Flashcards

Question 1

Why did the mutation of partial bipedalism make CHCLA better able to bring food back from other forests?

Answer 1

Partial bipedalism allowed it to use its arms to carry food instead of walk.

Question 2

What happens to children who are born with mutated DNA?

Answer 2

They develop a random new trait that neither of their parents have.

Question 3

Why did “CHLCA” (Chimpanzee-Human Last Common Ancestor) struggle to bring food back from other forests?

Answer 3

It walked on all fours and therefore couldn’t carry food back

Question 4

One of the rules of natural selection is that the longer a species lives in an environment the __________

Answer 4

One of the rules of natural selection is that the longer a species lives in an environment the …

more fit for its environment it becomes.

Question 5

What did Australopiths most likely use to carve the meat off of the bones of the animals they scavenged?

Answer 5

Tools (such as the stone flake).

Question 6

What is the name for the era of human existence that began when humans began to use stone tools?

Answer 6

The Paleolithic Era / The Old Stone Age.

Question 7

A species of human is known as a ______.

Answer 7

Hominin

Question 8

One of the rules of natural selection is that when a species’ environment changes …

Answer 8

One of the rules of natural selection is that when a species’ environment changes …

it causes that species to evolve OR go extinct

Question 9

What are the six of the key characteristics of a Homo sapiens?

Answer 9

1.) Bipedalism
2.) Our Bodies
3.) Large Brains
4.) Use of Tools
5.) Shelters and Use of Fire
6.) Use of Symbols

Question 10

What is natural selection?

Answer 10

The process through which species tend to develop traits that make them better fit for the environments they live in.

Question 11

True or False - Other than being partially bipedal, all of the earliest hominins had almost all of same characteristics as modern-day chimpanzees.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

What did Australopiths do to get enough food now that they were more bipedal and less capable of getting food in trees?

Answer 12

They scavenged meat off of the bones of animals killed by savanna predators.

Question 13

What makes a species of human a member of the genus Homo?

Answer 13

Totally Bipedal

Large Brain (relative to their body size)

Use of Tools

Our Bodies (or at least most of its characteristics - especially small teeth & short jaw/face)

Question 14

Around 10 MYA, what began to change to forested regions of Central and Eastern Africa?

Answer 14

Some of the forested regions began to be replaced by grasslands and a savanna environment emerged.

Question 15

A random DNA mutation can give a child a helpful trait that makes them better fit for their environment.

What three things makes a species better for fit for their environment?

Answer 15

Better able to find food, avoid predators, and resist disease.

Question 16

What trait did all of the earliest hominins probably have that made them distinct from “CHLCA”?

Answer 16

Partial bipedalism

Question 17

What three activities did the first hominins probably spend 86% of their day doing?

Answer 17

Eating/foraging, resting, and sleeping

Question 18

What five types of people are experts on Homo sapiens?

Answer 18

Historians
Archaeologists
Biologists
Anthropologists
Paleoanthropologists

Question 19

How were Australopiths different from earlier hominins?

Answer 19

They were, on average …

1.) 1 ft. taller
2.) Had bigger brains
3.) More bipedal

Question 20

What are the key features of savanna grasslands?

Answer 20

• Warm temperatures
• Tall coarse grasses (up to 3-6ft. tall)
• Moderate rainfall
• Seasonal droughts
• Open plains with few trees
• Lots of mammals (especially predators)

Question 21

How many other individuals did the earliest hominins live in groups with?

Answer 21

About 50-55 others.

Question 22

Why did the Australopiths evolve to have the new traits they did?

Answer 22

As the savanna increased - being taller, bigger brained, and more bipedal helped our ancestors better hide and avoid predators as they crossed savanna grasslands.

Question 23

Why did “CHLCA” (Chimpanzee-Human Last Common Ancestor) struggle to avoid predators when crossing the grasslands?

Answer 23

1.) Tall grasses made it hard to spot predators
2.) Walking on your knuckles is not efficient/fast for traveling long distances

Question 24

Why did the mutation of partial bipedalism make CHCLA better able to navigate savanna grasslands?

Answer 24

1.) Allowed it to stand up and stop predators over tall grasses.

2.) Allowed it walk on two legs, which helped it travel longer distances quicker

Question 25

Why didn’t the first hominins evolve to be fully bipedal?

Answer 25

The first hominins still lived in a mostly forested environment and much of the available food was located up in trees.

Being bipedal made it harder to easily climb trees and get food.