Exploring Unit 7 Topics 6, 7, and 8

What is the primary purpose of the fossil record in evolutionary biology?

• To identify new species

• To provide a complete history of past life

• To offer visual evidence of evolutionary changes over time

• To disprove evolutionary theories

Which method is used to date fossils?

• Oxygen level assessment

• Ultraviolet light measurement

• Hydrogen isotope analysis

• Carbon-14 decay rate

What does comparative morphology study?

• Climate changes over geological periods

• Genetic variations among modern species

• Structural similarities among living and extinct organisms

• Behavioral patterns in animal species

What are homologous structures?

• Structures in species that share a common ancestor

• Structures in different species with a common function

• Structures that appear during embryonic development

• Random mutations in genetic material

What is an example of a vestigial structure in humans?

• Lungs

• Appendix

• Heart

• Brain

What does convergent evolution explain?

• Similar traits in distantly related species due to similar environmental pressures

• Genetic drift in isolated populations

• Differences in species due to habitat fragmentation

• Similarities in species due to common ancestry

What are analogous structures?

• Structures derived from a common ancestor

• Structures with different origins but similar functions

• Random mutations that cause similar appearances

• Genetic markers that indicate species health

What evidence suggests a common ancestry among all eukaryotes?

• Presence of membrane-bound organelles and linear chromosomes

• Similar metabolic pathways

• Ability to reproduce sexually

• Resistance to antibiotics

What does biogeography study?

• Atmospheric changes in the biosphere

• Soil types across different continents

• The genetic makeup of oceanic species

• The distribution of plants and animals geographically

How can natural selection lead to vestigial structures?

• By eliminating harmful traits

• By increasing genetic diversity

• By enhancing beneficial mutations

• By preserving neutral traits that are neither selected for nor against