Exploring Evolution and Fossil Evidence

Which of the following is considered direct evidence for the scientific theory of evolution?

• Fossil evidence

• Weather patterns

• Moon phases

• Plate tectonics

What does the term "natural selection" refer to?

• The process by which humans choose traits in animals

• The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce

• The process of rocks forming layers

• The process of plants making food

Which of the following best describes a fossil?

• A living animal

• The preserved remains or traces of an organism from the past

• A type of plant

• A weather event

What is genetic variation?

• The process of rocks breaking down

• Differences in DNA among individuals within a species

• The movement of continents

• The process of photosynthesis

Which of the following is an example of an environmental factor that can influence evolution?

• Temperature changes

• The color of a rock

• The shape of a cloud

• The size of a mountain

What does the term "extinction" mean?

• The process of a species increasing in number

• The process of a species no longer existing

• The process of a species changing color

• The process of a species moving to a new area

Which of the following best defines "common ancestry"?

• Organisms that live in the same place

• Organisms that share a distant relative in the past

• Organisms that eat the same food

• Organisms that are the same color

Which of the following is NOT a way fossils support the theory of evolution?

• Showing changes in species over time

• Showing the order in which species appeared

• Showing the weather patterns of the past

• Showing extinct species

What is the main cause of extinction for a species that cannot adapt to a changing environment?

• Lack of food

• Inability to survive new conditions

• Too much sunlight

• Overpopulation

Which of the following is a result of natural selection?

• All individuals in a species are identical

• Organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce

• The environment never changes

• Fossils are formed