B15 Genetics and evolution

Question 1

What is evolution?

Answer 1

change in inherited characteristics of a population over time through natural selection, which may

Question 2

Who first proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Answer 2

Charles Darwin

Question 3

What is the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Answer 3

all species of living things evolved from a common ancestor that developed billions of years ago

Question 4

Describe Lamarck’s idea of inheritance.

Answer 4

organisms change over their lifetimes and these characteristics can be inherited

Question 5

Why was the theory of evolution by natural selection controversial?

Answer 5

• challenged the idea that God made all of Earth’s animals and plants
• Insufficient evidence at the time
• genes, inheritance and variation were not understood

Question 6

What is speciation?

Answer 6

gradual formation of a new species as a result of evolution

Question 7

What evidence supports the theory of evolution?

Answer 7

• parents pass on their characteristics to offspring in genes
• fossil record evidence
• evolution of antibiotic-resistance bacteria

Question 8

What did mendel discover through breeding experiments on plants?

Answer 8

inheritance of characteristics is determined by units (genes) passed on by

Question 9

What are fossils?

Answer 9

remains of organisms from millions of years ago, found in rocks

Question 10

How might fossils be formed?

Answer 10

• parts of an organism do not decay because the conditions needed for decay are absent
• traces of organisms are preserved
• parts of an organism are replaced by minerals

Question 11

What are the benefits of the fossil record?

Answer 11

can learn how species changed and life developed on earth and can track the movement of species across the world

Question 12

What are the problems with the fossil record?

Answer 12

• many early organisms were soft-bodied so left few fossils
• gaps in the fossil record as not all fossils have been found and some have been destroyed

Question 13

What is extinction?

Answer 13

no individuals of species are still alive

Question 14

What is the binomial system?

Answer 14

naming of organisms by their genus and species

Question 15

What classification system did Carl Woese introduction?

Answer 15

three domain system of Archaea, Bacteria, Eukaryota

Question 16

Why can bacteria evolve rapidly?

Answer 16

they produce at a fast rate

Question 17

How do antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria develop?

Answer 17

mutations that allow the strain to survive and reproduce