Year 10 Evolution Quiz

Who is known as the father of the theory of evolution by natural selection?

• Gregor Mendel

• Charles Darwin

• Alfred Russel Wallace

• Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

What is the main mechanism by which evolution occurs according to Darwin's theory?

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Mutation

• Gene flow

Which of the following best describes an adaptation?

• A sudden change in an organism's DNA

• A trait that increases an organism's chance of survival and reproduction

• A random change in the population's gene pool

• A decrease in genetic variation

What is genetic variation?

• The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring

• Differences in DNA sequences among individuals within a population

• The movement of genes from one population to another

• The formation of new species

Which of the following is an example of a fossil that provides evidence for evolution?

• A living bird

• A preserved footprint in rock

• A modern human skeleton

• A recently fallen leaf

How does natural selection lead to evolution?

• By increasing the mutation rate in a population

• By favouring individuals with advantageous traits, leading to changes in the population over time

• By causing random changes in the DNA of organisms

• By decreasing the population size

Which of the following statements is true about adaptation?

• Adaptations are always beneficial to the organism

• Adaptations can be structural, behavioural, or physiological

• Adaptations occur in response to an organism's needs

• Adaptations are the same for all members of a species

What role do mutations play in evolution?

• They always result in harmful traits

• They provide the genetic variation on which natural selection acts

• They eliminate genetic diversity in a population

• They are the only source of new genes in a population