Evolutionary relationships between organisms are determined by:

• A. Observing only their physical size and weight
• B. Measuring the speed at which they move
• C. Comparing similarities and differences in DNA, morphology, and embryological development
• D. Counting the number of offspring produced in a single generation

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that evolutionary relationships are determined by analyzing traits that reflect shared ancestry and genetic connections.
2. Recognize that physical size and weight, as well as the speed of movement, are not reliable indicators of evolutionary relationships because they do not necessarily reflect genetic or ancestral similarities.
3. Learn that DNA comparisons are crucial for determining evolutionary relationships because they reveal genetic similarities and differences between organisms.
4. Understand that morphology (the study of form and structure) provides insights into evolutionary relationships by comparing physical traits that may have been inherited from common ancestors.
5. Explore embryological development, which examines how organisms develop from embryos, as it can reveal shared developmental patterns that indicate common ancestry.