Exam 22: Evolution and the Origins of Life

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

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

All humans are classified as Homo sapiens, a single species. But you know from looking around you that all people do not look or sound the same. Explain how it is possible for humans to belong to the same species yet display a wide range of physical differences.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Humans are classified as ________ because of our larger bodies, bigger brains, and lack of tails in relation to other primates.

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

Dinosaurs and modern humans coexisted for about a million years.

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

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

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.

Racial differences most likely arose as adaptations to different ________.

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

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

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

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