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WorksheetsEvolutionary History Quiz
Total questions: 30
Worksheet time: 15mins
What is an adaptive trait?
A trait that makes it more likely that an individual will survive in a specific environment
A trait that decreases an individual's chance of survival
A trait that has no effect on survival
A trait that is only found in extinct species
What does the term "ancestor" refer to?
A related organism from a previous generation
A completely unrelated organism
A future generation organism
An organism that is extinct
What is meant by "body structure"?
A part of an organism, such as one or more bones
The entire organism
Only the internal organs
Only the external features
What is a common ancestor population?
An older population from which two or more newer species descended
A population that is unrelated to any species
A population that has no descendants
A population that is extinct
What does "descendant species" mean?
A more recent species that evolved from an ancestor population
A species that has no ancestors
A species that is extinct
A species that did not evolve
What does it mean to "diagnose" in a scientific context?
To classify based on scientific examination
To guess without evidence
To ignore scientific evidence
To classify based on personal opinion
What is the definition of "environment"?
Everything (living and nonliving) that surrounds an organism
Only the living things around an organism
Only the nonliving things around an organism
Only the climate around an organism
What is "evolution"?
The process by which species adapt to environmental changes over a very long time
The process by which species become extinct
The process by which species remain unchanged
The process by which species decrease in number
What does "evolutionary time" refer to?
The very long time that spans the history of Earth, from the very first cellular life to the present
A short period in Earth's history
The time it takes for a single organism to evolve
The time it takes for a species to become extinct
What does "extinct" mean?
Having died out completely and no longer alive anywhere on Earth
Being alive but in small numbers
Being alive in only one location
Being alive but not reproducing
What is a "fossil"?
Evidence of life from the past, such as fossilized bones, footprints, or leaf prints
A living organism
A type of rock
A type of plant
What is a group of individuals born and living at about the same time called?
Population
Generation
Organisms
Mutation
What type of graph uses bars to show how characteristics or values are distributed within a group?
Line graph
Pie chart
Histogram
Scatter plot
What does it mean to inherit something in biological terms?
To receive genes from a parent
To develop a new trait
To adapt to the environment
To mutate randomly
Which term refers to an organism's arm, leg, or wing?
Organ
Limb
Fin
Antenna
What is a random change to a gene that sometimes results in a new trait called?
Adaptation
Evolution
Mutation
Selection
What is the process by which the distribution of traits in a population changes over many generations?
Genetic drift
Natural selection
Artificial selection
Gene flow
What term describes living things such as plants, animals, and bacteria?
Ecosystems
Habitats
Organisms
Cells
Who is a scientist that studies fossils to understand the ancient history of life on Earth?
Biologist
Geologist
Paleontologist
Archaeologist
What is a group of the same type of organism living in the same area called?
Community
Ecosystem
Population
Biome
What does it mean if species are related?
They share a common ancestor
They live in the same habitat
They have similar diets
They compete for resources
What is a body structure in two or more species that features the same parts called?
Analogous structure
Vestigial structure
Shared structure
Unique structure
What is the process by which one population evolves into two or more different species?
Stability
Speciation
Trait
Species
Which term describes a group of organisms of the same kind that do not reproduce with organisms from any other group?
Trait
Speciation
Species
Stability
What does the term "stability" refer to in evolutionary history?
The process of forming new species
A specific characteristic of an organism
When something stays mostly the same over time
A group of organisms of the same kind
What is a "trait" in the context of evolutionary history?
A process of evolution
A specific characteristic of an individual organism
A group of similar organisms
The stability of an ecosystem
Match the following adaptations with their advantages.
To look different from other species.
Unique feather patterns
To be able to eat the food readily available in the environment.
Different beak shapes
To protect itself against predators.
Camouflage coloring
To protect itself against prey.
Sharp claws
What is the definition of variation in the context of evolutionary biology?
The process by which new species are created.
The differences in physical traits among individuals of the same species.
The gradual change of a species over time.
The ability of an organism to change its traits in response to environmental changes.
Which of the following is an example of descent with modification in bearded dragons?
A bearded dragon population will mostly all have the beneficial adaptation of camouflage scales acquired through many generations of inheritance.
A bearded dragon that grows to the same size as its parents.
Bearded dragons that live in the same area as their parents.
A bearded dragon that eats the same type of insects as its parents.
