Question 1

Dolphins (which are mammals) and sharks (which are fish) have stiff dorsal fins projecting from their backs that help them maneuver through water. These relationships of structures to each other are best described as

Accepted Answer

Analogous structures are structures that have similar functions but different evolutionary origins. In this case, the dorsal fins of dolphins and sharks both help them maneuver through water, but they have different evolutionary origins.

Question 2

The fact that whales have pelvic and leg bones leads to the conclusion that

Accepted Answer

The presence of pelvic and leg bones in whales suggests that their ancestors likely had legs, indicating an evolutionary transition from land-dwelling creatures to fully aquatic ones.

Question 3

The amino acid sequences of human and bonobo hemoglobin are almost identical, yet they differ considerably from the sequence of the hemoglobin of wolves. This fact indicates that

Accepted Answer

The similarity in amino acid sequences of hemoglobin between humans and bonobos suggests a closer evolutionary relationship compared to wolves, which have a more divergent sequence.

Question 4

Convergent evolution occurs when

Accepted Answer

Convergent evolution occurs when unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits or structures, known as analogous structures, due to adapting to similar environments or ecological niches.

Question 5

Most commercial pesticides are effective for only 2 or 3 years because

Accepted Answer

Pests that have mutations providing immunity to the pesticide will survive and reproduce, leading to a population that is resistant to the pesticide over time.

Question 6

"Cole" refers to any of various plants belonging to the Cruciferae or mustard family, which include broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, and other familiar vegetables. The controlled breeding of cole crops to produce certain physical traits in those organisms is called

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed plants or animals for specific traits, which is what is described in the context of cole crops.

Question 7

Which of the following supports the idea that all organisms share a common ancestry?

Accepted Answer

All cells having a similar biochemistry, including amino acids, nucleic acids, and ATP, supports the idea of common ancestry because it suggests a shared evolutionary origin.

Question 8

A farmer noticed that two of her cotton plants produce cotton with a slight greenish hue. By repeatedly crossing the greenish plants, she has produced a variety of deep- green cotton without the use of any dyes. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The farmer's actions are an example of artificial selection, which is when humans select and breed certain traits in plants or animals through controlled mating. In this case, the farmer intentionally bred plants with a greenish hue to produce a desired trait (deep-green cotton) without the use of dyes. Convergent evolution refers to unrelated species evolving similar traits due to similar environmental pressures, while natural selection is the process by which organisms with advantageous traits survive and reproduce more effectively. Artificial mutation and inheritance of acquired characteristics are not applicable in this scenario.

Question 9

Imagine that a biologist develops a strain of corn with a lower fat content by choosing low- fat variants and crossbreeding them over several generations. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of artificial selection, where humans intentionally select for specific traits, such as low-fat content, in organisms through controlled breeding.

Question 10

The amino acid sequences of human and chimpanzee hemoglobin are almost identical, yet they differ considerably from the sequence of the hemoglobin of dogs. This fact

Accepted Answer

The similarity in hemoglobin sequences between humans and chimpanzees supports the theory of evolution, indicating a closer evolutionary relationship and common ancestry compared to more distantly related species like dogs.

Question 11

Of all the possible amino acids, all living organisms make use of only the same 20 amino acids. This supports the idea that

Accepted Answer

The use of the same 20 amino acids by all living organisms suggests a common evolutionary origin, indicating that all life shares a single common ancestor.

Question 12

A farmer produces a variety of apple with deep pink flesh by selectively crossbreeding apples with pinkish hues. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of artificial selection, where the farmer intentionally chooses certain traits (pinkish hues) and crossbreeds apples with those traits to produce offspring with desired characteristics (deep pink flesh).

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of artificial selection?

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection involves humans breeding organisms for specific traits, such as the many different breeds of domestic cats.

Question 14

Daisies and daffodils, have flowers that serve as organs of reproduction, leaves that serve as organs of photosynthesis, and xylem and phloem that move water and food throughout the plant. These similarities are best explained by

Accepted Answer

The similarities between daisies and daffodils are best explained by a common ancestry, as both plants share similar structures due to their evolutionary lineage.

Question 15

Charles Darwin believed that artificial selection was

Accepted Answer

Darwin believed that artificial selection, where humans select for desirable traits in organisms, was similar to natural selection, where environmental pressures lead to the selection of advantageous traits. Both processes involve differential reproduction based on certain traits.

Question 16

Strong evidence for the common ancestry of all vertebrates is

Accepted Answer

The similarity of embryological stages across vertebrates suggests a common ancestry, as these stages reflect shared developmental processes inherited from a common ancestor.

Question 17

The controlled breeding of domestic plants and animals by humans to produce certain physical traits in those organisms is called

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed plants and animals for specific traits, unlike natural selection which occurs without human intervention.

Question 18

Observations of a wide variety of vertebrate embryos suggest that

Accepted Answer

All vertebrate species share similar developmental genes, indicating a common ancestry.

Question 19

The many different breeds of domestic dog were produced by

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed animals and plants for desired traits. In the case of dogs, humans have bred them for a wide variety of traits, including size, shape, coat color, and temperament.

Question 20

When unrelated organisms living under similar environmental demands evolve superficially similar structures, it is called

Accepted Answer

Convergent evolution is the process by which unrelated organisms living under similar environmental demands evolve superficially similar structures.

Quiz 15: Principles of Evolution