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WorksheetsChapter 8.16-The Environment & Changes Over Time
Total questions: 81
Worksheet time: 41mins
What is the name for the time scale used to measure Earth’s history?
the universal time scale
the fossil History scale
the evolutionary time scale
the geologic time scale
Which is true of the fossil record?
it is large but incomplete
it is small and incomplete
it is large and complete
it is small but complete
An insect encased in amber is what kind of fossil?
a mold and cast
a mineralized fossil
original material
a trace fossil
What is the basic concept behind relative-age dating of fossils?
upper rock layers were deposited earlier than lower rock layers
lower rock layers were deposited earlier than upper rock layers
older fossils contain relatively higher levels of radioactive isotopes than younger fossils
younger fossils contain relatively higher levels of radioactive isotopes than older fossils
Which is a major underlying cause of mass extinctions?
environmental change
genetic change
sedimentation
evolution
What kind of adaptation is a long neck on a tortoise?
structural
behavioral
functional
physiological
Which of these must be false, in order for evolution by natural selection to occur?
Variation between individuals exists in a population.
Particular variations of traits are passed on from one generation to the next.
Resources are limited, leading to competition within the population.
The particular traits present in one generation have no effect on traits in the next generation.
Which explains why a caterpillar might look like a dangerous snake?
The caterpillar and the snake have the same DNA.
The caterpillar and the snake have the same predators.
An anti-predator adaptation has evolved in the caterpillar.
A behavioral adaptation has evolved in the caterpillar.
Darwin noticed that animals on the different islands of the Galapagos appeared to be adapted to what?
differences in their food
differences in their predators
differences in altitude
differences in temperature
An adaptation is best described as occurring over which time scale?
over many eras
over many generations
over one generation
over the lifetime of one individual
Which field of study examines homologous structures?
embryology
genetics
physiology
comparative anatomy
Which of the following are analogous features?
dolphin flippers and squirrel arms
elephant trunks and pig snouts
rabbit fur and chicken feathers
dog tails and monkey tails
Similarities in the structures of embryos of different species suggest what?
that adults of those species look similar to each other
that those species have the exact same genetic makeup
that those species are distantly related
that those species share a common ancestor
Over what time scale do vestigial structures lose their function?
over many eras
over many generations
over one generation
over the lifetime of an individual
Which type of DNA is useful as a “molecular clock?”
DNA that mutates more and more quickly across time
DNA that mutates more and more slowly across time
DNA that mutates at a steady, predictable rate
DNA that never mutates
Order the divisions of geologic time from the longest to the shortest.
eras, eons, periods
periods, eras, eons
periods, eons, eras
eons, eras, periods
The relative age of something is __________.
its age in relation to Earth
its age in comparison to other things
its age since it was discovered
its age since it died
What mathematical principle does radiometric dating use to help determine the absolute ages of rocks?
addition
subtraction
geometry
ratios
When the last individual of a species dies, __________ occurs.
extinction
natural selection
mutation
selective breeding
Why do trace fossils provide so much information about how an organism lived?
because the fossils leave evidence of what the organism ate
because the tracks can give scientists hints to an organism's lifestyle
because the fossils leave evidence about the shape of the organism's entire body
because the tracks can give scientists hints about the size of the organism's foot
How can plate tectonics contribute to evolution?
Separating plates can divide groups of a population.
Radiation from plate tectonics can cause genetic change.
Volcanic eruptions can cause species to become extinct.
The movement of plates forces some animals underground.
What may a series of helpful variations in a species result in?
competition
fossils
adaptation
climatic change
According to the theory of natural selection, organisms that are better adapted to an environment __________ than organisms that are not.
grow larger
run faster
survive and reproduce at a greater rate
are stronger
Which is a change to DNA that forms new alleles?
selective breeding
evolution
natural selection
a mutation
A coloring or marking that helps an animal hide from its predators is called __________.
digestion
camouflage
reproduction
adolescence
When a bat's wing and a bird's wing are compared, similar bone structures are discovered. They are __________.
homologous structures
cast fossils
naturally selected
Homo sapiens
Scientists compare DNA from living organisms to identify __________.
natural selection
a fossil's location
geographic isolation
relatedness between species
What can a “molecular clock” provide an estimate of?
the time since divergence of species with a common ancestor, based on genetic differences
the time since divergence of species with a common ancestor, based on radioactive isotopes
the amount of genetic difference between a species and an ancestor
the amount of genetic differences between two species with a common ancestor
Studying embryology helps scientists understand __________.
how a species reproduces sexually
how a species makes food through photosynthesis
the early stages of an organism's growth
where organisms migrate during their lives
What does a naturalist study?
human nature
the nature of the universe
plants and animals
genes
Approximately how old are the fossils in the uppermost layer in this image?
less than 40 million years old
between 65 million and 80 million years old
between 40 million and 105 million years old
between 440 million and 480 million years old
What factor is used to decide the beginning and end of each stage of the Geologic Time Scale?
Each stage is set to be an equal number of years.
Stages are based on differences observed in the layers of rocks and fossils.
Stages are based on how many periods are within an era.
Stages are based on the temperature of each layer of rock sediment.
Environmental changes that cause extinction occur on what time scale?
They are instantaneous.
They are usually on the scale of a few years.
They are always on the scale of hundreds to thousands of years.
They can occur over shorter or longer time scales.
How do two species that evolved from a common ancestor compare?
They share all of their features.
They do not share any of their features.
They share some features and not others.
They are exactly alike.
What makes the islands of the Galapagos a particularly good place to observe evidence of evolution?
The islands all have the same environment.
Slightly different environments exist on each island.
The species on each island are very different from each other.
The islands are separated from each other by hundreds of miles.
How does artificial selection differ from natural selection?
Variation between individuals is not required in artificial selection.
Human choice is the selective factor in artificial selection.
Genetic inheritance does not play a role in artificial selection.
There is no limiting factor affecting the population in artificial selection.
Based on this figure showing common ancestry of four species, which two species would you expect to look the most similar?
Species A and Species B
Species B and Species C
Species C and Species D
Species A and Species D
Which best describes the function of a vestigial structure?
It has the same function it had in the ancestral species.
It has a new function relative to its function in the ancestral species.
It is a new structure that did not exist in the ancestral species.
It no longer has any function.
Which features do homologous structures share?
structure and function
position and function
structure and position
structure, function and position
How does modern knowledge about genes affect Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection?
It provides strong support for Darwin's theory.
It provides strong evidence against Darwin's theory.
It has no effect because Darwin included knowledge about genes in his theory.
It is unrelated to Darwin's theory.
the change over time in populations of related organisms
trace fossil
extinction
biological evolution
geologic time scale
when the last individual organism of a species dies
trace fossil
extinction
biological evolution
geologic time scale
the preserved evidence of the activity of an organism
trace fossil
extinction
biological evolution
geologic time scale
a chart that divides Earth’s history into different time units
trace fossil
extinction
biological evolution
geologic time scale
a fossil copy of an organism in a rock
fossil record
mold
cast
geologic time scale
all the fossils ever discovered on Earth
fossil record
mold
cast
geologic time scale
the impression of an organism in a rock
fossil record
mold
cast
geologic time scale
a characteristic of a species that enables the species to survive in its environment
adaptation
camouflage
mimicry
natural selection
the process by which populations of organisms with variations that help them survive in their environments live longer, compete better, and reproduce more than those that do not have the variations
adaptation
camouflage
mimicry
natural selection
an adaptation that enables species to blend in with their environments
adaptation
camouflage
mimicry
natural selection
the resemblance of one species to another species
adaptation
camouflage
mimicry
natural selection
a person who studies plants and animals by observing them
naturalist
biologist
chemist
environmentalist
a slight difference in the appearance of individual members of a species
adaptation
variation
mimicry
natural selection
the breeding of organisms for desired characteristics
adaptation
variation
selective breeding
natural selection
a body part that has lost its original function through evolution
analogous
comparative anatomy
homologous
embryology
vestigial
a body part that performs a similar function to the body part of another organism, though it differs in structure
analogous
comparative anatomy
homologous
embryology
vestigial
a body part that is similar in structure and position to the body part of another organism, though it has a different function
analogous
comparative anatomy
homologous
embryology
vestigial
the study of similarities and differences among structures of living species
analogous
comparative anatomy
homologous
embryology
vestigial
the science of the development of embryos from fertilization to birth
analogous
comparative anatomy
homologous
embryology
vestigial
The organism shown on the right belongs to what kingdom?
Eubacteria
Protista
Plantae
Animalia
Using the classification key above, identify the class of the organism.
Class Aves
Class Reptilia
Class Chondrichthyes
Class Mammalia
The most available food source for birds on an island is hard-shelled nuts. Which birds have beaks designed to best survive on a diet of hard-shelled nuts?
A
B
C
D
Which population of bacteria would have the greatest number of survivors if treated with Antibiotic S?
1
2
3
4
The scientists claim that modern horses are better adapted for survival in the present-day environment than the common ancestor would have been. Which two statements best support this claim?
Organisms that have hooves are more likely to reproduce.
Organisms with multiple toes are easily seen by predators, so parents choose not to pass the trait on to their offspring.
Organisms with four legs will develop a hoof because of the need to balance on four legs.
Organisms will acquire helpful traits from their surroundings to survive.
Organisms that have hooves are able to live in a variety of habitats.
The diagram represents a section of Earth that a paleontologist, a scientist who studies fossils, has been working with for years. Which statement correctly describes this diagram?
Layer W contains fossils of organisms that existed on Earth after the organisms found in layers U and R.
Layer U contains fossils of organisms that are older than the organisms found in layer R.
Layers W and U contain fossils that are animal species.
Layers R and W contain fossils that are both types of plant species.
Which statement is correct about the development of these vegetables through artificial selection?
They resulted from a characteristic of the mustard plant that was changed or enhanced by the selective cultivation.
They resulted from the exposure to extreme temperatures and ultraviolet sun rays.
They were created over one generation when crossbreeding took place between two different varieties of vegetables.
They stopped forming additional varieties at the end of a growth cycle.
Which three statements describe the common characteristics of all of the examples of artificial selection?
Artificial selection always requires a detailed knowledge of the genetic makeup of a species and a familiarity with the mathematics of inherited traits.
Artificial selection infers that a species experiences natural genetic mutation rather than reproduction planned by humans.
Artificial selection involves enhancing the natural characteristics of a species through planning and coordination of its breeding.
Artificial selection has been practiced in many forms for centuries to improve crops and livestock.
. Artificial selection may have unintended consequences that can reduce the benefits of a species to humans or limit its function.
Antibiotic resistance can appear in a bacteria population when the bacteria are overexposed to antibiotics. When an infection occurs and antibiotics are needed, some bacteria will die while the antibiotic-resistant bacteria will survive and reproduce. The diagram shows a genetically diverse population of gut bacteria living in an animal that receives antibiotics.
Which option best shows the bacteria population after the application of the antibiotic?
Which implication might be drawn from the fact that all prehistoric and modern flying vertebrates developed similar structures to support their successful flight capabilities?
Pterosaurs, birds, and bats evolved directly from a single species of reptile. Their identical flight structures developed sequentially from the pterosaur to the bat.
Pterosaurs, birds, and bats may have developed similar structures independently of each other. All of the forces are consistent in the development of flight.
Pterosaurs, birds, and bats developed over time in identical ecosystems and environments. These environments influence the forces of flight for these animals.
Pterosaurs, birds, and bats developed flight at the same time. This was their single effective adaptation for locating and trapping prey
If the bodies of present-day bats became fossilized over time, which observation would future scientists likely make about the wings of fossilized bats and pterosaurs?
. Both sets of fossils would show similar structures and bone material that were suited for flight.
The bat wing bones would show a completely different structure than the pterosaur bones.
A comparison of the bones of both organisms would show that the pterosaurs were better suited for flight than bats were.
Both sets of fossils would show that the animals were not designed for lengthy, sustained flight.
Which statement is true about the forces involved in an ornithopter and a pterosaur taking off?
Gravity acts on both the ornithopter and the pterosaur
Drag acts only on the ornithopter and not on the pterosaur
Thrust resists the motion of the pterosaur and the ornithopter.
Lift is the single major factor in the forward movement of the ornithopter
Which factor might limit the knowledge of scientists about the role of pterosaur muscles in flight?
The number of examples of fossilized bones is greater than the number of fossilized muscle tissue samples.
. The muscle tissues of prehistoric animals were very different from those of modern animals.
The evidence suggests that pterosaurs relied much less on muscle strength and more on bone structure
The evidence is inconclusive even though many examples of fossil muscles have been found by scientists.
Which materials would most likely be used by designers of ornithopters to mimic the bone structures of pterosaur wings?
heavy metals to prevent bends and tears in the wings
wooden replicas of bones to create identical structures for the devices
lightweight metals and open-space structures for the wings
plastic replicas of bones that have a completely filled-in structure
Which of these statements can be inferred from the data provided by Figure 4?
The forces of drag and weight probably have no influence on the wing loading of a bird or an object.
Wing loading has no influence on the ability of a bird or an object to maintain flight.
The forces of weight and cruising speed have a major influence on the wing loading of a bird or an object.
Wing loading is influenced only by the weight of the flying object.
Which statement would best describe the successful takeoff of an ornithopter that was designed using the model of the pterosaur?
. The object would take off with a minimal amount of thrust and the slow, steady motion of small wings
. The object would take off with a minimal amount of thrust and the slow, steady motion of large wings.
The object would take off with a powerful amount of thrust and the rapid flapping of small wings
The object would take off with a powerful amount of thrust and the rapid flapping of large wings.
Which statement is the best explanation for the presence of these marine fossils in an inland area of the United States?
The brachiopods could live in water and on land.
The crinoids and corals grew on terrestrial surfaces.
The fossils were carried to the area by floodwaters.
. The area used to be covered by an ocean.
Which two inferences about the chipmunk
The amount of food in the area decreased, causing more chipmunks to survive to reproductive age.
Chipmunks in later generations showed greater genetic diversity than previous generations, allowing for a greater survival rate in later generations
Chipmunks migrated from one country to another country to increase the number of chipmunks in the studied area.
Individual chipmunks changed their genetic makeup and became more successful in the environment.
The number of predators in the area decreased, so more chipmunks were able to survive.
Which statement best describes the continued existence of the giraffe and the okapi?
The two species will likely interbreed with each other, resulting in young with characteristics of both species.
The two species will likely interbreed and develop a new species with characteristics of their common ancestor
The two species are no longer able to interbreed and both will continue to exist and reproduce in their separate environments.
The two species will be in competition for resources with each other in a single environment, leading to the extinction of one of the species.
Based on the partial gene segments, which pair of animals will produce the most similar proteins?
Rat and Chimpanzee
Gorilla and Chimpanzee
Gorilla and Chimpanzee
Rat and Mouse
Which adaptations belong with labels U and Y on the cladogram?
U: six legs
Y: segmented wings
U: antennae
Y: two wings
U: eight legs
Y: two wings
U: two wings
Y: legs
Which statement is correct about the changes in faunas during one of these five major events?
The event at the end of the Devonian (Dev.) resulted in an increase in the number of Cambrian faunas.
The event at the end of the Cretaceous resulted in an increase in the number of Paleozoic faunas.
The event at the end of the Triassic (Tri.) resulted in the extinction of fewer faunas than in any other period.
. The event at the end of the Cretaceous resulted in the extinction of more faunas than in any other period.
