Question 1

The age of the earth is estimated to be about

Accepted Answer

A)   1 million years old.
B)   4 million years old.
C)   1 billion years old.
D)   2.5 billion years old.
E)   4.6 billion years old. E

Question 2

Changes in the allele frequencies of a gene pool due to the random meeting of gametes during fertilization is called

Accepted Answer

A)   mutations.
B)   genetic drift.
C)   gene flow.
D)   nonrandom mating.
E)   natural selection. B

Question 3

Cytochrome c is a molecule used in the electron transport chain of many organisms. Data regarding differences in the amino acid sequence of cytochrome c show that the sequence in a moth differs from a turtle by 15 about amino acids, while a moth differs from a human by about 30 amino acids. Therefore,

Accepted Answer

A)   this is sufficient evidence to prove the moth is related more to the human than the turtle.
B)   turtles evolved before moths.
C)   there is no evolutionary relationship between moths, snakes, and humans.
D)   in addition to anatomical similarities and fossil data, this provides additional evidence for determining the relatedness between these organisms.
E)   biochemical information is not relevant to the evolution of organisms. D

Question 4

The difference between phyletic gradualism and punctuated equilibrium is that

Accepted Answer

A)   phyletic gradualism is specific to eukaryotes and punctuated equilibrium is specific to prokaryotes.
B)   punctuated equilibrium states that speciation can occur in a relatively short period of time, while phyletic gradualism states that speciation occurs gradually over vast periods of time.
C)   phyletic gradualism states that speciation can occur over a relatively short time period, while punctuated equilibrium states that speciation requires vast periods of time.
D)   the fossil record only supports phyletic gradualism.
E)   the fossil record only supports punctuated equilibrium.

Question 5

Which of the following would scenarios could result in reproductive isolation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fruit flies on one Hawaiian island live for hundreds of generations and do not come in contact with fruit flies on another island except when blown there by rare tropical storms.
B)   One brood of the 17-year cicada emerged in 1987 (and will do so every 17 years)  and lives a few months as adults; another brood emerged in 1992 (and will do so every 17 years) ; the larvae of both feed side by side on tree roots.
C)   A lion and a tiger mate in the artificial confines of a zoo, but the offspring is infertile.
D)   Two populations of crickets are indistinguishable in physical features, but the females in each group only approach males singing songs specific to their species.
E)   All of the answer choices could lead to reproductive isolation.

Question 6

Archaeopteryx is a fossil that clearly seems to be an intermediate form between dinosaurs and birds. Fossils like Archaeopteryx are termed

Accepted Answer

A)   missing links.
B)   stepping stones.
C)   transitional links.
D)   intermediates.
E)   species links.

Question 7

Which type of natural selection occurs when an intermediate phenotype is favored?

Accepted Answer

A)   disruptive selection
B)   directional selection
C)   stabilizing selection
D)   drift selection
E)   adaptive radiation

Question 8

Which of the following is true about natural selection?

Accepted Answer

A)   It acts on genotypes rather than phenotypes.
B)   It assures the survival of each fit individual.
C)   It favors the survival of young with adaptive characteristics.
D)   It always selects for more complex forms.
E)   It always selects for forms that are a mutated variation.

Question 9

Social research indicates that a person is most likely to marry someone from the same village or city, or a high school or college classmate. Therefore, the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium does not apply well to human populations because

Accepted Answer

A)   there is a lack of gene flow.
B)   the populations are small.
C)   mating is nonrandom.
D)   this increases genetic drift.
E)   natural selection is occurring.

Question 10

According to Lamarck, which variable would have the greatest influence on the evolution of an organism?

Accepted Answer

A)   the environment
B)   the genetics of the individual
C)   Both the environment and genetics are equally responsible for the evolution of an organism.
D)   Neither the environment nor the genetics of an organism play a role in its evolution.
E)   A creator would determine the evolution of an organism.

Question 11

Which type of natural selection increases the frequency of one extreme phenotype?

Accepted Answer

A)   directional
B)   diversifying
C)   stabilizing
D)   disruptive
E)   nonrandom

Question 12

Inbreeding within a population is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)   mutations.
B)   genetic drift.
C)   gene flow.
D)   nonrandom mating.
E)   natural selection.

Question 13

Transitional forms are seen in the fossil record that link

Accepted Answer

A)   reptiles and birds.
B)   amphibians and reptiles.
C)   fish and amphibians.
D)   reptiles and mammals.
E)   Transitional fossils have been found in all of these groups.

Question 14

The three-domain system is primarily based on

Accepted Answer

A)   molecular data showing eukaryotes are much more closely related than previously thought.
B)   structural data showing eukaryotes are far more diverse than previously thought.
C)   molecular data showing prokaryotes are far more diverse than previously thought.
D)   new biogeographical data showing prokaryotes are far more diverse than previously thought.
E)   new classification concepts that have shown everything except molecular data to be irrelevant.

Question 15

Taxonomy is the branch of systemic biology that studies the evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Within the field of systematic biology, scientists use the characteristics of living and fossil organisms to infer the evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Which of the following describes the absolute dating method?

Accepted Answer

A)   Lower rock layers are older than surface layers.
B)   Common assemblages of indicator fossils occur in layers with primitive layers lower.
C)   Radioisotopes decay at constant rates and the ratio of isotopes-to-stable elements provides an approximate age to a fossil.
D)   The number of homologous features shared between two fossils indicates their age.
E)   The age of a fossil can be determined by the number of continents on which it has been found.

Question 18

The extinction of the dinosaurs has been associated with

Accepted Answer

A)   a virus leading to disease and massive loss of life.
B)   dinosaurs preying upon each other until they became extinct.
C)   a meteor impact at the end of the Cretaceous era that caused major cooling.
D)   new chemicals and ions in the environment which caused dinosaurs to become sterile.
E)   mammals who were more adapted and more able to acquire similar resources.

Question 19

Genetic drift

Accepted Answer

A)   is more likely to occur in a large population than in a small population.
B)   may lead to an allele becoming fixed in a population.
C)   increases the number of heterozygotes in a population.
D)   has no impact of the allele frequencies of a population.
E)   reduces the chances of mutation in a population.

Question 20

Anatomical features that are fully developed and functional in one group of organisms but reduced and functionless in a similar group are termed

Accepted Answer

A)   vestigial.
B)   homologous.
C)   analogous.
D)   polygenic.
E)   sympatric.

Exam 27: Evolution of Life