Question 1

Which concept did Darwin use to describe the process by which species change over time?

Accepted Answer

Descent with modification

Question 2

Which scientist developed the binomial format for naming species and founded taxonomy?

Accepted Answer

Carolus Linnaeus

Question 3

According to Darwin, what is the primary mechanism driving evolution?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for evolution by natural selection to occur?

Accepted Answer

No genetic variation in a population

Question 5

What did Darwin observe about the finches on the Galápagos Islands that supported his theory?

Accepted Answer

They had beaks adapted to different food sources

Question 6

Which of the following statements best describes Lamarck’s hypothesis of evolution?

Accepted Answer

Species evolve through use and disuse of body parts and inheritance of acquired characteristics

Question 7

Which evidence supports the idea that Earth’s surface changes gradually over time?

Accepted Answer

Geologists Hutton and Lyell’s observations of slow, continuous processes

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of artificial selection?

Accepted Answer

Breeding wild mustard to produce cabbage, broccoli, and kale

Question 9

Why does natural selection not create new traits?

Accepted Answer

It selects for traits already present in the population

Question 10

Which of the following is a direct observation of evolutionary change?

Accepted Answer

The evolution of drug-resistant bacteria

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why populations, not individuals, evolve?

Accepted Answer

Evolution involves changes in allele frequencies within a population over generations

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of homology?

Accepted Answer

The basic forelimb structure of horses and moles

Question 13

What is the significance of vestigial structures in evolutionary biology?

Accepted Answer

They are remnants of features that served important functions in ancestors

Question 14

Which of the following best describes convergent evolution?

Accepted Answer

The evolution of similar features in distantly related groups due to similar environments

Question 15

Which of the following is a real-world example of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Soapberry bugs evolving beak size to match fruit size

Question 16

Which equation best represents the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for allele frequencies in a population?

Accepted Answer

$$p^2 + 2pq$$ + $$q^2 = 1$

Question 17

If a population of bacteria is exposed to an antibiotic, which individuals are most likely to survive?

Accepted Answer

Those with heritable resistance to the antibiotic

Question 18

Which of the following statements is true about biogeography?

Accepted Answer

It provides evidence for evolution by studying the geographic distribution of species

Question 19

Which of the following would NOT be considered evidence for evolution?

Accepted Answer

The arrangement of species on the scala naturae

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why drug-resistant bacteria are a major concern in medicine?

Accepted Answer

They survive and reproduce more successfully when exposed to antibiotics, leading to rapid evolution of resistance

Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life (Chapter 22 Study Notes)

Study Guide - Practice Questions