Question 1

The fossil record is incomplete because

Accepted Answer

A)  very few organisms were preserved as fossils. 
B)  organisms tend to decay before becoming a fossil. 
C)  animals with hard parts are preserved more easily. 
D)  geological processes may destroy fossils. 
E)  all of these

Question 2

Selecting the Exception Four of the five answers listed below are portions of the theory of natural selection. Select the exception.

Accepted Answer

A)  variation is heritable 
B)  heritable traits vary in adaptability 
C)  more organisms are produced than can survive 
D)  the largest and strongest always contribute more genes to the next generation 
E)  natural selection is the result of differential reproduction

Question 3

Structures that are no longer needed but remain within the body are called

Accepted Answer

A)  vestigial structures. 
B)  nonuseful structures. 
C)  ancient structures. 
D)  defunct structures. 
E)  retrostructures.

Question 4

Many of the organic compounds essential for life, such as amino acids and nucleotides, could NOT assemble spontaneously in the presence of

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen. 
B)  free oxygen. 
C)  carbon dioxide. 
D)  nitrogen. 
E)  argon.

Question 5

The age of volcanic rocks is determined by

Accepted Answer

A)  fossil identification. 
B)  chemical analysis. 
C)  radiometric dating. 
D)  analysis of surrounding minerals. 
E)  hardness testing.

Question 6

In various experiments that recreated conditions on the early Earth, molecules such as amino acids, glucose and ribose were produced from

Accepted Answer

A)  clay. 
B)  ether. 
C)  formaldehyde. 
D)  alcohols. 
E)  ATP.

Question 7

The movement that allows the thumb and tip of each finger to touch is

Accepted Answer

A)  prehensile. 
B)  opposable. 
C)  coordinated. 
D)  circumduction. 
E)  tubing.

Question 8

One hypothesis holds that complex organic compounds formed near deep-sea

Accepted Answer

A)  silt mounds. 
B)  hydrothermal vents. 
C)  caverns. 
D)  crevices. 
E)  rock outcrops.

Question 9

The trend in which organisms come to have characteristics that suit them to conditions in a particular environment is called

Accepted Answer

A)  genetic drift. 
B)  adaptation. 
C)  mutation. 
D)  isolation. 
E)  divergence.

Question 10

Selecting the Exception Four of the five answers listed below are probable components of the Earth's primitive atmosphere. Select the exception.

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen gas 
B)  oxygen gas 
C)  nitrogen gas 
D)  carbon monoxide gas 
E)  carbon dioxide gas

Question 11

A species is composed of

Accepted Answer

A)  related organisms. 
B)  a group of reproductive females. 
C)  populations that have the potential to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. 
D)  organisms located in the same habitat. 
E)  all males and females in the same geographical range with the same ecological requirements.

Question 12

The exact same genotype is seen only in

Accepted Answer

A)  identical twins. 
B)  members of a family. 
C)  non-identical twins. 
D)  members of a population. 
E)  brothers and sisters of different ages.

Question 13

What step occurred first in the evolution of life?

Accepted Answer

A)  formation of lipid spheres 
B)  formation of protein-RNA systems 
C)  formation of membrane-bound protocells 
D)  spontaneous formation of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleotides under abiotic conditions 
E)  formation of ATP

Question 14

Natural selection operates to produce changes in

Accepted Answer

A)  individuals. 
B)  populations. 
C)  races. 
D)  phyla. 
E)  animals only.

Question 15

The large-scale patterns, trends, and rates of change among groups of species is

Accepted Answer

A)  microevolution. 
B)  macroevolution. 
C)  species variation. 
D)  population shift. 
E)  population drift.

Question 16

Experimenters simulating early Earth conditions found that if heated protein chains were allowed to cool in water, they would

Accepted Answer

A)  form nitrogen, which would escape as a gas. 
B)  form proteinoids. 
C)  form small, proteinlike molecules. 
D)  clot and form a complex latticework frame for chemical reactions. 
E)  break down into the original amino acids that the protein chain was made from.

Question 17

Match between columns
                        Premises: This category is included in each of the other categories.
This category denotes the taxonomic category of Homo , which describes humans.
The term Hominidae is an example of this category.
This category is not included in any of the other listed categories.

Accepted Answer

The Answer of order and species and phyla and genus is...

Question 18

The wings of bats and birds and the flippers of porpoises are

Accepted Answer

A)  analogous structures. 
B)  totally unrelated. 
C)  functionally different. 
D)  homologous structures. 
E)  similar by chance.

Question 19

All but which factor were important evolutionary adaptations in primates?

Accepted Answer

A)  enhanced stereoscopic vision 
B)  upright position 
C)  an opposable thumb 
D)  the development of a restricted or specialized diet 
E)  brain expansion and elaboration

Question 20

Selecting the Exception Four of the five answers listed below are habitats favoring fossil preservation. Select the exception.

Accepted Answer

A)  deserts 
B)  swamp 
C)  tar pits 
D)  seafloor 
E)  caves

Exam 23: Principles of Evolution