Multiple Choice
At the time Darwin voyaged on HMS Beagle, the popularly accepted theory in Western culture that explained the origin of Earth's plants and animals held that the various species __________.
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21. Evolution
Introduction to Evolution and Natural Selection
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Which of the following is a true statement about Charles Darwin?
A
He was the first to discover that living things can change, or evolve.
B
He based his theory on the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
C
He worked out the principles of population genetics.
D
He was the first to conclude that Earth is billions of years old.
E
He proposed natural selection as the mechanism of evolution.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the context: Charles Darwin is a key figure in biology known for his contributions to the theory of evolution.
Identify the key concept: Darwin is most famous for proposing the mechanism of natural selection as a way to explain how evolution occurs.
Clarify misconceptions: Darwin was not the first to suggest that living things can change over time, nor did he base his theory on the inheritance of acquired characteristics (that was Lamarck).
Recognize Darwin's contributions: He did not work out the principles of population genetics; that was done later by scientists like Mendel and others in the field of genetics.
Acknowledge the correct statement: Darwin's significant contribution was proposing natural selection as the mechanism by which evolution occurs, which is the correct statement in the context of the problem.
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