Evidence for evolution

Scientists have found evidence that about 2.4 million years ago a gene regulating jaw muscles mutated and may have led to the more graceful human jaw we see today. The diagram below shows the skulls of 3 hominid species. Which statement below most closely explains the link between jaw size and hominid evolution?

• The jaws of hominids evolved to be smaller and less protruding over time as did the skull.

• The jaws of hominids evolved to be larger and more protruding over time.

• There appears to be no change in the jaws of hominids over time.

• The jaws of hominids changed over time due to a change in brain size

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Based on the illustration to the right, what do the similarities between human and chimpanzee hands and feet suggest about the different organisms?

• Chimpanzees and humans both have hands and feet adapted for walking upright, showing they have identical DNA.

• Chimpanzees and humans both have similar hands for grasping, proving they make and use complex tools.

• Humans and chimpanzees both developed five digits on their hands and feet, suggesting they have a common ancestor.

• Humans and chimpanzees both have thumbs, proving they eat similar foods like meat, nuts, and vegetation.

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The ability to walk upright on two legs is called:

• bipedalism

• quadropedalism

• bicyclepedalism

• tripedalism

Which of the following correctly summarizes the physical changes that early humans went through over the past million years or so?

• Brain size increased as jaw size decreased
• Brain size decreased as jaw size increased
• Bipedalism increased as use of tools increased
• Bipedalism decreased as the use of tools increased

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Scientists have found evidence that about 2.4 million years ago a gene regulating jaw muscles mutated and may have led to the more graceful human jaw we see today. The diagram below shows the skulls of 3 hominid species.

Which statement below most closely explains the link between jaw size and hominid evolution? 

• The jaws of hominids changed over time due to a change in brain size. 

• There appears to be no change in the jaws of hominids over time.

• The jaws of hominids evolved to be larger and more protruding over time. 

• The jaws of hominids evolved to be smaller and less protruding over time. 

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What advantage did the development of bipedalism most likely confer to early hominids?

• It allowed them to evolve a complex social structure

• It allowed them to move and hold objects at the same time

• It allowed them to evolve an opposable thumb

• It allowed them to see with binocular vision

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What is is the study of how and why plants and animals live where they do?

• Evolution

• Adaptive Radiation

• Biogeography

• Biogeology

Occurs when two populations of organisms form a specialized relationship and thus change in response to each other

• Convergent Evolution

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Coevolution

• Speciation

similar structures (but different functions) that suggest evidence of common ancestry

• Analogous structues

• Homologous structures

• Vestigial structures

• Natural Selection

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When comparing the DNA of two different organisms, the more differences in the DNA base pairs the more-

• Closely related they are.

• Distantly related they are.

• It doesn't prove anything.

• They look alike.

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