheritance and variation were not known at the time

Question 8

What did Jean-Baptiste Lamark think?

Answer 8

• changes that occurred during lifetime of an organism passed onto offspring
• if an individual continually repeated an action, characteristic that allowed it to do it would develop

Question 9

Why was Lamark’s theory proven wrong?

Answer 9

• when it was understood that changes caused by environment were not passed on in sex cells

Question 10

Why was Darwin’s theory supported?

Answer 10

• genetics as it provided a mechanism for beneficial characteristics caused by mutations to be passed on
• fossil evidence how developments in organisms arose slowly