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WorksheetsYr12 Bio - Human Evolution
Total questions: 42
Worksheet time: 21mins
Hominids do not all have (an opposable thumb / flat toe and fingernails / a tail / premolars and molars with rounded cusps).
opposable thumb
fingernails
A tail
flat toe
(Stereoscopic vision / bipedalism / two five-fingered hands) is a characteristic which distinguishes humans from the African apes.
two five-fingered hands
stereoscopic vision
Bipedalism
(Homo habilis / Homo sapiens / Gorilla gorilla / Australopithecus africanus) is not a hominin.
homo sapiens
gorilla gorilla
homo habilis
Australopithecus africanus
Study the skulls below and answer the questions that follow. Which one of these skulls does not belong to a hominin?
A
D
B
C
Place these four skulls in the correct order, dating from the most primitive to the most advanced.
D, A, B, C (correct order) OR Gorilla gorilla; Australopithecus africanus
D B A C (correct order) OR Gorilla gorilla; Australopithecus africanus
A, C, B,D (correct order) OR Gorilla gorilla; Australopithecus africanus
Name THREE characteristics visible above, that we share with other hominids.
- opposable thumbs - steroscopic vision - no tail
- opposable thumbs - stetreoscopic vision - no tail
- opposable thumbs - stereoscopic vision - no tail
Describe TWO lines of evidence which support the idea that the human population had its
origins on the African continent.
The oldest fossils of australopithecines/hominins/
bipedals have only been found in America.
The oldest fossils of hominins have been found in America.
Analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows that the oldest
female ancestors of humans are from America.
Analysis of Y chromosome shows that the oldest male
ancestors of humans are from America.
The oldest fossils of australopithecines/hominins/
bipedals have only been found in Africa.
The oldest fossils of hominins have been found in Africa.
Analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows that the oldest
female ancestors of humans are from Africa.
Analysis of Y chromosome shows that the oldest male
ancestors of humans are from Africa.
The oldest fossils of australopithecines/hominins/
bipedals have only been found in America.
The oldest fossils of hominins have been found in Africa.
Analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows that the oldest
female ancestors of humans are from America.
Analysis of Y chromosome shows that the oldest male
ancestors of humans are from America.
The ability to walk upright on two legs is called:
bipedalism
quadropedalism
bicyclepedalism
tripedalism
Click all the correct answers!
Bipedalism probably evolved because...
The climate in Africa changed 10 million years ago.
Rain forest changed into woodland and savanna.
Our ancestors depended on trees less and less.
Our ancestors needed to communicate using language.
All of these help us to be bipedal EXCEPT:
S-shaped spine
short, wide pelvis
arched feet
opposable thumbs
Modern humans and their closest relatives belong to the same family. Members of this family are called:
hominids
primates
homo sapiens
Lucy
All of these are advantages of bipedalism EXCEPT:
Hands are free to carry food.
Save energy when walking long distances.
Hands are free to use tools.
Easier to balance on two legs.
Which hominid species is most closely related to Homo sapiens?
Homo habilis
Australopithecus afarensis
Homo neanderthalensis
Homo heidelbergensis
What continent did humans evolve from?
the Americas
Asia
Africa
many places all at once
Who are the closest living relatives to humans?
chimpanzees
gorillas
lemurs
kangaroos
What is the scientific name for modern day humans?
Homo Habilis
Homo Sapiens
Homo Erectus
Neanderthal
Which of the following is the correct order of human evolution?
walking upright, using tools, controlling fire, larger brains, language
language, larger brains, controlling fire, using tools, walking upright
larger brains, language, using tools, controlling fire, walking upright
larger brains, walking upright, using tools, controlling fire, language
Which of the following environmental factors is the reason that bipedalism evolved in early hominins?
Bipedalism evolved when the environment changed from grassland to rainforest.
Bipedalism evolved when the environment changed from rainforest to grassland.
Bipedalism evolved when the environment was constantly cycling between different climates in a short period of time.
Bipedalism evolved because early homins moved out of Africa into a new region.
Why do humans have longer childhoods than apes?
Apes have bodies that grow at a faster rate than humans and so they need less time to become an adult.
Humans are less mature than apes so their brains take longer to develop.
Human bodies are smaller than apes which means they need more time to develop.
Human brains are more complex and take longer to develop than ape brains.
To which genus does this organism belong?
Gorillini
Panini (Chimpanzee)
Australopithecus
Homo
The theory that humans evolved from H erectus on more than one location/time is known as ....
Polygenic theory
Out of Africa hypothesis
Multiregional theory
Homology
Which one of the following species is never thought to have ventured out of Africa.
Homo neanderthalensis
Homo habilis
Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
Which of the following arranges the fossils in the correct order, from oldest to youngest?
Lucy, Ardepithecus, handy man, neanderthal man.
Ardepithecus, Lucy, Handy man, Neanderthal man
Handy man, Lucy, Ardepithecus, Neanderthal man
Ardepithecus, Neanderthal man, Lucy, Handy man.
Human brain size is approximately....
800 cubic cm
1000 cubic cm
1200 cubic cm
1400 cubic cm
A key feature shared by all primates is...
opposable thumb
bipedalism
high intelligence
s- shaped spine.
What do we know about modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) based on fossil and DNA evidence?
Many Homo sapiens living today share genes with Homo neanderthalensis.
The two species evolved from a common ancestor.
Homo neanderthalensis lived all across Europe and parts of Asia, but only Homo sapiens spread into North and South America.
Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis lived on Earth at the same time.
Which of the following environmental factors is the reason that large brains evolved in early hominins?
Large brains evolved when the environment changed from grassland to rainforest.
Large brains evolved when the environment changed from rainforest to grassland.
Large brains evolved when the environment was constantly cycling between different climates in a short period of time.
Large brains evolved because early homins moved out of Africa into a new region.
Why was bipedalism helpful to hominins that lived in grasslands?
Bipedalism helped hominins travel long distances because they used less energy than apes to walk.
Bipedalism made hominins better able to climb trees.
Bipedalism allowed hominins to use all four limbs to get around.
Bipedalism helped hominins to swim in large lakes that started to appear in Africa.
Which species of hominid lived the longest and was the first to travel the farthest out of Africa
Australopithecus afarensis
Homo habalis
Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
