Natural Selection Quiz

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

• The wings of a butterfly and the wings of a bat

• The arms of a human and the arms of a whale

• The fins of a fish and the flippers of a penguin

• The eyes of a cat and the eyes of an octopus

Which of the following best describes natural selection?

• organisms with the best traits survive and reproduce

• The random change in allele frequencies in a population

• The movement of individuals into or out of a population

• The formation of new species from existing species

Which evidence supports the theory of common descent by showing similarities in early development?

• Fossil records

• Embryology

• Biogeography

• Analogous structures

What is the term for the process by which new species arise from existing species?

• Adaptation

• Speciation

• Mutation

• Extinction

Which of the following is an example of an analogous structure?

• The wings of a bat and the wings of a bird

• The legs of a dog and the legs of a cat

• The fins of a shark and the fins of a dolphin

• The tail of a monkey and the tail of a kangaroo

Which concept explains the change in a population over time?

• Catastrophism

• Evolution

• Creationism

• Uniformitarianism

Which of the following is a biochemical evidence for evolution?

• Fossil records

• Genetics/DNA

• Homologous structures

• Vestigial organs

What is the role of mutations in evolution?

• They decrease genetic diversity

• They provide genetic variation for natural selection

• They eliminate harmful traits

• They stabilize existing traits

Which of the following is a vestigial structure in humans?

• The appendix

• The heart

• The lungs

• The brain

What does the fossil record provide evidence for?

• The immediate creation of all species

• The gradual change of species over time

• The constancy of species

• The absence of transitional forms