Evidence for Evolution

Which of these answers best describes a fossil?

• thick layers of rock

• organism from which other organisms are descended

• body of an organism that died recently but has not decomposed

• remains of a once-living organism found in layers of rock, ice, or amber

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Jonah’s science class is examining different rocks. Jonah finds the rock shown. What can Jonah see on this rock?

• DNA

• fossil

• organism that died recently

• genetic evidence for evolution

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The fossil record contains fossils from many geologic ages. Fossils enable scientists to piece together what ancient organisms looked like. Which of these answers best describes how fossils in the fossil record are classified?

• by ages and physical similarities

• by whether the fossil contains hard or soft tissues

• by size and the type of rock in which they are found

• by similarities in their DNA and in the minerals they contain

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The diagram shows a portion of the fossil record in sedimentary rock. Different rock layers and fossils are clearly visible. Which of these statements is true of the fossils and rock layers shown in the diagram?

• Layer B contains the second-oldest fossils.

• Layer A contains the most recently formed fossils

• The fossils in layer B are older than those in layer D.

• The fossils in layer D are the most recently formed

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What do fossils provide evidence for?

• the history of life in the geologic past

• why species became extinct in the past

• developmental patterns of living organisms

• the genetic similarities between living and extinct organisms

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Mr. Van listed the following four topics on the board:

1. relationships between extinct and living organisms

2. ancestors of living organisms

3. ways that groups of species are related

4. genetic similarities and differences between extinct and modern-day species

For which of these topics does the fossil record provide evidence?

• 1 only

• 1 and 2

• 1, 2, and 3

• 1, 2, 3, and 4

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Alex is studying leg bone fossils of an extinct species to see if the extinct organism could be an ancestor of a certain living species. Which of the following types of evidence could he obtain from studying fossils?

• genetic evidence

• embryological evidence

• structural evidence

• developmental evidence

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Cladograms are diagrams that can be used to show evolutionary relationships between different species. The diagram below is a cladogram of four plant groups.

According to the diagram, which pair of groups diverged most recently?

• conifers and ferns

• conifers and mosses

• flowering plants and ferns

• flowering plants and conifers

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Which of these descriptions is an example of an unused body structure?

• a bat’s wing that enables it to fly

• the tiny leg bones found in snakes that have no legs

• the front legs of a dog that supports its weight as it walks and runs

• the tentacles of an octopus that aid it in movement and catching prey

Which of these statements best explains how structures that are reduced in size and function provide evidence for evolution?

• They provide evidence that organisms can improve the functions of their organs over time.

• They are found only in extinct organisms, thus providing evidence that an organism must evolve to survive.

• They are similar to organs in other species but serve different functions, thus providing evidence that species are closely related.

• They are reduced in size and function in living organisms compared to the organisms’ ancestors, thus providing evidence that organisms change over time.

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