Evolution Study Guide

Question 1

What types of evidence supports the theory of evolution?

Answer 1

Homologous structures Fossil records Comparative biochemistry Comparative embryology

Question 2

What is behavioral adaptation?

Answer 2

Behaviors that are inherited by individuals. Do not confuse them with normal physiological functions.

Question 3

Which scientist suggested that acquired characteristics can be inherited by offspring?

Answer 3

Jean LaMarck

Question 4

Which method would provide the best preservative technique for fossils?

Answer 4

Freezing in ice

Question 5

What did Thomas Malthus determine to be the primary limiting factor in any population of organisms?

Answer 5

Competition for resources. Food, water, shelter.

Question 6

The bones in a whale flipper and a human hand would be considered homologous or analogous?

Answer 6

Homologous

Question 7

Geographic or reproductive isolation is required for what?

Answer 7

Speciation

Question 8

Which of the ancestral humans has the greatest brain capacity?

Answer 8

Homo sapiens

Question 9

How quickly does a complex adaptation probably evolve?

Answer 9

Probably slowly, over time.

Question 10

The digestion of food is an example of what type of adaptation?

Answer 10

Biochemical or physiological

Question 11

Which similarity would provide better evidence of a common evolutionary ancestor?

Answer 11

Similar sequences of nucleotides in DNA.

Question 12

Most fossils are found in what kind of rock?

Answer 12

Sedimentary

Question 13

An organ that is incomplete or no longer has any apparent uses is called what?

Answer 13

Vestigial

Question 14

What two kinds of molecules would be used to support evolution?

Answer 14

Nucleic acids Proteins

Question 15

_____ occurs when a physical barrier cuts a single breeding population in two.

Answer 15

Geographic isolation

Question 16

Darwin first started to develop the idea of evolution after visiting the _____ Islands.

Answer 16

Galapagos

Question 17

What is punctuated equilibrium?

Answer 17

Quick changes followed by long periods of stability.

Question 18

What is gradual equilibrium?

Answer 18

Slow changes in organisms.

Question 19

What is stabilizing selection?

Answer 19

When two ends of the bell curve come closer together.

Question 20

What is disruptive selection?

Answer 20

When the middle of the bell curve is eliminated.

Question 21

What is directional selection?

Answer 21

When the bell curve moves to one side.

Question 22

Physical separation of a population of organisms followed by selection of different characteristics in each population can result in _____.

Answer 22

Speciation

Question 23

The early developing stage of an animal is called a _____.

Answer 23

Embryo

Question 24

The wings of a butterfly, bird, and flying fish are examples of what?

Answer 24

Analogous structures.

Question 25

The idea that evolution proceeds in rapid steps followed by long periods of stability is called \_\_\_\_\_.

Answer 25

Punctuated equilibrium.

Question 26

How was the atmosphere of the earth changed by autotrophes?

Answer 26

Oxygen was increased.

Question 27

Autotrophs use what energy source to produce food?

Answer 27

Sunlight

Question 28

What bone would be particularly useful to determine whether an animal was bipedal?

Answer 28

Pelvis or hip.

Question 29

What gas is present in today’s atmosphere that was absent in Earth’s original atmosphere?

Answer 29

Oxygen

Question 30

What is cryptic coloration.

Answer 30

Camouflage.

Question 31

What is mimicry?

Answer 31

One organism copies the looks of a dangerous species. Both are adapted.

Question 32

The orange and black stripes of a tiger is an example of what?

Answer 32

Cryptic coloration.

Question 33

T/F - Natural selection determines which genes spread throughout a population.

Answer 33

True

Question 34

T/F - Ultraviolet radiation in the early atmosphere is thought to have been important in causing reactions between simple molecules in the formation of the organic molecules

Answer 34

False

Question 35

T/F - Two species may share a common gene pool.

Answer 35

False

Question 36

T/F - Two similar species of fish living in the same stream are reproductively isolated.

Answer 36

True

Question 37

T/F - Study of similarity in protein structure among organisms is called comparative anatomy.

Answer 37

False

Question 38

T/F - Mimicry, warning coloration, and cryptic coloration are all adaptations which increase the chance of survival and reproduction of organisms that posses there capabilities.

Answer 38

True

Question 39

T/F - A trait is an adaptation only if it improves the chances of reproduction and survival.

Answer 39

True

Question 40

T/F - Homologous structures must have similar function.

Answer 40

False

Question 41

T/F - All variations become adaptations.

Answer 41

False

Question 42

T/F - Reproductive isolation prevents interbreeding between members of the same species.

Answer 42

True

Question 43

T/F - A characteristic that can be used to determine primate ancestral life styles and food preferences is the types of teeth present in upper and lower jaws.

Answer 43

True

Question 44

T/F - A species is a group of organisms, which normally interbreed in nature to produce fertile offspring.

Answer 44

True

Question 45

T/F - The chemical process of aerobic respiration evolved prior to the chemical process of photosynthesis.

Answer 45

False

Question 46

T/F - According to the theory of natural selection, individuals having variations that give them an advantage in obtaining limited resources will likely survive and reproduce.

Answer 46

True

Question 47

T/F - The development of a new species is called species radiation.

Answer 47

False

Question 48

T/F - The coccyx is a vestigial organ.

Answer 48

True