WorksheetsDarwin & Wallace, the making of a theory
Total questions: 29
Worksheet time: 17mins
Darwin noticed that many organisms seemed well suited to
being preserved as fossils.
providing humans with food.
surviving in the environments in which they lived.
swimming from South America to the Galápagos Islands.
The species of finches that Charles Darwin found on different Galápagos Islands varied in certain structural and anatomical adaptations. Darwin noted the
similarities of the birds’ embryos.
birds’ different coloration and shaped of their beaks.
length of the birds’ necks.
number of eggs in each bird’s nest.
Based on the adaptations Charles Darwin observed in finches and tortoises in the Galápagos, he wondered
if species living on different islands had once been members of
the same species.
if finches and tortoises had originated from the same ancestral
species.
if all birds on the different islands were finches.
why all tortoises on the different islands were identical.
Which of the following ideas was NOT part of Darwin’s contribution to science?
descent with modification
inheritance of genetic characteristics
survival of the fittest
natural selection
Charles Darwin’s observation that finches of different species on the Galápagos Islands have many similar physical characteristics supports the hypothesis that these finches
have the ability to interbreed.
acquired traits through use and disuse.
all eat the same type of food.
descended from a common ancestor.
On the Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin observed
completely unrelated species on each of the islands.
species exactly like those found in South America.
species similar to mainland South American species.
species completely unrelated to those found in South America.
Which of the following ideas is supported by Darwin’s observation of local variation among tortoises in the Galápagos Islands?
artificial selection
adaptations
acquired characteristics that match their local environment
tendency towards perfection
Each of the following is a condition necessary for natural selection to occur EXCEPT
more offspring are born than can survive.
there is heritable variation among members of the population.
fitness varies among individuals.
population size is very large.
Charles Darwin called the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment
diversity.
evolution.
adaptation.
fitness.
In humans, the pelvis and femur, or thigh bone, are involved in walking. In whales, the pelvis and femur shown are
examples of fossils.
examples of natural variation.
acquired traits.
vestigial structures.
Both Darwin and Wallace were naturalists.
True
False
Darwin’s ideas about natural selection were inspired by what he observed on the Galápagos Islands, while Wallace’s ideas about natural selection were inspired by what he observed on the Malay Archipelago.
True
False
Darwin and Wallace both gathered a large number of observations and facts on which they based their
theories. Which of the following types of evidence was NOT part of the evidence?
fossil evidence
anatomical evidence
genetic evidence
geographical distribution
Although these limbs all look different, they share some common patterns. These common patterns suggest that
These organisms are members of the same species.
The organisms existed at about the same point in time.
These organisms share a common ancestor.
These organisms have exactly the same genes.
The image below is the famous “I think” sketch that appears in one of Darwin’s notebooks. This sketch represents.
the branches of a tree
all organisms share a common ancestor
organisms don't change and where created in the present form
the Beagle's itinerary
Which observations from the list below support the ideas presented in Darwin’s sketch? (2 answers)
The Galápagos Islands have only a few species of animals living on them.
Tortoises from different islands of the Galápagos have different shells.
Fossils of extinct animals resemble animals living today.
Animals that are extinct were much larger than animals living today.
Which observation led Wallace to conclude that all species are connected in a tree of life?
Around the globe, the more similar two species are, the closer to each other they tend to live.
Different species migrated from Australia to the islands of the Malay Archipelago.
Both the butterflies and the birds he studied had wings.
Darwin had published the same ideas in On the Origin of Species.
Which observations did NOT led Wallace to understand how species change over time?
Over time individuals with those traits will outnumber other individuals.
Individuals with traits that give them a slight advantage over other individuals in a population will survive.
Populations tend to produce more offspring in each generation than will survive.
The characteristics of individuals change when their environment changes.
Identify the observation that supports the following conclusion of the theory of natural selection: "Species change over time"
Monkeys and kangaroos are found on Borneo, while other islands are home to tree kangaroos but no monkeys.
Individuals within a given species vary in small ways.
Animal populations are kept in check because a massive number of young animals die in every generation.
Fossils of extinct animals turn up where similar animals live today.
Identify the observation that supports the following conclusion of the theory of natural selection: "The distribution of species can reflect Earth’s geological history" (2 answers)
Monkeys and orangutans are found on Borneo, while other islands are home to tree kangaroos but no monkeys.
Individuals within a given species vary in small ways.
Animal populations are kept in check because a massive number of young animals die in every generation.
Fossils of extinct animals are similar of animals live today.
Identify the observation that supports the following conclusion of the theory of natural selection: "Small variations within species can confer advantages to certain individuals that allow them to survive & reproduce"
Monkeys and orangutans are found on Borneo, while other islands are home to tree kangaroos but no monkeys.
Individuals within a given species vary in small ways.
Animals have distinct geographic ranges, but more-similar species tend to live closer to each other.
Fossils of extinct animals turn up where similar animals live today.
An inherit characteristic that increases and organism's ability to survive and reproduce is a (n)
vestigial structure
speciation
analogous structure
adaptation
How well and organism survives and reproduces in its environment can be described as its
fitness
common descent
homologies
analogies
What process produce the different types of tortoises' shells?
descent without modification
natural selection
geographical distribution
artificial selection
