Chapter 15 Test - Notes

Question 1

A well-supported explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world is a _____________.

Answer 1

Theory

Question 2

True or False?

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

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Name some observations Darwin made:

Answer 3

An enormous number of species inhabit earth

and

Some species that lived in the last no longer live on the earth

Question 4

The preserved remains of ancient organisms are called __________.

Answer 4

Fossils

Question 5

As Darwin studied the fossils, what new questions came about?

Answer 5

1) Why had so many of the species disappeared?

2) How were they related to the living species of today?

Question 6

How did Darwin explain the differences in the shell shape of tortoises from Hood and Isabella Island?

Answer 6

Curved shells - Hood Island

Dome-Shaped - Isabella Island

Question 7

Darwin observed that small brown birds on the Galapagos Island differed in the shape of their ________.

Answer 7

Beaks

Question 8

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

Answer 8

Darwin observed that the characteristics of many animals varied noticeably among the different island of the Galapagos.

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Separate species evolved from a common ancestor

Question 10

Which two scientists helped Darwin recognize how old Earth is?

Answer 10

J. Hutton and C. Lyell

Question 11

What is true about Lyell’s work?

Answer 11

1) His work explained how awesome geological features could be built up or torn down over long periods of time.
2) His publications helped Darwin appreciate the significance of the geological phenomena that he had observed.
3) He stressed that 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 influencen Darwin?

Answer 12

He asked himself: “If the earth could change overtime, could life change as well?

Secondly, he realized that it would have taken many years for life to change the way he had suggested

Question 13

Is the following true or false? Lamarck was among the first scientists to recognize that living things have changed overtime.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

Is the following true or 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 biologists?

Answer 15

He was one of the very first scientists to develop a scientific hypothesis of evolution.

Question 16

What is true about Thomas Malthus?

Answer 16

1) He was an important influence on Charles Darwin

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

Question 17

Is the following true or false? When Darwin returned to England, he rushed to publish his thoughts of evolution.

Answer 17

False

Question 18

The naturalist whose essay gave Darwin an incentive to publish his own work was ___________ ____________.

Answer 18

Alfred Wallace

Question 19

What is true about Darwin’s book?

Answer 19

1) It contained evidence for evolution

2) It described natural selection

Question 20

Differences among individuals of a species are referred to as ________.

Answer 20

Natural Variation

Question 21

True or False? Genetic variation found only in wild organisms in nature

Answer 21

False

Question 22

Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about artificial selection?

Answer 22

1) Also called selective breeding
2) Occurs when humans select natural variatons they find useful
3) Produces organisms that look very different from their ancestors

Question 23

What was Darwin’s greatest contribution?

Answer 23

Creating evolution-based scientific hypothesis’

Question 24

What does ‘struggle for existence’ mean?

Answer 24

It means that members of each species compete regularly to obtain necessities

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Fitness

Question 26

Any inherited characteristic that increases an organism chance of survival

Answer 26

Adaptation

Question 27

Survival of the fittest?

Answer 27

Natural selection

Question 28

True or False? Adaptations can be physical characteristics but not more complex features such as behavior.

Answer 28

False

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Evolution