Mutations are essential to evolution. Every genetic feature in every organism was, initially, the result of a mutation. Which of the following statements about mutations is true? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY.

• Mutations can be harmful to an organism.

• Mutations occur randomly.

• Mutations can cause organisms to evolve.

• Mutations can be beneficial to an organism.

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NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which of the following is required for natural selection?

• All individuals of a population must be identical.

• There must be a small number of individuals in a population.

• There must be variation among the members of a population.

• A population of individuals must be forced out of their natural habitat.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which of these would NOT be used by a biologist to determine the relationship between two organisms?

• bone structure

• fossil age

• DNA

• body size

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

What type of structures are the wings?

• homologous structures

• fossilized structures

• vestigial structures

• analogous structures

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

A paleontologist has discovered a fossil of a jawbone from a prehistoric carnivore. It is similar to the other fossils found in nearby areas but has some unique characteristics and was found in a much deeper rock layer. Which of the following is a reasonable conclusion about the fossilized animal?

• It is younger than the other fossils found in nearby areas.

• It is the same age as the other fossils found in nearby areas.

• It is older than the other fossils found in nearby areas.

• It is a different species than the other fossils found in nearby areas.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The animal was an ancestor of the other fossils.

• The animal was the same species as the other fossils but lived much more recently.

• The animal was a descendent of the other fossils but became extinct due to poor adaptations to the environment.

• The animal was an ancestor of the other fossils.

• The animal was an unrelated carnivore that lived in the area long before the other fossils.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The diagram below shows the embryos and the adult forms of animals from different classification groups. What do the embryos suggest about these three animals?

• The animals are not related.

• The animals share a common ancestor and are therefore related.

• Fish are more closely related to humans than chickens.

• Fish and chickens are closely related, but humans are not related to either fish or chickens.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism by which evolution occurs?

• gene flow

• extinction

• natural selection

• mutation

Which of the following is not considered to be evidence that life arose from a common ancestor?

• a. Embryos of all vertebrates are very similar.

• b. Homologous structures are found in many vertebrates.

• c. Similarities can be found in the amino acid sequences of many organisms.

• d. Some organisms share analogous structures such as the fins of fish and dolphins.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

The theory of ________ is the leading evolutionary theory of the origin of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic organisms. Evolutionists use evidence to support the claim that mitochondria in cells today are the descendants of aerobic prokaryotes that used oxygen to generate energy.

• endosymbiosis

• ingestion

• mutualism

• parasitism

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1