wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Quiz - Evolution

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 17mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What did Charles Darwin observe in finch populations of the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America?

a)

different species on different islands

b)

all species on one of the islands

c)

identical species on all the islands

d)

the same species as North America

2.
Mutations are important because they bring about
a)
death of the organism in which they develop
b)
genetic variation needed for a population to evolve
c)
benefits for the individual, not for the population
d)
Hardey-Weinberg equilibrium within a population
3.

What is the term for a feature that allows an organism to better survive in its environment?

a)

variation

b)

adaptation

c)

homologous structure

d)

vestigial structure

4.

What is the process in which humans breed organisms for certain traits, also known as selective breeding?

a)

natural selection

b)

inheritance

c)

artificial selection

d)

descent withOUT modification

5.
Natural selection results in change over time by acting on traits that are
a)

inherited

b)

learned

c)
mutated 
d)
better than the best
6.

Some organisms that share a common ancestor have features that have similar functions, and similar structures.  These are known as

a)
vestigial structures
b)
analogous structures
c)
homologous structures
d)
fossil structures
7.

What mechanism of evolution increases genetic variation when animals move from one location to another

a)

genetic drift

b)

sexual selection

c)

bottleneck effect

d)

gene flow

8.
The gradual change in species over time is...
a)
Evolution
b)
Nucleotide 
c)
Adaptation
d)
Natural Selection
9.

What mechanism of evolution is the study of organisms at the early stages of development and comparing to different species?

a)

DNA studies

b)

embryology 

c)

ancestory

d)

paleontology

10.
The trees these moths used to live on were white, but have been covered in soot from coal factories. Which moth will be more successful in this environment?
a)
Dark moth
b)
Light moth
c)
Both will be equally successful
d)
Neither will be successful
11.

A mechanism of evolution responsible by a random/chance event that changes allele frequency in a population is known as:

a)

Non-random Mating

b)

Natural Selection

c)

Genetic Drift

d)

Overproduction

12.

Evolved from different ancestors, but due to living in similar environments have a similar function, but different structures.

a)

Homologous structures

b)

Analogous structures

c)

Vestigial structures

d)

All of the above

13.
Which best describes mutations?
a)
Always helpful
b)
Always harmful
c)
Can be helpful or harmful
d)
Always neutral
14.

Whales are aquatic mammals that contain a pelvis (hip) bone. Even though it does not aid in its movement, the function must have been used by a common ancestor of the whale. Thus, the pelvis is referred to as a(n)

a)

vestigial structure

b)

analogous structure

c)

homologous structure

15.
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment 
a)
diversity.
b)
evolution
c)
adaptation
d)
 fitness
16.
If species A and B have very similar genes and proteins, what is probably TRUE?
a)
species A and B share a relatively recent common ancestor
b)
species A evolved independently of species B for a long period
c)
species A is younger than species B
d)
species A is older than species B
17.

Which question were the scientists Miller and Urey trying to answer with this experiment?

a)

Where do cells come from?

b)

How did prokaryotes form cell membranes?

c)

How are biomolecules formed?

d)

What gave rise to the Eukaryotic cell?

18.
The electrical sparks mimicked?
a)
The Sun's energy
b)
Lightning
c)
Volcanic eruptions
d)
Cosmic radiation
19.
The idea that Earth's early oceans had organic molecules that became the first life is called the...
a)
Primordial soup hypothesis
b)
Bubble hypothesis
c)
Miller-Urey Experiment
d)
Radioactive dating theory
20.

Which of the following is NOT part of the mechanisms of natural selection?

a)

Organisms produce more offspring than can survive.

b)

Disease and natural disaster will limit population growth.

c)

Species today descended with modifications from ancestral species.

d)

Organisms with advantages will survive and reproduce.