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WorksheetsTheory of Evolution
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Genetic drift can be best defined as
a)
the transfer of alleles from one breeding population to another.
b)
a change in the allele frequency within a population due to differential reproductive success.
c)
a change in the allele frequency within a population due to random chance.
d)
the adaptation of a population due to environmental changes.
2.
Evolution is the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence. Which of the following supports evolution?
a)
fossil records
b)
molecular biology
c)
comparative embryology
d)
all of these
3.
The human appendix is a __________ structure that suggests that humans evolved from plant-eating ancestors.
a)
behavioral
b)
embryonic
c)
essential
d)
vestigial
4.
All species have a certain amount of genetic diversity within their populations. How is genetic diversity important to the concept of natural selection?
a)
Genetic diversity controls the speed at which natural section is able to occur.
b)
Genetic diversity decreases the generation time of species, which contributes to rapid natural selection.
c)
The more genetic diversity a species has, the less likely it is that natural selection will occur.
d)
Without genetic diversity, natural selection cannot occur.
5.
Nearly all mammals have seven cervical (neck) vertebrae. This fact implies that
a)
predators prefer to eat animals with either six or eight cervical vertebrae.
b)
all animals can turn their heads the same amount.
c)
all mammals have to stretch their necks to obtain food.
d)
all mammals descended from a common ancestor
6.
Through his observations made in the Galapagos Islands, __________ formulated a theory of how species change over time, called natural selection.
a)
Pierre Curie
b)
Charles Darwin
c)
Richard Dawkins
d)
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
7.
The first organisms evolved on Earth around 4 billion years ago. The fossil record indicates that the first organisms were which of the following?
a)
prokaryotes
b)
mitochondria
c)
plastids
d)
eukaryotes
8.
Which of the following is best defined as the transfer of genetic information from one population to another?
a)
genetic recombination
b)
natural selection
c)
gene flow
d)
genetic drift
9.
Which of the following is a direct observation that could be used as evidence to support the theory of evolution?
a)
Humans, cats, whales, and bats all have similar forelimb skeletal structures.
b)
Species that have similar DNA sequences are probably closely related in terms of evolution.
c)
Populations that are separated for thousands of years can evolve into diverse species.
d)
Fossils found deeper in the ground are older than fossils found near the surface.
10.
Natural selection operates on populations over many generations. Which of the following allows natural selection to occur?
a)
the old age of the individuals which causes them to die
b)
the unequal ability of individuals to survive and reproduce
c)
the ability for populations to change quickly from one trait to the next
d)
the desire and the advantage of a population to remain constant
11.
Humans and mice have differences in only 18 out of 51 amino acids in their insulin proteins. Mice and guinea pigs also have 18 differences. From this, it can be inferred that
a)
mice are related to humans but not guinea pigs.
b)
mice and guinea pigs are related to each other, but not to humans
c)
humans are as related to mice as mice are to guinea pigs.
d)
humans are related to guinea pigs, but not mice.
12.
The front leg of an iguana and the wing of a bird look different, but both limbs likely evolved from the same limb of a shared ancestor. Structures such as these are said to be __________ .
a)
vestigial
b)
heterogeneous
c)
differentiated
d)
homologous
13.
Speciation occurs during the evolutionary development, or phylogeny, of a species. In which of the following situations can speciation occur?
a)
When two populations merge to become one population.
b)
When two populations are reproductively isolated.
c)
When a population becomes extinct.
d)
When a population becomes interbred.
14.
There is a large amount of biodiversity throughout the world. According to the theory of natural selection, which of the following factors is primarily responsible for biodiversity?
a)
deforestation
b)
selective breeding
c)
invasive species
d)
environmental diversity
15.
Speciation is the process by which new species are formed. Which of the following circumstances is most likely to lead to speciation?
a)
A population becomes separated by environmental factors into two groups that do not reproduce with one another.
b)
A population reproduces beyond the carrying capacity of the ecosystem in which the population lives.
c)
A population is unable to compete with other species and becomes extinct.
d)
A population begins to develop sexual dimorphism between the males and females of the species.
16.
Allele frequency refers to the fraction of individuals with a particular version of a given gene. What effect does a bottleneck have on the allele frequency of a population?
a)
It causes allele frequency to change randomly and greatly increases the genetic diversity of the population.
b)
It greatly reduces the total population, which increases the effects of genetic drift on allele frequency.
c)
It increases the frequency of alleles that improve a species' survival in a particular environment.
d)
It causes the allele frequency to resemble that of a small number of individuals that became separated from the rest of the population.
17.
Comparative biochemistry is the study of similarities and differences in __________ among organisms.
a)
vestigial structures
b)
homologous structures
c)
DNA sequences
d)
development
18.
Which of the following processes is least likely to introduce variations into the genetic make-up of a population?
a)
artificial selection
b)
genetic recombination
c)
mitosis
d)
differential reproduction
19.
A population of deer gets exposed to a pesticide that produces mutations in one of the following types of cells. In which type of cell will a mutation be most likely to alter the make-up of the population?
a)
muscle cell
b)
sperm cell
c)
blood cell
d)
brain cell
20.
The drastic reduction in genetic variation that results when a new, isolated population is established by a very small number of individuals form a larger population is known as
a)
natural selection.
b)
speciation.
c)
the founder effect.
d)
gene flow.
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