Change Over Time Quiz

Charles Darwin made famous observations of finches on islands in the Pacific Ocean. The birds were believed to have come all from one population, but when separated on the islands with differing habitats, the birds changed. The beaks of the birds on islands with lots of seeds were different from the beaks of the birds on islands with lots of insects. How did their beaks come to match the food in their environments so well?

• the birds migrated to the island with the right food supply for their beaks.

• the food supply on the island changed to match the s beak

• the predators on the islands eliminated the birds with the wrong beak

• the birds with the right beaks for the food supply had more young.

Scientists are able to conclude that a forested ecosystem existed in Antarctica millions of years ago by studying

• the current climate.

• the fossil record.

• glacial movement.

• seafloor spreading.

A main advantage to organisms that reproduce sexually is

• being able to conserve energy.

• having large numbers of offspring.

Four animals that lived at different times. Fossil evidence indicates that each animal was an ancestor of the next one on the time line. Which statement is the best conclusion that can be made about these animals over time?

• Changes to each animal were harmful and caused their extinction.

• Traits each animal acquired during its lifetime were passed on to the next generation.

• Cold temperatures during the Ice Age caused the animals to grow larger with each generation.

• Genes for beneficial traits were passed on, resulting in animals more fit for their environment.

In 1971, the bones of an extinct flying dinosaur were discovered. This kind of discovery helps everyone learn more about

• impact of humans on Earth.

• effect of gravity on animals.

• history of animal species on Earth.

• likelihood that dinosaurs will reappear.

Most South American monkeys have color vision. But the members of one genus, Aotus, also known as 'owl monkeys,' do not have color vision. Scientists think that the genus evolved from monkeys that did have color vision. The ability to see color was lost when it was no longer helpful. Which other trait of the genus would contribute most to making color vision unimportant?

• The monkeys live in the trees of dense forests.

• The monkeys make eight different sounds.

• The monkeys are active only at night.

• The monkeys choose mates for life.

Which of these would help determine the changes in a plant species over geologic time?

• examining the number of plants in a given area

• examining the type of animals that eat the plant

• examining the type of seeds the plant produces

• examining the fossil record of the plant

In a population of brown snakes, a snake is born with a white-spotted pattern. Which factor will have the most influence on whether this trait will become common in the brown snake population?

• greater genetic diversity.

• longer life spans.

• the ability of the snake to survive to reproduce

• the appearance of other new traits in the baby snake

Students were investigating the effect of antibiotics on bacteria. The students exposed a colony of bacteria to an antibiotic and 10% of the bacteria survived. Over time, the surviving bacteria multiplied. When the second generation of bacteria was exposed to the same antibiotic, 85% survived. Which statement best explains the results of this investigation?

• The original surviving bacteria passed a resistance to the antibiotic on to the next generation.

• The original surviving bacteria multiplied faster when exposed to the antibiotic.

• The second generation of bacteria changed their genes to be resistant to the antibiotic.

• The second generation of bacteria inherited a weakness caused by the antibiotic.

A population of long-necked giraffes shares a habitat with a second population of organisms that eat the leaves of low-growing vegetation. A scientist speculates that if the second population leaves the area, the giraffe population could exhibit shorter necks over time. Which mechanism could result in the giraffe population exhibiting shorter necks?

• The long-necked giraffes would breed with a short-necked species.

• Giraffes with a genetic mutation for short necks would survive and reproduce.

• The presence of food on shorter plants would lead to a relaxation of giraffe necks.

• Giraffes would learn to bend their necks while feeding, causing a shortening of neck muscles.