Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between typological thinking and population thinking in evolutionary biology?

Accepted Answer

Typological thinking assumes species are unchanging types, while population thinking recognizes variation among individuals as key to evolution.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT evidence supporting the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

The idea that all species were created independently and do not change over time.

Question 3

A population of bacteria is exposed to an antibiotic. After several generations, most bacteria are resistant to the drug. Which of Darwin’s postulates does this scenario best illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Heritable variation leads to differential reproductive success.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a fitness trade-off?

Accepted Answer

A bird species that lays fewer eggs but each egg is larger and more likely to survive.

Question 5

Which statement about adaptation is correct?

Accepted Answer

Adaptations are heritable traits that increase fitness in a specific environment.

Question 6

Which of the following best explains why complex traits can be lost over evolutionary time?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is not progressive; traits can be lost if they are no longer advantageous.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of structural homology?

Accepted Answer

The similar arrangement of limb bones in humans, bats, and seals.

Question 8

A scientist finds a fossil with features intermediate between fish and amphibians. What type of evidence for evolution does this fossil provide?

Accepted Answer

Transitional feature evidence

Question 9

Which of the following statements about natural selection is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection is a random process that always increases complexity.

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the process of speciation?

Accepted Answer

The process by which one species splits into two or more descendant species.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of acclimatization rather than adaptation?

Accepted Answer

A person develops a tan after spending time in the sun.

Question 12

Which of the following is a prediction made by the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Species change through time and are related by common ancestry.

Question 13

Which of the following is a real-world example of evolution observed in action?

Accepted Answer

The development of antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Question 14

Which of the following best explains why vestigial traits are evidence for evolution?

Accepted Answer

They are reduced or nonfunctional structures similar to functional traits in related species.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of genetic homology?

Accepted Answer

The presence of similar DNA sequences in humans and chimpanzees.

Question 16

Which of the following is a correct statement about the fossil record?

Accepted Answer

The fossil record provides evidence for extinction and change in species over time.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a postulate of Darwin’s theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

All individuals survive and reproduce equally.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the role of mutation in evolution?

Accepted Answer

Mutations provide the genetic variation on which natural selection can act.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a developmental homology?

Accepted Answer

The presence of pharyngeal pouches in embryos of chicks, humans, and cats.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about evolution and natural selection is correct?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is a pattern of change through time, while natural selection is a process that can cause adaptive evolution.

Evolution by Natural Selection: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Modern Applications

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