Evolution

Question 1

Stabilizing selection is the opposite of:

Answer 1

Stabilizing selection is the opposite of disruptive selection. Disruptive selection selects for the extreme phenotypes rather than the common ones like stabilizing selection. The most well known example of disruptive selection is Darwin’s study of finches. In this study the finches with average beaks were unable to survive while finches with beaks that adapted well to nature were able to produce more offspring and attain more food.

Question 2

Speciation occurs by all of the following except:
Polypoidy
Adaptive Radiation
Allopatric Speciation
Contingent Radiation
Balanced Polymorphism

Answer 2

Speciation occurs by all of the following with the exception of contingent radiation. Polyploidy and balanced polymorphism are both examples of sympatric speciation. Speciation is simply the formation or introduction of new species.

Question 3

A female horse mating with a male donkey is an example of

Answer 3

A female horse mating with a male donkey is an example of outbreeding. If a male horse was to mate with his sister that would be an example of inbreeding. Outbreeding occurs between species that are distantly related, and what forms is a hybrid of some sort (example mule).

Question 4

If a bird and a mammal have similar traits that are analogous, this would be an example of:

Answer 4

If a bird and a mammal have similar traits that are analogous, this would be an example of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution is simple when two species have different ancestors, yet have analogous traits which they have developed over a period of time due to independent adaptations.

Question 5

The numerous “Darwin’s Finches” that were said to have evolved from one ancestor, are an example of

Answer 5

The numerous “Darwin’s Finches” that were said to have evolved from one ancestor, are an example of Adaptive Radiation. Because there were many different environments on the island for the finches to colonize, they were said to have done so at a very quick rate and quickly.

Question 6

Heterotrophic organisms were able to get their food source directly in large part from

Answer 6

Heterotrophic organisms were able to get their food source directly in large part from the primordial soup. The primordial soup or organic soup is a hypothesized soup of organic substances that the heterotrophs were able to compete and evolve by.

Question 7

Wings of insects and bird wings are examples of

Answer 7

Wings of insects and bird wings are examples of analogous structures. Analogous structures are structures of species that are said to be similar in function, yet they are not derived from the same evolutionary origin. That is they are used for similar functions, but they do not have a common ancestor. The reason they are different in structure but similar in function is that they are said to have adapted similarly to their environment.

Question 8

In parallel evolution

Answer 8

In parallel evolution species share a common ancestor, species evolve similarly, and species evolve under similar circumstances.

Question 9

In order for genetic equilibrium to hold true

Answer 9

In order for genetic equilibrium to hold true p + q = 1, and p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1. Or explained as all of the alleles must add up to 1 (100%) and all of the homozygous and heterozygous individuals must add up to 1 (100%). These are two important equations to tuck away and remember.

Question 10

The forelimbs of humans and the forelimbs of bats are said to be

Answer 10

The forelimbs of humans and the forelimbs of bats are said to be homologous structures. Homologous structures are structures of species that are said to have a common ancestor, and so are similar in structure. Just because they are similar in structure however, does not mean that they are similar in function. Some homologous structures are said to adapt differently to their environments over a period of time, therefore they have different functions such as flying versus throwing. The word homologous refers to having the same origin/ancestor.

Question 11

Predators and prey often evolve together in

Answer 11

Predators and prey often evolve together in coevolution. In coevolution between a predator and prey, both evolve together because only specific prey survive while only certain predators are able to find food and survive.

Question 12

Chemical evolution was said to have finalized when

Answer 12

Chemical evolution was said to have finalized when the ozone layer formed. When the ozone layer formed, chemical evolution came to a stop because the newly synthesized oxygen with its ozone layer prevented the UV light from synthesizing new substances.

Question 13

Darwin’s theory of natural selection is based on all of the following except

Answer 13

Darwin’s theory of natural selection is based on survival of the fittest, individual competition, population stability, and reproductive potential. It is not based on a large amount of resources, but rather the limited amount of resources available to a certain species.

Question 14

If there was a huge earthquake that left jsut a few kangaroos around a rare allele increased among the species and their offspring, this is specifically known as

Answer 14

If there was a huge earthquake on an island that left just a few kangaroos around and a rare allele increased among the species and their offspring, this is specifically known as a bottleneck. Because of there just being a few kangaroos around, it would be more probable for the kangaroos to experience and pass on traits that would not commonly be seen in their original population size. This type of genetic drift is specifically known as a bottleneck.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of neutral variation
Rabbit color
Dog breeds
Hybrid corn
Fingerprints of human

Answer 15

The fingerprints of humans are a common example of neutral variation. There is nothing selective about the variation in human fingerprints, yet there is variation. Nothing in the world will select for one type of fingerprint variation over another.

Question 16

Natural selection

Answer 16

Natural selection occurs when nature selects the most adaptive species. Remember that natural selection is not necessarily about the strongest species surviving, but rather the one that its environment selects to be the most adaptive in respect to it. The theory of natural selection was established by Charles Darwin.

Question 17

Which of the following theories are types of proposed mechanisms for evolution:

i. Phyletic gradualism
ii. Divergent evolution
iii. Coevolution
iv. Punctuated equilibriu

Answer 17

Phyletic Gradualism and Punctuated Equilibrium are two examples of proposed mechanisms for evolution. In phyletic gradualism, evolution happened gradually over time, whereas in punctuated equilibrium there are major changes over short intervals, with equilibrium most of the time between these major changes.

Question 18

Endosymbiotic theory

Answer 18

Endosymbiotic theory is supported by structures with double membranes such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, involves the formation of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotes, and describes the hypothesized formation of eukaryotes.

Question 19

Human birth weight deviation is an example of what type of natural selection

Answer 19

Human birth weight deviation is an example of stabilizing selection. Babies that are too small lose weight quickly and are more prone to diseases, whereas larger babies are difficult to deliver. Therefore, average weight babies are selected for by stabilizing selection.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a type of postzygotic isolation?
Hybrid breakdown
Hybrid sterility
Hybrid inviability
Mechanical isolation
More than one of the above

Answer 20

Mechanical Isolation is not a type of postzygotic isolation, but rather a type of prezygotic isolation. A common example of mechanical isolation is when flowers will be incompatible with specific pollinators. This mechanism will prevent fertilization.

Question 21

In divergent evolution

Answer 21

In divergent evolution species share a common ancestor. Chances are that these two species would have similar traits, but they will not under every circumstance have the same traits.

Question 22

Large variation in species occurs because of all of the following except
Crossing over
Outbreeding 
Random joining of gametes
Inbreeding
Mutation

Answer 22

Large variation in species occurs because of all of the following except inbreeding. When a species inbreeds, they are not allowing selecting similar traits, which limits the variation among species. Outbreeding has the opposite effect on a species and allows for large amounts of genetic variation. Mutations, the random joining of gametes, and crossing over are all major sources of genetic variation among species.

Question 23

The majority of mutations

Answer 23

The majority of mutations are typically harmful as they are more likely to result in death or a disadvantage rather than advantage.

Question 24

Which of the following species have different embryonic development that the others
Humans
Chickens
Fish 
Pigs
All have similar embryonic development

Answer 24

Humans, Pigs, Fish, and chickens all of similar embryonic development, which is often cited as a reason why they have evolved from a common ancestor.

Question 25

Macroevolution

Answer 25

Macroevolution explains evolution for groups of species, rather than evolution in individual species. Just like within the sphere of individual evolution, macroevolution has more than one proposed theory as to how specifically species evolve.

Question 26

In the early atmosphere of the earth in the heterotroph theory, which molecule was not present

Answer 26

HCN, CO2, H2, and H2O were all molecules that were present in the early form atmosphere of the earth under the heterotroph theory. The molecule that is important to remember that wasn’t present is O2.

Question 27

A mule is a classic example of

Answer 27

A mule is a classic example of hybrid sterility. When a male donkey and a female horse mate and produce a mule, this mule is sterile. Because this mule has the postzygotic isolating mechanism of hybrid sterility, it is able to function normally, however they are unable to produce offspring.

Question 28

If 25% of a daisy population are yellow (homozygous recessive or q2), and the other 75% are red (heterozygous and homozygous dominant combined), what is the frequency of the red allele.

Answer 28

If 25% of a daisy population are yellow (homozygous recessive or q2), and the other 75% are red (heterozygous and homozygous dominant combined), the frequency of the red allele would be also 50%. This can be determined by the following equation: p + q = 1. If q2 = .25, then q = .5 (percentage of the yellow allele). Since p + q = 1, p + .5 = 1. Therefore, p = .5. Simply stated, half of the alleles are recessive and the other half are dominant in this population of daisies.

Question 29

Natural selection:
explains how nature adapts to the nest traits of a species.
means that the strongest or best individual wins.
favors the species that best adapts to nature.
all of the above.

Answer 29

Natural selection favors the species that best adapts to nature. Nature selects the traits that will survive the best. This does not necessarily mean that the strongest individual wins, but rather the individual that is best suited to adapt to nature does. Nature itself in this theory does not adapt, rather species do.

Question 30

Evolutionists cite all of the following as evidence for evolution with the exception of:
Species distribution
Paleontology
Comparative Homologous structures
Comparative Analogous structures
A worldwide flood

Answer 30

Evolutionists cite paleontology, species distribution, and comparative analogous and homologous structures all as evidence for evolution. A worldwide flood is not cited as a reason for the support of evolution.

Question 31

Heterozygote advantage occurs when:
Homozygous speceis are favored.
There are only heterozygous species.
There are no homozygous species.
Heterozygous species are favored.

Answer 31

Heterozygote advantage occurs when heterozygous species are favored. As the name states, there is an advantage for the heterozygous species. For example in sickle cell anemia, the heterozygous phenotype is resistant to malaria, which would make it have an advantage in areas with high malaria when compared to either homozygous condition.

Question 32

Autotrophs

Answer 32

Autotrophs are said to have evolved from heterotrophs. Autotrophs unlike heterotrophs are able to produce their own food via photosynthetic methods, and heterotrophs are said to be the first hypothesized organisms in the origin of life.

Question 33

If a songbird expects to hear a certain song before mating, and there is no song played by a potential mate, this would be an example of what type of isolating mechanicm

Answer 33

If a songbird expects to hear a certain song before mating, and there is no song played by a potential mate, this would be an example of what type of the behavioral isolating mechanism. This type of isolating mechanism is term prezygotic because it prevents fertilization.

Question 34

Which of the following statements is correct concerning evolution:
Macroevolution looks at changes over a short amount of time and among a single species.
Darwin believed that evolution occured through artificial selection.
Darwinism has advanced to what is now known as modern evolutionary synthesis.
Charles Darwin published his theories before Lamarck.
Microevolution looks at changes over a long period of time among groups of different but related species

Answer 34

Darwinism has advanced to what is now known as modern evolutionary synthesis. Darwin believed that evolution occurred through natural selection. Charles Darwin published his theories after Lamarck did. Macroevolution looks at changes over a long amount of time and among a group of species. Microevolution looks at changes over a short period of time among a single species and/or new ones that develop as a result.

Question 35

Which of the following are types of genetic drift?

i. Bottleneck population
ii. Mutations
iii. Gene flow
iv. Sexual selection
v. Founder effect

Answer 35

A bottleneck population and Founder effect are two types of genetic drift. Genetic drift occurs when there is drifting towards specific alleles being selected over another by the sole reason of chance/probability. Obviously the smaller the population, the more likely it is that there could be genetic drift occurring. I remember genetic drift by thinking of a line dividing one gene from another, and there being a large drift towards a side. Founder effect occurs when the “founder” of a population has an uncommon allele for a population that is then transferred throughout the population because of the limited size and gene pool. A bottleneck population occurs when some natural catastrophe wipes out much of a population, leaving genetic drift morel likely to occur.

Question 36

In the heterotroph theory for the origin of life, all of the following are true with the exception of:
The first cells could not make their own food.
Little to no oxygen was present.
Cells became more and more complex over time.
Inorganic molecules were formed from organic ones.

Answer 36

In the heterotroph theory for the origins of life inorganic molecules were not formed from organic ones, but rather organic molecules were said to form from organic ones. The first cells could not make their own food (they were called heterotrophs), cells became more and more complex over time, and little to no oxygen was present in the early atmosphere.

Question 37

If 25% of a daisy population are yellow (homozygous recessive or q2), and the other 75% are red (heterozygous and homozygous dominant combined), what percentage of these daisies would be heterozygous

Answer 37

If 25% of a daisy population are yellow (homozygous recessive or q2), and the other 75% are red (heterozygous and homozygous dominant combined), 50 percent of the daisies would be heterozygous. This can be determined by the following equation: p + q = 1. If q2 = .25, then q = .5 (percentage of the yellow allele). Since p + q = 1, p + .5 = 1. Therefore, p = .5. Simply stated, half of the alleles are recessive and the other half are dominant in this population of daisies. After determining that both p and q = .5, plug the values into the following equation—p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1. .52 + 2(.5)(.5) + .52 = 1. When rearranging you will get 2(.5)(.5) which is the heterozygous species = .5 or 50%. Chances are you will have a question or two about Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium.

Question 38

Which of the following types of speciation occur as a result of a various type of geographic barrier?
adaptive radiation
polypoidy
hybridization
allopatric speciation
balanced polymorphism

Answer 38

Allopatric speciation occurs as a result of a various type of geographic barrier. For example, new species could form in allopatric speciation that occurs due to a forest fire, which consequently separates a population into two different ones. In this separation, new species are said to form because of their potentially different environments, mutations, etc.

Question 39

Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and kohlrabi all originated from one wild mustard species. This is an example of

Answer 39

Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage Brussels Sprouts, and Kohlrabi all originated from one wild mustard species. This is an example of artificial selection. Artificial selection occurs when a person selects specific traits that are desirable and goes on to artificially select them. This can often times create a new species such as the examples given above, which are really a derivative of one wild mustard species.

Question 40

The more similar a human’s nucleotide DNA sequence is to another species

Answer 40

The more similar a human’s nucleotide DNA sequence is to another species, the more similar they are to each other. Humans are said to have over 95% of the same DNA sequencing when compared to chimpanzees, and are very similar in structure and in ways appearance. This is often used as evidence for evolution.

Question 41

If wolves were to immigrate into a population of coyotes and begin mating, this bringing in of new alleles is known as

Answer 41

If wolves were to immigrate into a population of coyotes and begin mating, this bringing in of new alleles is known as gene flow. Because the wolves are introducing new alleles to the coyote population, this describes gene flow. When thinking of gene flow, think about genes flowing in or out of a population. In the opposite case of wolves leaving a coyote population, genes are flowing out.

Question 42

If a new species forms without a geographic barrier, which of the following would not be a possibility:
Balanced polymorphism
Sympatric speciation
Allopatric speciation
Polypoidy
Hybridizatoin

Answer 42

If a new species forms without a geographic barrier, Allopatric Speciation would not be a possibility. Allopatric speciation occurs when there is a geographic barrier, but Sympatric Speciation occurs when there is not one present. Hybridization, Balanced Polymorphism, and Polyploidy are all types of Sympatric speciation collectively.

Question 43

Which of the following is not an idea of Lamarck?
Species becoming more complex with each proceeding generation.
Passing on of acquired characteristics to offspring.
Use and disuse.
Natural selection.

Answer 43

Natural selection is not an idea or theory of Lamarck, but rather the principle theory behind Charles Darwin’s view of evolution which is commonly referred to as Darwinism. Most of Lamarck’s major theories were incorrect, such as someone with acquired traits like muscle build will pass these traits on to their offspring.

Question 44

When a female deer selects a male deer who wins a battle against another male deer, this is commonly known as

Answer 44

When a female deer selects a male dear who wins a battle against another male deer, this is commonly known as sexual selection. This type of reproduction is a type of nonrandom mating rather than random mating.

Question 45

Paleontology

Answer 45

Paleontology is the study of fossils, and is often used as evidence for evolution. Evolutionists use the development and changes in fossils as reasons to support evolution.

Question 46

The antlers of elk are an example of

Answer 46

The antlers of elk are an example of sexual selection. This type of sexual selection is referred to specifically as male competitiveness. Male competitiveness favors males with high levels of strength and larger antlers, which leads to elk with larger antlers and strength being more favored in reproduction.

Question 47

Energy in the heterotrophy theory first came primarily from:
the moon 
volcanoes
UV light
earthquake

Answer 47

Energy in the heterotrophy theory first came primarily from UV light—Ultraviolet light. There were said to be other energy producers such as lightning, but the primary source of energy was said to be UV light.

Question 48

In Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium:
there must be genetic drift
mating is nonrandom
there must be no natural selection
mutations must occur
all of above

Answer 48

In Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium there must be no natural selection. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium which is also known as genetic equilibrium occurs when allele frequencies remain constant throughout each generation. In order for this to occur, there cannot be any natural selection, there must be no genetic drift, no mutations, and mating cannot be isolated and must be random.

Question 49

The peppered moth theory is an example of

Answer 49

The peppered moth theory is an example of directional selection. Directional selection occurs simply when one trait is favored extremely over another. This is what was said to happen with the peppered moth theory, because dark moths were said to be favored over lighter moths when soot made the trees darker in color, and easier to spot the lighter colored moths. Darker moths were said to be camouflaged by the tree bark and they were directionally selected.

Question 50

Which of the following is used as direct evidence for the endosymbiotic theory:
The formation of the ozone layer.
The synthesis of complex molecules.
The primordial soup.
The DNA of mitochondria.

Answer 50

The DNA of Mitochondria is used as direct evidence for the endosymbiotic theory. Because mitochondria have their own DNA, and this DNA lacks the common proteins found in other DNA, they are said to be similar in form and function in comparison with the DNA of bacteria.