Chapter 15 Test Questions Flashcards
A well supported explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world is a
Theory
T or F? Charles Darwin contributed more to our understanding of evolution that anyone e,she
T
T or f? Darwin was looking for a scientific explanation for the diversity of life on earth
T
Each observation that Darwin made
An enormous number of species inhabit earth
Some species that lived in the past no longer live on earth
The preserved remains of ancient organisms are called
Fossils
As Darwin studied fossils, what new questions arose?
Wondered why so many species had disappeared and how they were related to living species
How did Darwin explain differences in she’ll shape or tortoises from Hood Island and Isabela Island
Curved shells, domed shaped cells
Darwin observed that small brown birds on the Galápagos Islands differed in the shape of their _____
Beaks
What did Darwin thinks about on his journey home to England
He thought about how the characteristics of plants and animals varied among the different islands
After he returned to England, what hypothesis did Darwin develop to explain his findings
The hypothesis he came up with separate species evolved from a common ancestor
Two scientists who helped Darwin and others recognize how old earth is were ______ and ______
James Hutton and Charles Lyell
Sentence that is true about Lyell’s work
His work explained how awesome geological features could be built up or torn down over long periods of time
His publications healed Darwin appreciate the significance of the geological phenomena that he had observed
H stressed that scientists must explain past events in terms of processes that they can actually observe
In what two ways did an understanding of geology influence Darwin
He asked him self if the earth could change overtime might life change as well. He realized that it would have taken many, many years for life to change in the way he suggested.
T or f? Lamarck was among the first scientists to recognize that living things have changed over time
True
T or f? Lamarck proposed that all organisms have an innate tendency toward complexity and perfection
T
How did Lamarck pave the way for the work of later biologists
One of the first to devolve a scientific theory of evolution and he realized that organisms are adapted to their environment
True about Thomas Malthus
He was an important influence on Darwin
He believed that war, famine, Adam disease limit the growth of populations
T or f? When Darwin returned from England he rushed to publish his thoughts about evolution
F
The naturalist whose essay gave Darwin an incentive to publish his own work was _______
Alfred Russell Wallace
True about Darwins book, on the origin of species
It contained evidence for evolution
It described natural selection
Differences among individuals of a species are referred to as
Natural variation
T or f? Genetic variation is found only in wild organisms in nature
F
True about artificial selection
It is also called selective breeding
It occurs when humans select natural variations they find useful
It produces organisms that look very different form their ancestors
What was Darwin’s greatest contribution
A scientific hypothesis on how evolution occurs
