Fossils as Evidence of Evolution

Which statement is correct about the evidence in this picture?

• similar bones indicate a similar diet

• similar bones indicate a similar habitat

• similar bones indicate a common ancestor

• similar bones indicate evolution happened quick

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In 1861 paleontologists announced that they had found a fossil with feathers, now known as, Archaeopteryx, which lived approximately 150 million years ago. When comparing Archaeopteryx to other small dinosaurs and modern-day birds, the paleontologists learned that Archaeopteryx had more in common with dinosaurs. The Archaeopteryx were small and had broad wings which likely gave them the ability to fly or glide. How can the Archaeopteryx fossils be used to support the theory of evolution?

• They can demonstrate that animals from long ago are still alive today.

• They show how organisms today share characteristics with fossilized species.

• They give evidence to support the idea that organisms inherit the best traits from their

  parents.

• They indicate that evolution is a theory because scientists do not completely understand

  the fossil record.

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Anthropologists recently discovered skull fragments from a previously unknown primate. The mandible (jaw bone) of the skull is shown below along with mandibles of other known primates. Why would scientists use the fossil records to help them determine the species of the unknown primate?

• To compare the evolution of its relatives.

• To see if the fossil has the same mass as a jaw of other primates.

• To determine if the fossil has the same number of teeth as a modern primate.

• To identify evolutionary relationships between the unknown and known fossils.

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If modern organisms have a lot of homologous structures, what inference might paleontologists make about those organisms?

• They are reptiles

• The organisms have a common ancestor

• One organism evolved from the other.

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How do fossils provide evidence that evolution has happened on Earth?

• Fossils show how the sizes of certain animals has changed drastically over millions of years

• Fossils show how life forms present today are different than those from the past

• Fossils show that some species have gone extinct

• Different sedimentary rock layers provide evidence for how the environment has changed over time

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Which of the following statements should Marley use to support her scientific explanation?

• I have shared my thoughts with other scientists, and they seem to agree with my explanation.

• Based on my knowledge and experience at the Natural History museum and the age of this bone, I would argue that it belonged to a flying dinosaur.

• After reviewing our results, comparing it to the research that has been conducted by other scientists, the evidence supports the possibility that the bone belonged to a flying dinosaur.

• In my observation, I noticed that the bone was hollow. I remember learning in college that birds have hollow bones, and considering the age of the bone I believe that the fossil belong to a flying dinosaur.

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What steps would a scientist mostly likely take following this debate to determine a scientific conclusion?

• Compare the dinosaur fossil to dinosaur bones discovered by other scientists at a museum.

• Share their findings in order to compare them with accepted findings from the scientific community

• Reading a paper published by a professor at a university and base all further decisions on the evidence found in that paper

• Pick an expert on fossils from the scientific community to conduct a study and decide which scientist came up with the best hypothesis about the fossil.

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Which of the following best explains how fossils support the theory of evolution?

• Fossils show that all species have remained unchanged over time.

• Fossils provide evidence of gradual changes in species over millions of years.

• Fossils indicate that species have always existed in their current form.

• Fossils prove that evolution is a myth.

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What can the presence of transitional fossils tell us about evolutionary history?

• Transitional fossils show direct evidence of one species evolving into another.

• Transitional fossils are unrelated to evolutionary history.

• Transitional fossils indicate that species have always been separate.

• Transitional fossils prove that evolution is a linear process.

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How do scientists use the fossil record to understand the process of natural selection?

• By identifying fossils that show no change over time.

• By comparing fossils from different time periods to observe changes in traits.

• By finding fossils that are identical to modern species.

• By ignoring fossils that do not fit the current theory.

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