In studies involving the molecular clock,the fossil record
A) tells us what ancestral organisms looked like.
B) tells us where ancestral organisms lived.
C) tells us which traits are ancestral and which are derived.
D) provides calibration for the clock.
E) Fossil data do not provide any information that could not be found with molecular clock studies.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fossil record provides calibration for the molecular clock. By comparing the genetic differences between living species and using the fossil record to estimate the age of their common ancestors, scientists can use the molecular clock to make inferences about the timing of evolutionary events.

In Studies Involving the Molecular Clock,the Fossil Record