What does it mean when organisms share a common ancestor?

They evolved from one species that lived in the past

The organisms have exactly the same traits

The organisms are very different from one another

Male birds of paradise have extremely long, showy tail feathers. Which of the following statements best describes a selective advantage for having this trait?

The bird attracts more females and therefore mates more frequently.

The bird is easier for predators to spot.

Select all that apply to the image displayed.

An example of analogous structures

What are the most important characteristics of analogous structures?

Structures that perform the same function

Structures that perform different functions

Observe the two fish in the image. The cave fish and minnow are genetically related to each other and are similar in many ways. The cave fish lives very deep in the ocean where there is no light. It has only the remnants of eyes and is blind. Minnows live in shallow waters where the water has light. Their eyesight is important for their survival. Which statement below best describes these two fish?

The DNA of the cave fish has changed over time to differ from the minnow. Since there is no light where the cave fish lives, it was not necessary to have working eyes. Over time, mutations occurred which proved to improve the survival of the cave fish, which is why they are now blind and have only physical remnants of eyes.

The DNA has not mutated over time and despite all of the evidence that suggests these two are genetically similar, one has eyes and the other does not so they must not be related.

Cave fish must have been attacked by predators, which is why they only have the remnants of eyes.

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.

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

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

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 have thumbs, proving they eat similar foods like meat, nuts, and vegetation.

How is the scientific theory of evolution supported by the comparison of the skulls and skeletons of modern humans and extinct hominids?

Similarity in skull shapes, hands, and hips between extinct hominids and humans supports a common ancestry.

By making the hip, spine, and skull comparisons, the age of different hominid specimens can be determined.

Comparison of skull and skeletons provides evidence that humans and different hominid species interacted.

Skull and skeleton comparisons can explain why hominids were inferior and became extinct while humans evolved.

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

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

the tiny leg bones found in snakes that have no legs

a bat’s wing that enables it to fly

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

What is artificial selection?

Humans breed organisms for certain characteristics.

Individuals that are better adapted to their environment.

Inherited traits in a population change over generations.

Charles Darwin noted the differences among finches.

Which of the following best describes the tiny legs whales have?

structures that have lost all or most of their function over time

structures that grow and improve in function as they are used

structures that function at certain times of the year

structures that will become adaptations when the environment changes

What type of evidence was most likely used to reach the conclusion that species with similar DNA are closely related?

evidence from developmental patterns

Which of these answers correctly pairs a scientific discovery with the type of evidence for evolution that it represents

unused hind limbs, structural evidence

DNA comparison, embryological evidence

fossilized bones, genetic evidence

developmental patterns, fossil evidence

Which of these answers best describes the relationship between a human's forearm and a bat's wing?

similar physical structures with different functions

similar physical structures with similar functions

different physical structures with similar functions

different physical structures with different functions

You look at two species and see very similar DNA. What does this likely tell you?

These animals have a common ancestor.

These animals are not likely related.

These animals are likely becoming one species.

The figure shows how natural selection of a single-trait gene affects lizard survival. Which of the following most likely causes the changes in allele distribution?

The allele for light gray coloration disappears from the population. This may be because light gray lizards are more visible to predators and therefore they might be less likely to survive and reproduce.

The allele for black coloration decreases fitness and becomes less common. This may be because black coloration keeps the lizards cool during hot summer temperatures.

Medium gray coloration in lizards appears to be a neutral mutant allele that allows the lizards to hide better from predators. This leads to increases in phenotype and allele frequency of gray coloration.

Because black and medium gray lizards are less visible to predators, these alleles are neutral to natural selection and therefore will not disappear from the population of lizards.

What conclusions can be made based on this table shown?

the red panda and the racoon are the most closely related

the American black bear and the giant panda are most closely related

the giant panda and the red panda are most closely related

the giant panda and the racoon are most closely related

A scientist compares DNA taken from four different living species. Which of the following statements is true?

Species A and Z share a recent common ancestor.

Species X evolved from Species Y.

Species A and Species Y are the same.

Species Y and Species Z can interbreed.

Biology EOC Evolution

Quiz

•

Biology, Science

•

6th - 8th Grade

•

Practice Problem

•

Medium

•

NGSS

HS-LS4-4, HS-LS4-2, HS-LS4-1

+13

Standards-aligned

Tanairis Suarez

Used 7+ times

FREE Resource

130 questions

Show all answers

1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

All dogs have the common ancestor, the wolf. This is an example of -

divergent evolution

convergent evolution

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which of the following is an example of a vestigial structure?

the wings of a red-tailed hawk

the hind limbs of a house cat

the fins of sharks

the wings of an ostrich

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

Some organisms that share a common ancestor have features that have different functions, but similar structures. These are known as

vestigial structures

analogous structures

homologous structures

fossil structures

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

45 sec • 1 pt

Two organisms that are closely related would have

very similar DNA sequences

exactly the same DNA sequences

no proteins in common

completely different DNA sequences

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The hind leg bones in a whale are examples of

homologous structures

analogous structures

fossils

vestigial structures

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

6.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

Remains of ancient organisms are called

Extinctions

Fossils

Mutations

Variations

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

7.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Darwin’s finches is an example of this type of evolution.

Divergent

Coevolution

Convergent

Artificial

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

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Biology EOC Evolution

130 questions

All dogs have the common ancestor, the wolf. This is an example of -

Which of the following is an example of a vestigial structure?

Some organisms that share a common ancestor have features that have different functions, but similar structures. These are known as

Two organisms that are closely related would have

The hind leg bones in a whale are examples of

Remains of ancient organisms are called

Darwin’s finches is an example of this type of evolution.

Wings of a bat and wings of an insect are examples of this...

What does it mean when organisms share a common ancestor?

If an organism has a vestigial structure, that structure likely once had a function in a(n)

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