Question 1

Why was Darwin's 1859 published theory of natural selection not widely accepted by his peers? What later scientific advance was critical to the subsequent broad acceptance of natural selection as a major force in evolutionary change?

Accepted Answer

Darwin's theory lacked a mechanism for the inheritance of desirable characteristics.Gregor Mendel discovered the principles of inheritance, i.e., the basis for understanding how traits are transmitted from parent to offspring.Mendel's discovery that traits are passed as discrete units (genes) laid the foundation for our understanding of chromosomes and of population genetics.

Question 2

How did Lamarck contribute to the theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  He discovered genetic mutation through experiments with pea plants.
B)  He proposed the concept of natural selection after his voyage to the Galapagos Islands and his study of finches.
C)  He did not but instead proposed an erroneous evolutionary mechanism known today as inheritance of acquired characteristics.
D)  He did not but instead proposed a concept known today as gene flow. C

Question 3

Why is the work of Alfred Russel Wallace considered when discussing the theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  He was an English naturalist who had arrived at many of the same conclusions as Darwin.
B)  His work is not considered as he was mistakenly credited with the theory of natural selection.
C)  He was a British dog-breeder who worked on artificial selection experiments.
D)  Wallace was well-known and gathered even more evidence to support evolution than Darwin. A

Question 4

Different versions, or subunits, of the same gene are

Accepted Answer

A)  chromosomes.
B)  gemmules.
C)  alleles.
D)  blenders.

Question 5

How is the concept of catastrophism different from the concept of uniformitarianism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Catastrophism is the idea that the shape of the earth's surface gradually shifts over time.
B)  Catastrophism is only the result of human-induced changes.
C)  Catastrophism is the idea that geologic changes are the result of single cataclysmic events.
D)  None of the above.

Question 6

The individual genotypes in a breeding population, taken as a whole, are the

Accepted Answer

A)  gene pool.
B)  DNA.
C)  genome.
D)  polygene.

Question 7

All of the following are formal taxonomic categories except

Accepted Answer

A)  kingdom.
B)  population.
C)  order.
D)  family.

Question 8

Detail Darwin's major contribution to the theory of evolution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Detail Darwin's major contribution to the theory...

Question 9

You're watching a show on TV about the history of scientific thought in Europe prior to 1800.The narrator correctly states that at that time

Accepted Answer

A)  all species were believed to have evolved from a common ancestor.
B)  all forms were thought to have been created by God and to remain constant over time.
C)  most species were thought to go extinct over time.
D)  evolution was attributed to natural selection acting upon genetic variation.

Question 10

Mendel's plant hybridization experiments demonstrated that

Accepted Answer

A)  inherited traits from each parent blended together in the offspring.
B)  DNA was the molecule carrying the genetic code.
C)  peas were a poor choice for understanding basic hereditary principles.
D)  traits inherited from each parent remained distinct in the offspring.

Question 11

Mendel's discrete units responsible for the characteristics in his pea plants are now known as

Accepted Answer

A)  chromosomes.
B)  DNA.
C)  genes.
D)  RNA.

Question 12

The evolutionary synthesis

Accepted Answer

A)  occurred in 1900 immediately after Mendel's work was rediscovered.
B)  emphasized the important role of mutation and macromutation in evolutionary change.
C)  emphasized theoretical differences between diverse scientific fields.
D)  accepted Darwin's theory of evolution and Mendel's theory of heredity as explaining most evolutionary change.

Question 13

Whose efforts helped explain how chromosomes are replicated?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rosalind Franklin
B)  James Watson
C)  Francis Crick
D)  all of the above

Question 14

How was Darwin influenced by Thomas Malthus's work on population growth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Darwin was interested in Malthus's examinations of population changes in pea plants.
B)  Darwin was influenced by Malthus's work on demography and population responses to food availability.
C)  Darwin liked the concept of Latin taxonomic classification as it pertained to human groups.
D)  Darwin was greatly influenced by research on acquired characteristics.

Question 15

Gene flow differs from genetic drift because

Accepted Answer

A)  it is the random change in the frequency of alleles.
B)  it is the random change in a gene or chromosome.
C)  it is the guiding force of evolution.
D)  it is the spread of new genetic material from one gene pool to another.

Question 16

The geneticist who studied the workings of fruit flies' chromosomes was

Accepted Answer

A)  Charles Darwin.
B)  Gregor Mendel.
C)  Thomas Hunt Morgan.
D)  Thomas Huxley.

Question 17

The physical expression of an organism's genetic constitution is called its

Accepted Answer

A)  karyotype.
B)  phenotype.
C)  stereotype.
D)  genotype.

Question 18

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Organisms classified in two different biological orders can still belong to the same genus.
B)  Organisms classified as two different species can still belong to the same genus.
C)  Organisms classified in two different families can still belong to the same genus.
D)  Organisms classified in two different kingdoms can still belong to the same genus.

Question 19

James Hutton is associated with

Accepted Answer

A)  adaptation.
B)  catastrophism.
C)  uniformitarianism.
D)  principles of heredity.

Question 20

How do Darwin's finches demonstrate the concept of adaptive radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are closely related species that have branched from one species.
B)  They are no different than ancient species of lemurs.
C)  They have radiated from ancient species of monkeys.
D)  They show great cultural flexibility.

Exam 2: Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory