Block A: Origins of Life, the Kingdoms and Evolution

Question 1

What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

Answer 1

All things must lead to an increase in disorder (increase in entropy)
(Lecture 1, Slide 7)

Question 2

What formed first; DNA or RNA?

Answer 2

RNA
(Lecture 1, Slide 22)

Question 3

What are the key features of the origin of life?

Answer 3

Changes and progression occurring over time and complexity and diversity increasing over time.
(Lecture 2, Slide 11)

Question 4

What accumulates in every organism’s DNA over time?

Answer 4

(Random) Mutations
(Lecture 2, Slide 28)

Question 5

What do random mutations create?

Answer 5

A “gene pool” full of heritable information
(Lecture 2, Slide 28)

Question 6

Population growth in kept in check by the “struggle for existence”; how is this achieved?

Answer 6

Selection Pressures
(Lecture 2, Slide 29)

Question 7

What are 5 examples of selection pressures?

Answer 7

Animals competing for resources and mates, predation from other animals, disease, and changes in the environment.
(Lecture 2, Slide 29)

Question 8

What makes some individuals better at coping with selection pressures than others?

Answer 8

Genetic differences between individuals
(Lecture 2, Slide 30)

Question 9

What do genetic differences lead to?

Answer 9

Leads to organisms to survive / thrive better to produce more offspring
(Lecture 2, Slide 30)

Question 10

What are the 3 different types of natural selection?

Answer 10

Stabilising, Disruptive and Directional
(Lecture 2, Slide 35)

Question 11

How does carbon dating / potassium-argon dating work?

Answer 11

Age of fossil depends on time-course of radioactive decay of carbon 14 / decay of potassium to argon.
(Lecture 3, Slide 4)

Question 12

How does the fossil record help confirm the theory of evolution?

Answer 12

Fossils are dated using carbon dating and potassium-argon dating, and earlier fossils are found in deeper layers, therefore clearly showing how organisms have changed over time.
(Lecture 3, Slide 4)

Question 13

What is the punctuated equilibrium model of evolution?

Answer 13

Suggests a period of evolutionary status where no change
occurs accompanied by intervals of rapid change.
(Lecture 3, Slide 7)

Question 14

What is the gradualist theory of evolution?

Answer 14

Suggests that change occurs little by little and that the record is incomplete.
(Lecture 3, Slide 7)

Question 15

What part of a fossil is best preserved?

Answer 15

Hard tissue such as bones and shells.
(Lecture 3, Slide 4)

Question 16

How does DNA, vital physiological processes and ATP support the theory of evolution?

Answer 16

DNA is universal, ATP is used as a common energy currency, and vital physiological processes such as respiration are biochemically very similar.
All these points signify relatedness between species.
(Lecture 3, Slide 10)

Question 17

What are 3 ways genes support the theory of evolution?

Answer 17

Functional molecules - can be shuffled together forming new genes
Gene families - groups of homologous molecules having similar functions
Genome duplication - allowing new genes to form without affecting the original.
(Lecture 3, Slide 10)

Question 18

Explain how comparative anatomy supports the theory of evolution.

Answer 18

Anatomy is similar between animals in related species with convergent analogous functions i.e. species developing similar features as a result of dealing with similar selection pressures - suggesting a common ancestor.
(Lecture 3, Slide 16)

Question 19

What is the definition of a species?

Answer 19

“a group of organisms with similar features which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring and which are reproductively isolated from further species”
(Lecture 3, Slide 22)

Question 20

How does allopatric isolation lead to speciation?

Answer 20

Individuals from a species are geographically isolated, where conditions may be different for both sets of individuals, where natural selection will eventually create 2 different species.
(Lecture 3, Slide 23)

Question 21

How does Sympatric isolation lead to speciation?

Answer 21

Members from a species are unable to breed with each other due to certain isolation mechanics. As these sets of members eventually create 2 different gene pools, they will eventually become 2 different species.
(Lecture 3, Slide 23)

Question 22

What is microevolution?

Answer 22

Microevolution is the evolution we can see today; stabilisation of advantageous mutations and a change of allele frequency in response to environmental pressures.
(Lecture 3, Slide 31)

Question 23

What is artificial selection and how does it help support the theory of evolution?

Answer 23

Artificial selection is when humans act as the selection pressure and it supports the theory of evolution as we can see organisms change in response to us.
(Lecture 3, Slide 38)

Question 24

How does cancer occur?

Answer 24

Mutation either triggers uncontrolled cell division, or removes protection against it.
(Lecture 3, Slide 45)

Question 25

What are the two types of sexual selection?

Answer 25

Female choice (intersexual) and Male-male competition (intrasexual) (Lecture 3, Slide 46)

Question 26

What is sexual dimorphism?

Answer 26

Differences in appearance or form in individuals of different sex, but members of the same species (Lecture 3, Slide 46)

Question 27

What causes sexual dimorphism and how?

Answer 27

Male-male competition and Female choice, as individuals develop different traits to help fight off other males for mates / appear to have good genes so females pick to mate with them. (Lecture 3, Slide 46)

Question 28

What is the "Prize" of sexual dimorphism?

Answer 28

The "prize" is successful mating and transmission of genes to the next generation, even if sexual dimorphism leads to reduced survival fitness. (Lecture 3, Slide 47)

Question 29

What is the the order of taxonomic rank in zoology from highest to lower?

Answer 29

Family > Subfamily > Tribe > Genus > Species (Lecture 4, Slide 4)

Question 30

What is the family, subfamily, tribe and genus and species of modern humans?

Answer 30

Family - Hominidae Subfamily - Homininae Tribe - Hominini Genus - Homo Species - Homo Sapiens (Lecture 4, Slide 4)

Question 31

What is Paleogenetics?

Answer 31

Uses methods of genetics to study early humans and other ancient populations. (Lecture 4, Slide 11)

Question 32

What human species did we evolve from before we became homo?

Answer 32

Sahelanthropus Ardipithecus Australopithecus (Remember using South African Airlines (SAA)) (Lecture 4, Slide 16)

Question 33

What human species did we evolve from after we became homo?

Answer 33

Homo habilis Homo Erectus Neanderthal Denisovan Modern Humans (Homo Sapiens) (Remember using HEND) (Lecture 4, Slide 16)

Question 34

What is the traditional view of human migration?

Answer 34

Hunter-gatherer 45K years ago resulted in a farmer migration from the middle east (Lecture 4, Slide 35)

Question 35

What is the Latest view of human migration?

Answer 35

Asian nomad "ghost lineage" 4 - 5K years ago migrated from sibera (25K ya) to scandinavia (8k ya) and the new world (14K ya)

Question 36

What are 5 examples of sympatric isolation mechanics?

Answer 36

Different habitats, breeding times, courtship rituals, gametes that can't unite or offspring being infertile (Lecture 3, Slide 23)