Biological Evolution Quiz

What is a common misconception about evolution in biology?

• Evolution is the same as growth.

• Individuals evolve during their lifespan.

• Evolution only happens in plants.

• Evolution is a process that takes place overnight.

In biology, what does the term 'fitness' refer to?

• The number of offspring produced.

• The strength of an organism.

• The speed of an organism.

• The size of an organism.

What is the definition of biological evolution?

• The change in an individual's traits over their lifetime.

• The change in a population's inherited traits over generations.

• The development of new species overnight.

• The process of organisms becoming more complex.

Which mechanism of evolution involves genes moving between populations?

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Mutation

• Gene flow

What is an example of genetic drift?

• A lawn mower randomly killing some grasshoppers.

• Grasshoppers migrating to a new area.

• Grasshoppers developing a new color.

• A new predator entering the environment.

What is a molecular homology?

• A similarity in behavior.

• A similarity in physical appearance.

• A similarity in DNA due to shared ancestry.

• A similarity in habitat.

What is a vestigial structure?

• A structure that is identical in all species.

• A structure that has lost all or most of its original function.

• A structure that has a new function.

• A structure that is used for flying.

What can fossils reveal about organisms?

• Their diet and behavior.

• Their genetic makeup.

• How characteristics might have changed over time.

• Their exact lifespan.

What does biogeography study?

• The geographical distribution of organisms.

• The genetic makeup of organisms.

• The diet of organisms.

• The physical appearance of organisms.

Why are marsupials in Australia and South America considered to have shared common ancestry?

• They have the same diet.

• They look similar.

• They were once connected by the supercontinent Pangea.

• They have the same predators.