Question 1

Convergent evolution occurs when:

Accepted Answer

A) unrelated organisms develop analogous structures. 
B) two or more different species evolve to become one species. 
C) two or more populations merge into one. 
D) analogous structures evolve to be homologous. 
A) unrelated organisms develop analogous structures. 
B) two or more different species evolve to become one species. 
C) two or more populations merge into one. 
D) analogous structures evolve to be homologous.

Question 2

A population of grasshoppers in the Kansas prairie has two color types: green and brown. Typically, the prairie receives enough rainfall to maintain healthy, green grass. Assume a bird species that eats grasshoppers moves into the prairie. How will this affect the natural selection of the grasshoppers? How might this change in a drought year, when the grass turns brown?

Accepted Answer

The brown phenotype may be more easily d

Question 3

What biochemical clues support the idea that all living things evolved from one common ancestor?

Accepted Answer

All cells identified to date u

Question 4

Natural selection is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

A) the ability to generate new traits that better suit the species. 
B) increasing the perfection of a species. 
C) working on the existing variation of traits to favor those better suited to the organism's environment. 
D) causing the death of a significant proportion of the population. 
E) driving the species toward an eventual endpoint in which the species possesses the best possible adaptations for that particular environment. 
A) the ability to generate new traits that better suit the species. 
B) increasing the perfection of a species. 
C) working on the existing variation of traits to favor those better suited to the organism's environment. 
D) causing the death of a significant proportion of the population. 
E) driving the species toward an eventual endpoint in which the species possesses the best possible adaptations for that particular environment.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

A) superficial selection. 
B) comparative anatomy. 
C) convergent evolution. 
D) coevolution. 
A) superficial selection. 
B) comparative anatomy. 
C) convergent evolution. 
D) coevolution.

Question 6

Imagine that a population of deer living on an island without any predators was threatened with overpopulation, until wolves were imported. After a couple of years, there were fewer deer, but their average running speed and length of their legs had increased. What process accounts for the change?

Accepted Answer

A) inheritance of acquired characteristics 
B) changes due to chance alone 
C) genetic impossibility 
D) unfavorable mutations 
E) natural selection 
A) inheritance of acquired characteristics 
B) changes due to chance alone 
C) genetic impossibility 
D) unfavorable mutations 
E) natural selection

Question 7

Most commercial pesticides are effective for only two or three years because:

Accepted Answer

A) new pests invade the area. 
B) the chemicals induce mutations that provide immunity. 
C) the chemicals mutate and become ineffective. 
D) the pests learn to hide when the chemicals are being applied. 
E) those pests born with mutations that provide immunity will survive and reproduce. 
A) new pests invade the area. 
B) the chemicals induce mutations that provide immunity. 
C) the chemicals mutate and become ineffective. 
D) the pests learn to hide when the chemicals are being applied. 
E) those pests born with mutations that provide immunity will survive and reproduce.

Question 8

Strong evidence for the common ancestry of all vertebrates is:

Accepted Answer

A) they all have legs. 
B) their means of reproduction. 
C) the similarity of their embryological stages. 
D) they all evolved from fish. 
E) they all possess DNA. 
A) they all have legs. 
B) their means of reproduction. 
C) the similarity of their embryological stages. 
D) they all evolved from fish. 
E) they all possess DNA.

Question 9

A hospital uses a new cleaner to disinfect surfaces. Within a few years, many patients are developing infections from a bacterium that is resistant to the disinfectant. How does this happen?

Accepted Answer

All populations contain genetic variatio

Question 10

If a woman learns to speak many languages, her children will inherit fluency in many languages. True or False?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

A bat's wing and a sheep's front leg are ________ structures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A bat's wing and a sheep's front...

Question 12

Insects and bats both have wings. This proves they evolved from a common ancestor. True or False?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

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

A) only a limited number of DNA mutations are possible. 
B) bacteria, animals, and plants developed independently. 
C) each species uses a unique set of amino acids. 
D) plants and animals have a completely different ancestry. 
E) all living things are derived from a single common ancestor. 
A) only a limited number of DNA mutations are possible. 
B) bacteria, animals, and plants developed independently. 
C) each species uses a unique set of amino acids. 
D) plants and animals have a completely different ancestry. 
E) all living things are derived from a single common ancestor.

Question 14

The figure indicates that:

Accepted Answer

A) seed ferns evolved before trilobites. 
B) dinosaurs evolved before trilobites. 
C) trilobites evolved before seed ferns. 
D) trilobites, seed ferns, and dinosaurs evolved at the same time. 
E) trilobites ate seed ferns. 
A) seed ferns evolved before trilobites. 
B) dinosaurs evolved before trilobites. 
C) trilobites evolved before seed ferns. 
D) trilobites, seed ferns, and dinosaurs evolved at the same time. 
E) trilobites ate seed ferns.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about mutations is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

A) Mutations have no effect on the survival and reproduction of an organism. 
B) Mutations are almost always better for the organism. 
C) Mutations almost always leave the organism worse off than before. 
D) Mutations are caused by natural selection. 
E) Mutations occur at random and are by chance. 
A) Mutations have no effect on the survival and reproduction of an organism. 
B) Mutations are almost always better for the organism. 
C) Mutations almost always leave the organism worse off than before. 
D) Mutations are caused by natural selection. 
E) Mutations occur at random and are by chance.

Question 16

Genetic variations in natural populations develop due to:

Accepted Answer

A) random mutations of the DNA. 
B) changes in diet. 
C) changes in the environment. 
D) environmental catastrophies. 
E) individual activities. 
A) random mutations of the DNA. 
B) changes in diet. 
C) changes in the environment. 
D) environmental catastrophies. 
E) individual activities.

Question 17

The characteristics of a species remain unchanged from generation to generation. True or False?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The fact that whales have pelvic and leg bones indicates that:

Accepted Answer

A) they probably evolved from fish. 
B) ancestral whales had legs. 
C) whales should have functional legs. 
D) having a pelvis is advantageous. 
E) whales did not evolve by natural selection. 
A) they probably evolved from fish. 
B) ancestral whales had legs. 
C) whales should have functional legs. 
D) having a pelvis is advantageous. 
E) whales did not evolve by natural selection.

Question 19

How does the fossil record support the theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

In a geological formation, the youngest

Question 20

Some of Darwin's most important discoveries were based on studies of birds and tortoises he observed in:

Accepted Answer

A) Tahiti. 
B) Jamaica. 
C) Ecuador. 
D) the Bahamas. 
E) the Galápagos Islands. 
A) Tahiti. 
B) Jamaica. 
C) Ecuador. 
D) the Bahamas. 
E) the Galápagos Islands.

Exam 14: Principles of Evolution

Convergent evolution occurs when:

What biochemical clues support the idea that all living things evolved from one common ancestor?

Natural selection is BEST described as:

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

Imagine that a population of deer living on an island without any predators was threatened with overpopulation, until wolves were imported. After a couple of years, there were fewer deer, but their average running speed and length of their legs had increased. What process accounts for the change?

Most commercial pesticides are effective for only two or three years because:

Strong evidence for the common ancestry of all vertebrates is:

A hospital uses a new cleaner to disinfect surfaces. Within a few years, many patients are developing infections from a bacterium that is resistant to the disinfectant. How does this happen?

If a woman learns to speak many languages, her children will inherit fluency in many languages. True or False?

A bat's wing and a sheep's front leg are ________ structures.

Insects and bats both have wings. This proves they evolved from a common ancestor. True or False?

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

The figure indicates that:

Which of the following statements about mutations is TRUE?

Genetic variations in natural populations develop due to:

The characteristics of a species remain unchanged from generation to generation. True or False?

The fact that whales have pelvic and leg bones indicates that:

How does the fossil record support the theory of evolution?

Some of Darwin's most important discoveries were based on studies of birds and tortoises he observed in:

An Introduction to Life on Earth

Atoms, Molecules, and Life

Biological Molecules

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Membrane Structure and Function

Energy Flow in the Life of a Cell

Capturing Solar Energy: Photosynthesis

Harvesting Energy: Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration

The Continuity of Life: Cellular Reproduction

Patterns of Inheritance

Dna: the Molecule of Heredity

Gene Expression and Regulation

Biotechnology

How Populations Evolve

The Origin of Species

The History of Life

Systematics: Seeking Order Amidst Diversity

The Diversity of Prokaryotes and Viruses

The Diversity of Protists

The Diversity of Plants

The Diversity of Fungi

Animal Diversity I: Invertebrates

Animal Diversity Ii: Vertebrates

Animal Behavior

Population Growth and Regulation

Community Interactions

How Do Ecosystems Work

Earths Diverse Ecosystems

Conserving Earths Biodiversity

Homeostasis and the Organization of the Animal Body

Circulation

Respiration

Nutrition and Digestion

The Urinary System

Defenses Against Disease

Chemical Control of the Animal Body: the Endocrine System

The Nervous System

The Senses

Action and Support: the Muscles and Skeleton

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Plant Anatomy and Nutrient Transport

Plant Reproduction and Development

Plant Responses to the Environment

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