Question 1

Without the work of x-ray crystallographer ________,DNA might not have been discovered until much later than it was.

Accepted Answer

A)  James Watson
B)  Francis Crick
C)  Thomas Malthus
D)  Rosalind FranklinE) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 2

Cuvier,Lamarck,and Erasmus Darwin all shared an idea of evolution.However,what key feature did their ideas all lack,which Charles Darwin would later develop?

Accepted Answer

A)  proof of the great age of the Earth,necessary for evolution to take place
B)  a basic understanding of inheritance
C)  an understanding of diversity of life on Earth
D)  a mechanism for evolutionary changeE) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 3

Who was the English demographer whose work on population growth greatly influenced Darwin's thinking on population adaptation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck
B)  Georges Cuvier
C)  Thomas Malthus
D)  Charles LyellE) All of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 4

Discuss four key individuals who helped Darwin formulate the theory of natural selection.

Accepted Answer

Hutton,Lyell,Malthus,Linnaeus,Lamarck,Ra...

Question 5

Why is Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species (1859) considered an important contribution to modern science?

Accepted Answer

A)  It first coined the concept of evolution.
B)  It synthesized information from diverse scientific fields in order to document and explain evolutionary change.
C)  It was immediately and widely accepted by the scientific community as presenting the mechanism for evolutionary change.
D)  It proposed the use of the scientific method for the first time.E) None of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 6

What theory did the presence of iridium in geologic deposits around the world support?

Accepted Answer

A)  The impact of a giant meteor that struck the Earth produced mass extinctions of dinosaur species across the planet.
B)  Alien material was a factor in the origins of species on this planet.
C)  Catastrophes occurred in the past and produced major changes in species,causing dinosaurs to adapt and eventually become mammals.
D)  Cuvier's proposal of catastrophism as the theory explaining human origins is correct.E) C) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 7

What are the advantageous "attributes" to which Darwin refers now known as?

Accepted Answer

A)  traits
B)  genes
C)  DNA
D)  chromosomesE) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 8

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 t...

Question 9

What was Thomas Malthus's contribution to natural selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  the binomial taxonomic system of naming species
B)  the theory that the Earth's old age is based on geologic evidence resulting from cataclysmic events
C)  the observation that an abundance of food would allow a population to increase geometrically and indefinitely,but there simply is not enough food so populations are limited by food supply
D)  the theory that environmental resources increase in response to population pressuresE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 10

Why is Linnaeus's taxonomic system referred to as a "hierarchy"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Each species has a "higher level" genus and "lower level" species,and is placed within additional higher level categories.
B)  Species are placed in a ranked list called the "Great Chain of Being."
C)  Humans are considered the most evolved species.
D)  Naming species officially requires approval of an appointed board of high level experts.E) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 11

How does gene flow differ from genetic drift?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

How do the diverse modern-day lemurs of Madagascar demonstrate the concept of adaptive radiation?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

What did Mendel's plant experiments demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Traits inherited 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 are passed on from parent to offspring as discrete units.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 14

The Human Genome Project has identified the location of genes that influence diseases.What are some of these diseases?

Accepted Answer

A)  the common cold,flu,whooping cough,and meningitis
B)  high blood pressure,diabetes,sinus inflammation,and sickle-cell anemia
C)  sickle-cell anemia,breast cancer,Tay-Sachs,and cystic fibrosis
D)  thyroid disease,menopause,meningitis,and breast cancerE) B) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 15

According to Darwin,natural selection operates at the level of:

Accepted Answer

A)  individuals.
B)  genes.
C)  populations.
D)  species.E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 16

Which five scientific disciplines did Darwin draw on to develop his thinking about evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  geology,physical anthropology,taxonomy and systematics,demography,and evolutionary biology
B)  geology,paleontology,taxonomy and systematics,geography,and evolutionary biology
C)  geology,paleontology,taxonomy and systematics,demography,and biology
D)  geology,paleontology,taxonomy and systematics,demography,and evolutionary biologyE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 17

What happens when adaptive radiation occurs?

Accepted Answer

A)  One species gives rise to multiple closely related species.
B)  Several species adapt to one environment.
C)  Species adapt to environments with high radiation levels.
D)  An individual adapts to varying environments.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 18

What were the three key observations made by Darwin that allowed him to deduce that natural selection is a primary driver of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Species change and adapt based on environmental pressure,individuals change within their lifetime,and offspring inherit the changes.
B)  Genetic drift,gene flow,and mutations provide the change necessary in populations that affect future generations.
C)  Organisms produce more offspring than survive,variation exists among members of populations,advantageous variations increase in relative frequency over time.
D)  The number of adults tends to remain the same over time,individuals vary very little over time,and natural selection works on only the best of those adults in each generation.E) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

A)  gene pool
B)  DNA
C)  phenotype
D)  polygeneE) A) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 20

Why are Darwin's finches considered good examples of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are found on every continent.
B)  They originated in North America,according to fossil evidence.
C)  They embody the idea of descent with modification.
D)  They did not differ between populations.E) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Exam 2: Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedDarwin's theory lacked a mechanism for t...View AnswerShow Answer

Who was the English demographer whose work on population growth greatly influenced Darwin's thinking on population adaptation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was Thomas Malthus's contribution to natural selection?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Without the work of x-ray crystallographer ________,DNA might not have been discovered until much later than it was.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does gene flow differ from genetic drift?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Human Genome Project has identified the location of genes that influence diseases.What are some of these diseases?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What were the three key observations made by Darwin that allowed him to deduce that natural selection is a primary driver of evolution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What did Mendel's plant experiments demonstrate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species (1859) considered an important contribution to modern science?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What happens when adaptive radiation occurs?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why are Darwin's finches considered good examples of natural selection?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What theory did the presence of iridium in geologic deposits around the world support?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What are the advantageous "attributes" to which Darwin refers now known as?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to Darwin,natural selection operates at the level of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Discuss four key individuals who helped Darwin formulate the theory of natural selection.

Correct AnswerverifiedHutton,Lyell,Malthus,Linnaeus,Lamarck,Ra...View AnswerShow Answer

Why is Linnaeus's taxonomic system referred to as a "hierarchy"?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which five scientific disciplines did Darwin draw on to develop his thinking about evolution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Cuvier,Lamarck,and Erasmus Darwin all shared an idea of evolution.However,what key feature did their ideas all lack,which Charles Darwin would later develop?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How do the diverse modern-day lemurs of Madagascar demonstrate the concept of adaptive radiation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Darwin's theory lacked a mechanism for t...
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Hutton,Lyell,Malthus,Linnaeus,Lamarck,Ra...
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