Deck 22: Evolution and the Origins of Life

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

A) natural selection.
B) genetic drift.
C) the bottleneck effect.
D) gene flow.
E) antigenic shift.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

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

A) it can lead to extinction of one or more populations.
B) it may cause genetic drift.
C) it leads to a redistribution of alleles.
D) adaptive radiation results.
E) a founder effect will occur.

Answer 2

C

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

A) extinction.
B) the bottleneck effect.
C) random mutation.
D) continental drift.
E) the founder effect.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

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

A) gene flow
B) the bottleneck effect
C) founder effect
D) continental drift
E) adaptive radiation

Question 5

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

A) Organisms have changed from their ancestors over time.
B) Change has been accomplished with a purpose and a plan.
C) Change is unpredictable and determined by natural processes.
D) Change depends on alterations in the DNA.

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

A) natural selection.
B) macroevolution.
C) gene flow.
D) antigenic drift.
E) the bottleneck effect.

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

A) fossil evidence.
B) developmental biology.
C) comparative biochemistry.
D) migration patterns.
E) comparative anatomy.

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

A) gene flow.
B) adaptive radiation.
C) the founder effect.
D) population explosion.
E) genetic drift.

Question 9

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

A) continental drift
B) comparative biochemistry
C) genetic engineering
D) divergent speciation
E) adaptive mobility

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

A) biogeographical distribution.
B) the bottleneck effect.
C) random mutation.
D) population effect.
E) immigration.

Question 11

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

A) homologous structures.
B) hyperplasia.
C) vestigial structures.
D) somites.
E) dysplasia.

Question 12

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

A) genetic modification has occurred to the populations.
B) the two species share a common ancestry.
C) the two species are in fact only one species displaying divergent evolution.
D) the two species are in fact only one species displaying convergent evolution.
E) the two species overlap in niches and likely share a common diet.

Question 13

Which one of the following is TRUE regarding fossils?

A) Fossils are more likely discovered under the sea than on land.
B) Even though fossils from more than 200,000 different species have been found, the fossil record remains incomplete.
C) Because organisms are primarily composed of soft tissue, it is more likely that soft tissue is fossilized than hard tissue.
D) Once fossilization is complete, no further degradation of the fossil can occur.
E) Because fossils are so old, it is not possible to determine their age.

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

A) Pangaea.
B) continental drift.
C) macroevolution.
D) geographical barriers.
E) micro-isolation bottleneck effect.

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

A) a bone structure that reflected a raised brow of the skeleton.
B) a bone structure that suggested she was able to walk upright and her type of chewing ability.
C) the presence of a furrowing suture in the occipital lobe.
D) the absence of complex tools for hunting.
E) the absence of frontal molars in the jaw.

Question 16

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

A) homologous.
B) biramous.
C) uniramous.
D) analogous.
E) bipedal.

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

A) analogous.
B) heterologous.
C) vestigial.
D) homologous.
E) nonfunctional.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of radiometric dating?

A) A mineral that is 10,000 years old would best be dated with radioactive potassium.
B) A mineral that is 1 billion years old would best be dated with radioactive carbon.
C) Radioactive potassium-to-radon gas ratio can be used to date minerals.
D) One can infer the age of a fossil by radiometric dating of the minerals found near the fossil.
E) Carbon-14 decays with a half-life of 60,000 years.

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

A) chimpanzees.
B) yeast.
C) dogs.
D) chickens.
E) chimpanzees, chickens, and yeast equally because they all have cytochrome c.

Question 20

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

A) A and D
B) B and C
C) C and D
D) D and E
E) B, C, and E

Question 21

Humans are classified as hominoids because

A) they have larger bodies and bigger brains than other primates.
B) all primates are classified in this group.
C) they have hair during some part of their lives.
D) at one point in their evolutionary history, they possessed a tail.
E) aerobic metabolism uses hemoglobin for oxygen transport.

Question 22

In the classification of organisms, a phylum is subdivided into

A) orders.
B) kingdoms.
C) tribes.
D) genera.
E) classes.

Question 23

The exact path that led to the evolution of modern cells and the organic molecules contained in these cells to support life is not known. The best guess is that some sort of self-replicating organic molecule formed along mudflats and most likely resembled

A) single-stranded DNA.
B) single-stranded RNA.
C) small amino acids such as lysine and glycine.
D) double-stranded DNA.
E) ATP.

Question 24

The theory of evolution is the single most unifying concept of biology today.

Question 25

In the classification of organisms, similar genera are grouped together into a

A) phylum.
B) family.
C) class.
D) species.
E) genus.

Question 26

When naming a life form, which of the following two taxonomic categories is used?

A) class and order
B) family and genus
C) genus and species
D) kingdom and phylum
E) domain and phylum

Question 27

Based on the figure above, which one of the following groups is most closely related to humans?

A) gorillas
B) Old World monkeys
C) orangutans
D) chimpanzees
E) New World monkeys

Question 28

The branch of science that deals with the naming and grouping of organisms is known as

A) histology.
B) molecular biology.
C) chemistry.
D) taxonomy.
E) ecology.

Question 29

Life began on Earth approximately ________ years ago.

A) 100,000
B) 1 million
C) 5 million
D) 3.8 billion
E) 4.6 billion

Question 30

Based on the figure above, which one of the following appears to be in the direct ancestral path of modern humans?

A) Homo heidelbergensis
B) Australopithecus afarensis
C) Homo ergaster
D) Homo neanderthalensis
E) Homo floresiensis

Question 31

In the early Earth, the development of ________ created oxygen gas in the atmosphere.

A) ozone
B) nitrogen fixation
C) cellular respiration
D) photosynthesis
E) eukaryotes

Question 32

Approximately how long ago did the first distinctly human ancestor appear?

A) 10,000 years ago
B) 100,000 years ago
C) 5 million years ago
D) 10 million years ago
E) 3 billion years ago

Question 33

Because the fossil record is now complete, it provides compelling evidence to support the theory of evolution.

Question 34

The ability to extract oxygen from the environment and use it to make energy is called

A) photosynthesis.
B) comparative biochemistry.
C) anaerobic metabolism.
D) self-replication.
E) aerobic metabolism.

Question 35

There was no protective ozone layer early in Earth's history, which allowed Earth's surface to be bombarded with ultraviolet radiation.

Question 36

Based on the following information on the scientific classification of the flesh fly, determine which one of the following is the scientific name for the flesh fly. Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Sarcophagidae
Genus: Sarcophaga
Species: bullata

A) Arthropoda bullata
B) Sarcophagida insecta
C) Insecta sarcophaga
D) Sarcophaga bullata
E) Animalia insecta

Question 37

The following is a list of events that were involved in the formation of self-replicating living cells. Which one of the following best represents the order in which these events are believed to have occurred? 1. formation of RNA
2) enclosure of small organic molecules within a membrane
3) formation of simple organic molecules from atmospheric gases
4) formation of a lipid-protein membrane

A) 3, 1, 4, 2
B) 3, 4, 2, 1
C) 4, 2, 3, 1
D) 4, 1, 3, 2
E) 1, 3, 4, 2

Question 38

The evolution of eukaryotic cells began approximately ________ years ago.

A) 1 million
B) 10 million
C) 1.7 billion
D) 3.8 billion
E) 4.6 billion

Question 39

The first step in the development of living organisms was the formation of

A) DNA.
B) organic molecules from gases in the atmosphere.
C) enzymes.
D) inorganic molecules from elements in the ocean waters.
E) simple sugars.

Question 40

Which one of the following taxonomic categories is defined as a group of organisms that are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring?

A) class
B) order
C) family
D) species
E) phylum

Question 41

There are several sources of scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution. Match each of the following to its description.

A) comparative biochemistry
B) fossil record
C) comparative embryology
D) taxonomy
E) comparative anatomy
study of the early development of organisms

Question 42

Match each stage in the evolution of humans to its description.

A) Homo habilis
B) Homo sapiens
C) Australopithecus afarensis
D) Homo erectus
decline in sexual dimorphism; formation of hunting and gathering groups that shared food; first in the human line to move from Africa to Europe and Asia

Question 43

The largest mass extinction in the history of Earth occurred during the Triassic period; the extinction was largely due to global warming and a period of high carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

Question 44

Homo habilis is considered to be the first of our human ancestors to make tools.

Question 45

Extinction occurs when all individuals of a population die out.

Question 46

Homo neanderthalensis is believed to be a direct ancestor of Homo sapiens.

Question 47

RNA is believed to have evolved before DNA and proteins.

Question 48

With the advent of photosynthesis and the subsequent production of oxygen by photosynthetic organisms, most of the anaerobic organisms present on Earth became extinct because oxygen was actually toxic to these organisms.

Question 49

Geographical barriers, such as large bodies of water and mountains, can result in a founder effect.

Question 50

As oceans began to form on Earth billions of years ago, they were small, warm, and not very salty.

Question 51

Match each stage in the evolution of humans to its description.

A) Homo habilis
B) Homo sapiens
C) Australopithecus afarensis
D) Homo erectus
first in the lineage in the development of humans; ape-like anatomy; sexual dimorphism; walked upright

Question 52

Primitive photosynthetic organisms were responsible for producing oxygen gas in the atmosphere.

Question 53

Random changes in the frequency of alleles of a population because of chance events is known as natural selection.

Question 54

Periods of adaptive radiation are most likely to occur after a change in the environment causes new habitats to form.

Question 55

There are several sources of scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution. Match each of the following to its description.

A) comparative biochemistry
B) fossil record
C) comparative embryology
D) taxonomy
E) comparative anatomy
study of homologous and analogous structures

Question 56

Dinosaurs and modern humans coexisted for about a million years.

Question 57

Comparative biochemistry is the science that examines similarities between molecules; the greater the difference between molecules that have the same function in two different species, the more distantly related the two species likely are.

Question 58

There are several sources of scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution. Match each of the following to its description.

A) comparative biochemistry
B) fossil record
C) comparative embryology
D) taxonomy
E) comparative anatomy
study of the structure of molecules to infer evolutionary relatedness of organisms

Question 59

There are several sources of scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution. Match each of the following to its description.

A) comparative biochemistry
B) fossil record
C) comparative embryology
D) taxonomy
E) comparative anatomy
preserved remains of organisms

Question 60

There are several sources of scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution. Match each of the following to its description.

A) comparative biochemistry
B) fossil record
C) comparative embryology
D) taxonomy
E) comparative anatomy
branch of science that focuses on classifying and naming life-forms

Question 61

In the history of Earth and in the evolution of living cells, two self-replicating molecules have formed: DNA and RNA. Determine whether each of the following characteristics can be attributed to DNA or RNA. Answers may be used more than once.

A) both DNA and RNA
B) DNA
C) RNA
more stable of the two molecules

Question 62

The best-known extinction during which all dinosaurs died out completely occurred during the ________ time period.

Question 63

The early embryos of vertebrates follow the same pathway of development; one structure that all vertebrate embryos have in common is the ________, which serves as a primitive support structure.

Question 64

In the history of Earth and in the evolution of living cells, two self-replicating molecules have formed: DNA and RNA. Determine whether each of the following characteristics can be attributed to DNA or RNA. Answers may be used more than once.

A) both DNA and RNA
B) DNA
C) RNA
first molecule to evolve

Question 65

Movement of individuals into or out of population that results in a redistribution of alleles is called ________.

Question 66

The continents were once joined in one interconnected landmass called Pangaea, but moved slowly into their current positions. The process by which the continental (tectonic) plates moved slowly over time is called ________.

Question 67

Darwin's proposal that organisms that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce is termed ________.

Question 68

In the history of Earth and in the evolution of living cells, two self-replicating molecules have formed: DNA and RNA. Determine whether each of the following characteristics can be attributed to DNA or RNA. Answers may be used more than once.

A) both DNA and RNA
B) DNA
C) RNA
molecule that directs production of proteins in modern cells

Question 69

In the history of Earth and in the evolution of living cells, two self-replicating molecules have formed: DNA and RNA. Determine whether each of the following characteristics can be attributed to DNA or RNA. Answers may be used more than once.

A) both DNA and RNA
B) DNA
C) RNA
the self-replicating molecule of present-day cells

Question 70

In an evolutionary context, ________ structures do not currently have a function in present-day organisms.

Question 71

Match each stage in the evolution of humans to its description.

A) Homo habilis
B) Homo sapiens
C) Australopithecus afarensis
D) Homo erectus
first in the human line to use tools; had a diet that included meat instead of a vegetarian diet

Question 72

When considering evolution, structures of present-day organisms that have the same function but did not develop from the same ancestral structure are said to be ________.

Question 73

Match each stage in the evolution of humans to its description.

A) Homo habilis
B) Homo sapiens
C) Australopithecus afarensis
D) Homo erectus
used a spoken language; large brain size; humanlike anatomy

Question 74

The first self-replicating molecule hypothesized to have formed on Earth was ________.

Question 75

In the scientific process, the word ________ is reserved for those few major concepts that offer the best explanation to fit a broad range of established facts.

Question 76

The early atmosphere of Earth did not contain the gas ________; it is believed that life as we know it would not have evolved if this gas had been present.

Question 77

In the history of Earth and in the evolution of living cells, two self-replicating molecules have formed: DNA and RNA. Determine whether each of the following characteristics can be attributed to DNA or RNA. Answers may be used more than once.

A) both DNA and RNA
B) DNA
C) RNA
molecule first formed on templates of clay in mudflats

Question 78

________ refers to random changes in allele frequency as a result of chance events.

Question 79

The process of evolution ultimately depends on changes that occur in the ________ of organisms.

Question 80

The evolution of ________ caused the death of many anaerobic organisms, and in their place evolved new aerobic organisms.