Unit 6

Question 1

What is the definition of evolution?

Answer 1

The gradual change in organisms over time

Question 2

How fast does evolution occur?

Answer 2

Millions of years

Question 3

What are these changes due to?

Answer 3

They are due to sexual reproduction (variations in genes) and mutations.

Question 4

Inherited adaptations help organisms______ and _______ in their enviroment

Answer 4

Survive, reproduce

Question 5

What is the definition of fossils?

Answer 5

A preserved trace of once-living organisms

Question 6

What are three objects that organisms can be preserved in?

Answer 6

Ice, tar, or amber (resin)

Question 7

Parts of an organism are sometimes replaced by minerals. Give an example of something that this happens to.

Answer 7

Petrified wood - minerals replace the cell wall of decaying wood

Question 8

What type of rock is most commonly found with molds, casts, or imprints trapped of other organisms in them?

Answer 8

Sedimentary Rock

Question 9

What is a fossil record?

Answer 9

When decayed organisms are organized by their estimated age.

Ex) newer, upper layers of rock are more similar to present day organisms

Question 10

True or False- A rock closer to the surface is older than a rock deep into the ground

Answer 10

False

Question 11

What is the method called when you look at the layers of rock to figure out how old something is?

Answer 11

Relative-Dating

Question 12

What is the definition of Absolute-dating?

Answer 12

A method that measures the age of fossils or rocks in years by examining the half-lives of radioactive atoms.

Question 13

In what year did major movements in DNA based science occur?

Answer 13

1958 (ex. Rosiland Franklin and Watson and Crick)

Question 14

Biochemical similarities: Closely related organisms have very many similarities in their _______?

Answer 14

DNA

Question 15

What are vestigial structures?

Answer 15

Remnants of once-useful structures

Question 16

What are some vestigial structure in humans?

Answer 16

The tonsils, appendix, and wisdom teeth.

Question 17

Whales most likely evolved from ____________ NOT _______

Answer 17

Land mammals, fish

Question 18

What are homologous skeletal structures?

Hint: Homologous means similiar

Answer 18

Parts of organisms that have similar structures (internally) but different functions

Question 19

True or False- Analogous parts are similar in external apperance but differ in internal stucture.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

Is this picture an example of homologous or analogous structures?

Answer 20

Homologous

Question 21

What is embryology?

Answer 21

When you compare the similarities in the early stages of development

Question 22

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate answer.

________________ suggests a common ancestor between salamanders, pheasants, and ____________. When these three animals are _____________, they all have gill slits and tail bones. In humans, the gill slits become inner _______________.

Answer 22

Embryology, humans, embryos, ear bones

Question 23

True or False? If false, correct the answer.
Charles Darwin sailed on the HMS Beagle and landed at the Galápagos Islands in 1836.

Answer 23

False. Charles Darwin sailed on the HMS Beagle and landed at the Galápagos Islands in 1835.

Question 24

What were the Galápagos Islands?

Answer 24

At one time, they were underwater volcanoes.

Question 25

On the Galápagos Islands, Darwin noticed a large number of different species of organisms. Give a few examples.

Answer 25

1. Black lizards (marine iguana)
2. Tortoises
3. Finches

Question 26

Speciation is the development of a new species. List the four things that occured with Darwin’s finches.

Answer 26

1. Some finches left the mainland and reached one of the islands, as a result of this, they resembled the finches found on the mainland (England)
2. The different finches had differently shaped beaks
3. These variations allowed some finches to feed more effectively when they reached the islands (from flying over from the mainland)
4. Certain finches were more likely to survive, reproduced, and slowly established themselves on certain islands (due to different foods)

Question 27

After all of Darwin’s research, he concluded that organisms _____________ for food to sruvive. Only organisms that are better able to _________ will survive. Those that are not will _____________.

Answer 27

compete, adapt, die off

Question 28

What was the name of Charles Darwin’s book? When did he create it?

Answer 28

It was titled: On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection, and it was created in 1859

Question 29

When Darwin was writing his book, there were two significant men who inspired him. Who were they, and what did they teach Darwin?

Answer 29

• Thomas Malthus - Humans will reproduce faster than food supply can handle
• Charles Lyell - Earth is way older than we think and it has changed over time, and it will continue to change, so humans must adapt

Question 30

Explain what was wrong with Jean Baptiste Lamarck’s reasoning.

Answer 30

He believed that a change in structure followed a change in function. For example, the giraffe eats leaves from top branches. So the exercise of stretching up to reach high leaves altered their neck and legs.

Question 31

List the four steps of natural selection.

Answer 31

1. Each species produces many more offspring that can survive and reproduce which leads to a struggle for survival (overproduction)
2. There are differences among organisms of the same species (inherited variation)
3. Individual organisms with certain traits have a better chance of surviving (survival of the fittest)
4. These organisms reproduce, passing on the favorable traits (successful reproduction)