Evolution Quiz

A population of bacteria is treated with hand sanitizer. Because of genetic variation in the population, what is a possible outcome?

• The population will grow quickly.

• All of the bacteria are already resistant.

• They will get better at obtaining a food source.

• Some may be resistant and survive.

One of the biggest ways that a species evolves is because some organisms with some traits survive and reproduce better than others. This process is known as

• natural selection.

• convergent evolution.

• coevolution.

• sexual selection.

Genes for traits that help an organism be more successful reproductively can be expected to

• cause it to evolve into a new species.

• become more common in the future.

• cause the extinction of the species.

• eventually be eliminated by natural selection.

An adaptation is

• any trait an organism possesses.

• how an organism evolves during its own lifetime.

• a gene an organism has.

• a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Genetic diversity is ultimately/mainly the result of

• meiosis.

• viruses.

• mutations.

• reproduction.

Which of the following is not an example of evolution?

• Horses becoming taller and faster over millions of years.

• All species of tortoises in the Galapagos islands descending from a common ancestor.

• Human brains becoming larger over time.

• A caterpillar going through a change into a butterfly.

Which of the following does NOT increase genetic variation?

• Mutations

• Gene flow

• Mitosis

• Crossing over

Which of the following is not a principle of natural selection?

• Most species produce more offspring than will actually reproduce.

• Organisms compete for limited resources.

• Evolution will occur as an organism gets older and learns more.

• In every population, adaptations allow some organisms to survive and reproduce better than others.

Individuals that are well adapted to their environment will survive and produce

• fewer mutations

• more offspring

• stronger gene

• better traits

During a period of droughts in the Mojave Desert, seeds that are small and easily eaten become more and more rare, leaving mostly seeds that are large with hard-cased shells behind. The only birds that can eat these particular seeds are those with large beaks. If the drought continues for several more years, what should be expected to happen as a result of natural selection?

• Small birds will gain larger beaks by exercising their mouths more.

• More small-beaked birds will die than larger-beaked birds. The offspring produced in the following generations will have a higher percentage of birds with larger beaks.

• Smaller birds will mutate their beak genes, resulting in the following generations having a higher percentage of birds with larger beaks.

• Small birds will eat more to gain weight in preparation for the drought. As a result, they will grow larger beaks from eating more.