B1 - Evolution Flashcards
1
Q
How does natural selection occur?
A
Due to gene mutations there is variation within a species. Those that are best adapted to their environment survive, breed and pass on their genes.
2
Q
Why was Darwin’s theory of evolution only gradually accepted?
A
His theory undermined the idea that God created all animals and plants; there was insufficient evidence at the time; the mechanisms of inheritance were not yet known.
3
Q
What does the theory of evolution state?
A
Present day organisms have evolved from simpler earlier organisms over millions of years.
4
Q
Explain how Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829) accounted for the evolution of the long neck in giraffes.
A
Stretching of necks to reach food lengthened the neck and was passed on to offspring.
