Question 1

If the weather in Virginia changed so dramatically that there was snow on the ground most of the year, what would occur in the local squirrel population?

Accepted Answer

A) The change in the weather would cause a mutation that makes their fur white, resulting in white squirrels that survive and reproduce better than gray squirrels. 
B) If a mutation occurred that caused white fur to develop, such white squirrels would likely survive and reproduce better than gray squirrels. 
C) Evolution would produce white squirrels because white squirrels survive and reproduce better than squirrels of any other color. 
D) Natural selection would cause a new gene to appear in the population, resulting in squirrels growing white fur when there is snow on the ground and growing gray fur at other times. 
E) Natural selection could not change the population of squirrels in response to such climatic changes. 
A) The change in the weather would cause a mutation that makes their fur white, resulting in white squirrels that survive and reproduce better than gray squirrels. 
B) If a mutation occurred that caused white fur to develop, such white squirrels would likely survive and reproduce better than gray squirrels. 
C) Evolution would produce white squirrels because white squirrels survive and reproduce better than squirrels of any other color. 
D) Natural selection would cause a new gene to appear in the population, resulting in squirrels growing white fur when there is snow on the ground and growing gray fur at other times. 
E) Natural selection could not change the population of squirrels in response to such climatic changes.

Question 2

Charles Darwin believed that artificial selection was:

Accepted Answer

A) impossible. 
B) unimportant. 
C) a process completely identical to natural selection. 
D) a common phenomenon in nature. 
E) similar in many ways to natural selection. 
A) impossible. 
B) unimportant. 
C) a process completely identical to natural selection. 
D) a common phenomenon in nature. 
E) similar in many ways to natural selection.

Question 3

Which of the following would you predict would evolve in guppies that are taken from streams in Trinidad with predators and put into streams lacking predators?

Accepted Answer

A) Male guppies will become more colorful. 
B) Male guppies will become less colorful. 
C) Male guppies will not change in coloration. 
D) Guppies would evolve to have females avoid more colorful males. 
E) Guppies would evolve to have females prefer less colorful males. 
A) Male guppies will become more colorful. 
B) Male guppies will become less colorful. 
C) Male guppies will not change in coloration. 
D) Guppies would evolve to have females avoid more colorful males. 
E) Guppies would evolve to have females prefer less colorful males.

Question 4

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

A) supports the theory of evolution. 
B) opposes the theory of evolution. 
C) neither supports nor opposes the theory of evolution. 
A) supports the theory of evolution. 
B) opposes the theory of evolution. 
C) neither supports nor opposes the theory of evolution.

Question 5

Darwin was influenced by Thomas Malthus's writings on:

Accepted Answer

A) population growth. 
B) uniformitarianism. 
C) genetics. 
D) evolution. 
E) natural selection. 
A) population growth. 
B) uniformitarianism. 
C) genetics. 
D) evolution. 
E) natural selection.

Question 6

The theory that earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters cause extinctions of some species while leaving others unharmed is ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The theory that earthquakes, floods, and other...

Question 7

An antibiotic is given repeatedly to treat a recurrent ear infection. It worked initially but now is no longer effective. This indicates that the Streptococcus bacterium:

Accepted Answer

A) is very sensitive to the antibiotic. 
B) is being treated with an antibiotic that has experienced a manufacturing error, making it infective. 
C) experienced natural selection that has allowed the resistant Streptococcus to survive and multiply. 
D) are infectious only if they are sensitive to the antibiotic. 
A) is very sensitive to the antibiotic. 
B) is being treated with an antibiotic that has experienced a manufacturing error, making it infective. 
C) experienced natural selection that has allowed the resistant Streptococcus to survive and multiply. 
D) are infectious only if they are sensitive to the antibiotic.

Question 8

Assume it is possible to remove continuous cores of rock from Earth that are 3,000 feet long and contain fossils. What would the theory of evolution by natural selection predict about the fossils found in such cores as they are examined from top to bottom?

Accepted Answer

A) Lower fossils are more similar to living species than higher fossils. 
B) The number of fossils decreases from top to bottom, but the number of species increases. 
C) Fossil species remain constant from top to bottom. 
D) Higher fossils are more similar to living species than lower fossils. 
E) Fossil forms are arranged in random patterns. 
A) Lower fossils are more similar to living species than higher fossils. 
B) The number of fossils decreases from top to bottom, but the number of species increases. 
C) Fossil species remain constant from top to bottom. 
D) Higher fossils are more similar to living species than lower fossils. 
E) Fossil forms are arranged in random patterns.

Question 9

Darwin's theory of evolution was based on his observations during his voyage to Asia. True or False?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

In any population of organisms, individual variations exist. True or False?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Which statement illustrates Lamarck's theory on the mechanism of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A) Fish with coloration that matches the river bottom they inhabit will survive to reproduce. 
B) Plants that can survive in less light will become the dominant species in shaded areas. 
C) Birds with bright colors will attract more mates and pass on the colorful plumage. 
D) A man who routinely shaves the hair off his head will have sons who become bald. 
E) Giraffes with longer necks survived and reproduced faster because they could reach a better food source. 
A) Fish with coloration that matches the river bottom they inhabit will survive to reproduce. 
B) Plants that can survive in less light will become the dominant species in shaded areas. 
C) Birds with bright colors will attract more mates and pass on the colorful plumage. 
D) A man who routinely shaves the hair off his head will have sons who become bald. 
E) Giraffes with longer necks survived and reproduced faster because they could reach a better food source.

Question 12

The idea that physical changes I make to myself will be passed on to my children was proposed by:

Accepted Answer

A) Plato. 
B) Darwin. 
C) Cuvier. 
D) Lamarck. 
E) Lyell. 
A) Plato. 
B) Darwin. 
C) Cuvier. 
D) Lamarck. 
E) Lyell.

Question 13

Coprolites (animal dung), bones, and impressions of body parts in rocks are called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Coprolites (animal dung), bones, and impressions of...

Question 14

Neither Wallace nor Darwin discussed genes when describing natural selection. Why?

Accepted Answer

Neither genes nor DNA had been

Question 15

Who wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection?

Accepted Answer

A) Mendel 
B) Malthus 
C) Smith 
D) Darwin 
E) Lamarck 
A) Mendel 
B) Malthus 
C) Smith 
D) Darwin 
E) Lamarck

Question 16

Darwin realized that most species produce many more offspring than is necessary to maintain a constant population. The "excess" individuals in a population:

Accepted Answer

A) migrate to another location. 
B) die before they can reproduce. 
C) evolve to become new species. 
D) mutate and are able to adapt to new environments. 
A) migrate to another location. 
B) die before they can reproduce. 
C) evolve to become new species. 
D) mutate and are able to adapt to new environments.

Question 17

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

A) convergent evolution. 
B) natural selection. 
C) artificial mutation. 
D) artificial selection. 
E) inheritance of acquired characteristics. 
A) convergent evolution. 
B) natural selection. 
C) artificial mutation. 
D) artificial selection. 
E) inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Question 18

Karl von Baer's observations of vertebrate embryos suggest that:

Accepted Answer

A) fish are unrelated to other vertebrates because they are the only vertebrates that develop gills. 
B) fish, turtles, and mice are more closely related to one another than to either chickens or humans because they have substantial tails. 
C) chickens and humans are closely related because they lack substantial tails. 
D) all vertebrate species have similar genes for development, with some being active in some species and inactive in others. 
A) fish are unrelated to other vertebrates because they are the only vertebrates that develop gills. 
B) fish, turtles, and mice are more closely related to one another than to either chickens or humans because they have substantial tails. 
C) chickens and humans are closely related because they lack substantial tails. 
D) all vertebrate species have similar genes for development, with some being active in some species and inactive in others.

Question 19

An emu is a flightless bird that still has wings. These wings are an example of:

Accepted Answer

A) analogous structures. 
B) homologous structures. 
C) vestigial structures. 
D) adaptation. 
E) mutation. 
A) analogous structures. 
B) homologous structures. 
C) vestigial structures. 
D) adaptation. 
E) mutation.

Question 20

Darwin and ________ both developed and proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Darwin and ________ both developed and proposed...

Exam 14: Principles of Evolution

If the weather in Virginia changed so dramatically that there was snow on the ground most of the year, what would occur in the local squirrel population?

Charles Darwin believed that artificial selection was:

Which of the following would you predict would evolve in guppies that are taken from streams in Trinidad with predators and put into streams lacking predators?

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:

Darwin was influenced by Thomas Malthus's writings on:

The theory that earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters cause extinctions of some species while leaving others unharmed is ________.

An antibiotic is given repeatedly to treat a recurrent ear infection. It worked initially but now is no longer effective. This indicates that the Streptococcus bacterium:

Assume it is possible to remove continuous cores of rock from Earth that are 3,000 feet long and contain fossils. What would the theory of evolution by natural selection predict about the fossils found in such cores as they are examined from top to bottom?

Darwin's theory of evolution was based on his observations during his voyage to Asia. True or False?

In any population of organisms, individual variations exist. True or False?

Which statement illustrates Lamarck's theory on the mechanism of evolution?

The idea that physical changes I make to myself will be passed on to my children was proposed by:

Coprolites (animal dung), bones, and impressions of body parts in rocks are called ________.

Neither Wallace nor Darwin discussed genes when describing natural selection. Why?

Who wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection?

Darwin realized that most species produce many more offspring than is necessary to maintain a constant population. The "excess" individuals in a population:

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:

Karl von Baer's observations of vertebrate embryos suggest that:

An emu is a flightless bird that still has wings. These wings are an example of:

Darwin and ________ both developed and proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection.

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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