Chapter 15 Test

Question 1

A well supported explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world is a?

Answer 1

Theory

Question 2

True/False

Charles Darwin contributed more to our understanding of evolution than anyone else.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

True/False

Darwin was looking for a scientific explanation for the diversity of life on Earth.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Observations that Darwin made.

Answer 4

An enormous number of species inhabit Earth.

Some species that lived in the past no longer live on Earth.

Question 5

The preserved remains of ancient organisms are called?

Answer 5

Fossil

Question 6

As Darwin studied fossils, what new questions arose?

Answer 6

He wondered why so many species had disappeared and how they were related to living species.

Question 7

How did Darwin explain the differences in she’ll sharp of tortoises from hood island and Isabela island?

Answer 7

Darwin thought that hood island tortoises had curved shells to allow them to reach the sparse vegetables on their island isabela island tortoises had some shaped shells because vegetation on their island was more abundant.

Question 8

What did Darwin think about on his journey hime to England?

Answer 8

Darwin thought that the characteristics of many animals and plants varied noticeably among the different island of the Galapagos

Question 9

After he returned to England, what hypothesis did Darwin develop to explain his findings?

Answer 9

These separate species would have evolved from an original ancestor species after becoming isolated from one another

Question 10

Two scientist who helped Darwin and others recognize how old earth is

Answer 10

James Hutton and Charles Lyell

Question 11

What is true about lyells work?

Answer 11

His work explained how awesome geological features could be built up or torn down over long periods of time.
His publications helped Darwin appreciate the significance of the geological phenomena that he had observed.
He stressed the scientists must explain past events in terms of processes that they can actually observe.

Question 12

In what two ways did an understanding of geology influence Darwin?

Answer 12

Knowing that earth could change over time helped Darwin believe that life might change as well, knowing that earth was very old assured Darwin that there had been enough time for life to change.

Question 13

True/False

Lamarck was among the first scientists to recognize that living things have changed over time.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

True/False

Lamarck proposed that all organisms have an innate tendency toward complexity and perfection.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

How did Lamarck pave the way for the work of later biologists?

Answer 15

Lamarck was one of the first to develop scientific hypothesis of evolution and to realize that organisms are adapted to their environment.

Question 16

What is true about Thomas Malthus?

Answer 16

He was an important influence on Darwin.

He believed that war, famine, and disease limit the growth of populations.

Question 17

True/False

When Adrian returned to England, he rushed to publish his thoughts about evolution.

Answer 17

False

Question 18

The naturalist whose essay gave Darwin an incentive to publish his own work

Answer 18

Alfred Russell Wallace

Question 19

What is true about darwins book, on the origin of species?

Answer 19

It contained evidence for evolution.

It described natural selection.

Question 20

Differences among individuals of a species are referred to as

Answer 20

Variation

Question 21

True/False

Genetic variation is found only in Wild organisms in nature.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

What is true about artificial selection

Answer 22

It is also called selective breeding.
It occurs when humans select natural variations they find useful.
It produces organisms that look very different from their ancestors .

Question 23

What was darwins greatest contribution?

Answer 23

Developing a scientific hypothesis to explain how evolution occurs.

Question 24

What does the phrase struggle for existence mean?

Answer 24

It means that members of a species compete regularly, to obtain food, living space, and other necessities of life.

Question 25

Any inherited characteristic that increases an organisms chance of survival

Answer 25

Adaptation

Question 26

Survival of the fittest

Answer 26

Natural selection

Question 27

The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in its specific environment

Answer 27

Fitness

Question 28

True/False

Adaptations can be physical characteristics but not more complex features such as behavior.

Answer 28

False

Question 29

What did Darwin mean by survival of the fittest?

Answer 29

Individuals that are better suited to their environment and reproduce most successfully.

Question 30

The principle that loving species descend, with changes, from other species over time is referred to as?

Answer 30

Descent with modification

Question 31

The principle that all species were derived from common ancestors is known as?

Answer 31

Common descent

Question 32

Evidence for evolution graph

Answer 32

Fossil record, geographic distribution of living species, homologous structures on living organisms, similarities in early document

Question 33

Structures that have different mature forms but develop from the same embryonic tissue

Answer 33

Homologous structures

Question 34

Organs that are so reduced in size that they are just vestiges or traces, of homologous organs in other species

Answer 34

Vestigial organs

Question 35

What is the status of darwins hypothesis today?

Answer 35

It continues to be upheld by research in all areas of biology.

Question 36

The process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms is called?

Answer 36

Evolution