Question 1

In each local environment, populations of living organisms have evolved to possess the traits necessary to survive and reproduce. This concept is called

Accepted Answer

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. This leads to the evolution of traits that are advantageous for survival and reproduction in a given environment.

Question 2

Movement of individuals into or out of the population, called gene flow, impacts evolution of populations because

Accepted Answer

Gene flow involves the transfer of alleles between populations, leading to a redistribution of genetic variation and potentially affecting the evolutionary trajectory of the populations involved.

Question 3

In the year 2317, a group of human pioneers decide to colonize Mars. The distance between Mars and Earth prevents the possibility of new members joining the colony or the members of the colony interbreeding with humans on Earth. This situation is an example of

Accepted Answer

The founder effect occurs when a new colony is started by a few members of the original population, leading to reduced genetic variation and a non-representative sample of the genes from the original population. In this scenario, the pioneers on Mars represent a small group isolated from the larger population on Earth.

Question 4

Which one of the following processes tends to mix gene pools?

Accepted Answer

Gene flow involves the transfer of genetic material between populations, leading to the mixing of gene pools.

Question 5

All of the following are key elements of evolution EXCEPT which one?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is a natural process without a predetermined purpose or plan; it is driven by random mutations and natural selection.

Question 6

The theory that individuals with certain traits are more fit for their local environment and therefore are more likely to survive and reproduce is known as

Accepted Answer

Natural selection is the process where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, thus passing those traits to the next generation.

Question 7

Cytochrome c is a small protein that is found in present-day organisms. Comparison of the structure of cytochrome c from different organisms to infer evolutionary relationships would be part of the science involving

Accepted Answer

Comparative biochemistry involves comparing the biochemical molecules, such as proteins and DNA, across different species to understand evolutionary relationships. Cytochrome c is a protein, so its structural comparison falls under this category.

Question 8

When conditions are right, many new species may develop in a relatively short period of time from a single ancestor. Such short bursts of evolutionary activity are called

Accepted Answer

Adaptive radiation occurs when a single ancestor gives rise to many new species in a relatively short period of time. This can happen when a population moves into a new environment with many different niches available.

Question 9

The process of ________ has had a major impact on species distributions worldwide.

Accepted Answer

Continental drift refers to the movement of Earth's continents over geological time, which has significantly influenced the distribution of species by altering habitats and creating barriers or corridors for migration.

Question 10

In the 1940s, the population of whooping cranes in North America neared extinction, with fewer than 30 birds surviving. The population has since expanded to several hundred birds today. It is likely that these several hundred birds will exhibit very little genetic diversity. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The bottleneck effect occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced for at least one generation, leading to a loss of genetic diversity. The whooping cranes' population reduction to fewer than 30 birds is a classic example of this effect.

Question 11

Anatomical parts of the body that serve little or no function are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Vestigial structures are anatomical parts that have lost most or all of their original function through evolution.

Question 12

When two species contain identical or nearly identical molecules such as proteins, this suggests

Accepted Answer

The presence of identical or nearly identical molecules, such as proteins, in two species suggests that they share a common ancestry, as these similarities are often due to inherited traits from a common ancestor.

Question 13

Which one of the following is TRUE regarding fossils?

Accepted Answer

The fossil record is incomplete because not all organisms fossilize well, and many fossils have yet to be discovered.

Question 14

Differences in populations may arise over time when physical structures in the environment, such as mountains or large bodies of water, change. These structures are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Geographical barriers are physical structures that can lead to the separation and divergence of populations, resulting in evolutionary changes over time.

Question 15

In 2004, archaeologists unearthed a female skeleton on the Indonesian island of Flores that led to its classification as a member of the genus Homo instead of Australopithecus because of

Accepted Answer

The bone structure suggested she was able to walk upright and her type of chewing ability, which are characteristics associated with the genus Homo.

Question 16

The wings of birds and insects share similar functions but evolved from different structures; therefore, these wings are said to be

Accepted Answer

Analogous structures are those that serve similar functions but evolved independently in different species, such as the wings of birds and insects.

Question 17

The figure above shows the skeletal structure of the forelimbs of several vertebrates. Because these skeletal elements are similar in form and are believed to have evolved from a common ancestral structure, they are said to be

Accepted Answer

The answer of  The figure above shows the skeletal...

Question 18

Which of the following is true of radiometric dating?

Accepted Answer

Radiometric dating of minerals near a fossil can help infer the age of the fossil, as the minerals can provide a date for the surrounding rock layers.

Question 19

The structure of human cytochrome c is the same as that of chimpanzees, but it differs from the structure of cytochrome c in chickens by 16 amino acids and in yeast by more than 50 amino acids. From these data, one could hypothesize that humans are most closely related evolutionarily to

Accepted Answer

Humans and chimpanzees have identical cytochrome c structures, indicating a close evolutionary relationship, whereas there are more differences with chickens and yeast.

Question 20

The figure above shows an evolutionary tree. At which of the following locations does this map indicate extinction?

Accepted Answer

The answer of  The figure above shows an evolutionary...

Quiz 22: Evolution and the Origins of Life