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Mutations: The Potential Power of a Small Change

Total questions: 21

Worksheet time: 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In the movie, Tim says that genetic mutations are permanent changes to DNA or RNA. What does this mean?

a)

the changes are minor (small)

b)

the changes will always be there

c)

the changes are major (big)

d)

the changes will NOT always be there

2.

Which of the following traits is encoded in your DNA?

a)

your personality

b)

what you like and do not like

c)

your intelligence

d)

your eye color

3.

What types of living organisms have no genetic material at all?

a)

insects

b)

bacteria

c)

plants

d)

all living organisms have genetic material

4.

Why do most changes to DNA have no effect at all?

a)

because they're too minor to have any effect

b)

because RNA helps to fix the changes because RNA never changes

c)

because the changes are quickly repaired

d)

because the changes only occur in a few cells

5.

Which word describes the majority of permanent genetic mutations?

a)

helpful

b)

minor

c)

harmful

d)

beneficial

6.

What usually happens to a cell that has damaged DNA?

a)

it has trouble making certain proteins

b)

its genetic material leaves the nucleus

c)

it is able to produce twice as many proteins as a normal cell

d)

its size reduces to half its normal size (it shrinks)

7.

How are cancerous cells different from normal cells?

a)

cancerous cells are shaped differently than normal cells

b)

cancerous cells divide more frequently than normal cells

c)

cancerous cells contain chemicals not found in normal cells

d)

cancerous cells need more oxygen than normal cells

8.

Which of the following is an example of a beneficial mutation?

a)

when an organism's lifespan become shorter

b)

when an organism becomes unable to reproduce

c)

when an organism's body becomes deformed (deformado)

d)

when an organism develops immunity (inmunidad) to a disease

9.

When a beneficial mutation spreads through an entire population of organisms, that population:

a)

has not evolved

b)

has evolved

c)

goes extinct (extinto)

d)

continues to mutate

10.

When do random, or spontaneous, mutations happen?

a)

during cell divsion

b)

when cells are exposed to hazardous (dangerous) chemicals

c)

when cells are exposed to certain viruses

d)

when cells are exposed to radiation

11.

What are the chemical blueprints (planes quimicos) for your entire body?

a)

genetic mutations

b)

DNA & RNA

c)

physical traits

d)

environment

12.

Sickle cell anemia is a disease that is caused by a small mutation. What does this disease affect?

a)

eyes

b)

fingers

c)

blood

d)

legs

13.

Cancer is a disease that is caused by a mutation. What does the mutation affect?

a)

color of hair

b)

cell growth

c)

protein

14.

Which of the following options causes evolution to create new species?

a)

deleterious (bad) mutations

b)

beneficial mutations

c)

proteins in cells

d)

mutations are not related to evolution

15.

Evolution is the process that makes organisms ____________________ over many generations.

a)

stay the exact same

b)

have many different bad mutationns

c)

change

16.

When an organism has a mutation in its DNA, can its babies inherit the mutation, too?

a)

yes

b)

no

17.

Which of the following can cause mutations?

a)

chemicals

b)

radiation

c)

viruses

d)

random problems in cell division

18.

Which of the following sentences is true?

a)

Organisms with beneficial mutations survive less and are less likely to pass on their mutated genes to their offspring.

b)

Organisms with beneficial mutations survive better and are more likely to pass on their mutated genes to their offspring.

c)

Organisms with deleterious mutations survive better and are more likely to pass on their mutated genes to their offspring.

19.

A change in a sequence of DNA is called a

a)

recombination

b)

polygenic trait.

c)

single-gene trait.

d)

mutation

20.

The two main sources of genetic variation are

a)

genotypes and phenotypes.

b)

crossing over in meiosis and mutations.

c)

single-gene traits and polygenic traits.

d)

directional selection and disruptive selection.

21.

What causes new variation to exist within a species?

a)

selective breeding

b)

random mutations in DNA

c)

inheritance of acquired characteristics

d)

spontaneous generation