MASTERING HW - EXAM 1
REVIEW WITH VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2026
Which tree does the best job of highlighting some of the ancestors of humans? -
answer-C - Tree with dots on it
Which of these trees show the same evolutionary relationships? - answer-A,B,D - All but
the one with names pointing to the top
Which of these trees show the same evolutionary relationships? Select all that apply. -
answer-A,D
In all of these phylogenetic trees, the gain or loss of a trait is represented by a red trait
mark. These marks are a way of showing change---that is, evolution. Which tree does
the best job of showing which branches are evolving? - answer-C - Lines through each
branch
Interpret the phylogenetic tree. - answer-The single branch for bacterium could be
expanded to show the relationships of many species of bacteria.
True
This tree shows that a bacterium is the lowest form of life.
False
This tree could be rotated so that the branch for bacterium is on the top rather than the
bottom of the tree.
True
Less evolution occurs in the long branches than occurs in the short branches.
False
,This tree shows that bacteria evolve into green algae, which evolve into plants, and so
on.
False
The bacteria that are alive today are the common ancestors of all other organisms.
False
Which phylogenetic tree highlights the most recent common ancestor of all animals
with four limbs (where limbs include legs, arms, and wings)? - answer-C - dot on second
connection
Which phylogenetic tree shows that lactation--the production of milk to feed young--is a
homologous trait in humans, dogs, and bats (but not in birds and lizards)? - answer-C -
milk on second branch, superior
Which phylogenetic tree shows that wings occur only in bats and birds but are not
homologous? - answer-Common Sense
Interpret the phylogenetic tree. - answer-Magnolias only have trait C.
False
The common ancestor marked by the dot had all five traits.
False
Trait C occurs only in magnolias.
True
Trait D is homologous in all of the taxa except mosses. True
Trait B is homologous in pines, cedars, and cacao.
False
Trait E is homologous in magnolias, roses, and cacao. True
,If you wanted to draw a population of butterflies to show variation in the relative sizes of
their forewings and hindwings, which style of drawing would be the most efficient to
use? - answer-B - Simple cartoon
Birds vary in many traits. Select a set of three cartoons that focus just on variability in
leg length.
Select three. - answer-A,B,D
Evaluate this model of Darwin's postulates. - answer-The model is comparing two
species of flower: a species with short petals and a species with long petals. False
The flowers grew longer petals because they needed to attract bees.
False
The top row of flowers indicates that there were only four flowers in the original
population.
False
The X drawn over the flower shows that it did not survive.
True
The leaves, stems, and roots of the flowering plants were not included in the model for
simplicity.
True
Flowers with short petals only mate with other flowers with short petals.
False
Which drawing of a population of bacteria does the best job of illustrating Darwin's
second postulate, that some variation among individuals is heritable? (The color red
represents the ability of the bacteria to digest the sugar lactose.) - answer-A - all same
color
Evaluate Chris's model of Darwin's postulates. - answer-The model shows that in this
population, grass plants vary in the height of their shoots.
True
, The model suggests that in this population, at least some of the variation in shoot height
is heritable.
True
The drawings must be life-like for the model to be helpful.
False
This model shows that the shorter and taller grass plants have the same reproductive
success.
False
Grass plants have roots, but roots are not the focus of this model, so it is fine that Chris
left them out.
True
Scientific evidence documents the pattern of evolution. The evidence exists in a variety
of categories, including direct observation of evolutionary change, the fossil record,
homology, and biogeography. Sort the following examples into the correct categories. -
answer-direct observation of evolutionary change:
development of drug resistance in bacteria
fossil record:
discovery of transitional forms of horses
discovery of shells of extinct species
homology:
similarities in mammalian forelimbs
same genetic code in fireflies and tobacco plants
vestigial pelvis in right whales
biogeography:
similarity of endemic island species to nearby mainland species
the high concentration of marsupial species in Australia
REVIEW WITH VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2026
Which tree does the best job of highlighting some of the ancestors of humans? -
answer-C - Tree with dots on it
Which of these trees show the same evolutionary relationships? - answer-A,B,D - All but
the one with names pointing to the top
Which of these trees show the same evolutionary relationships? Select all that apply. -
answer-A,D
In all of these phylogenetic trees, the gain or loss of a trait is represented by a red trait
mark. These marks are a way of showing change---that is, evolution. Which tree does
the best job of showing which branches are evolving? - answer-C - Lines through each
branch
Interpret the phylogenetic tree. - answer-The single branch for bacterium could be
expanded to show the relationships of many species of bacteria.
True
This tree shows that a bacterium is the lowest form of life.
False
This tree could be rotated so that the branch for bacterium is on the top rather than the
bottom of the tree.
True
Less evolution occurs in the long branches than occurs in the short branches.
False
,This tree shows that bacteria evolve into green algae, which evolve into plants, and so
on.
False
The bacteria that are alive today are the common ancestors of all other organisms.
False
Which phylogenetic tree highlights the most recent common ancestor of all animals
with four limbs (where limbs include legs, arms, and wings)? - answer-C - dot on second
connection
Which phylogenetic tree shows that lactation--the production of milk to feed young--is a
homologous trait in humans, dogs, and bats (but not in birds and lizards)? - answer-C -
milk on second branch, superior
Which phylogenetic tree shows that wings occur only in bats and birds but are not
homologous? - answer-Common Sense
Interpret the phylogenetic tree. - answer-Magnolias only have trait C.
False
The common ancestor marked by the dot had all five traits.
False
Trait C occurs only in magnolias.
True
Trait D is homologous in all of the taxa except mosses. True
Trait B is homologous in pines, cedars, and cacao.
False
Trait E is homologous in magnolias, roses, and cacao. True
,If you wanted to draw a population of butterflies to show variation in the relative sizes of
their forewings and hindwings, which style of drawing would be the most efficient to
use? - answer-B - Simple cartoon
Birds vary in many traits. Select a set of three cartoons that focus just on variability in
leg length.
Select three. - answer-A,B,D
Evaluate this model of Darwin's postulates. - answer-The model is comparing two
species of flower: a species with short petals and a species with long petals. False
The flowers grew longer petals because they needed to attract bees.
False
The top row of flowers indicates that there were only four flowers in the original
population.
False
The X drawn over the flower shows that it did not survive.
True
The leaves, stems, and roots of the flowering plants were not included in the model for
simplicity.
True
Flowers with short petals only mate with other flowers with short petals.
False
Which drawing of a population of bacteria does the best job of illustrating Darwin's
second postulate, that some variation among individuals is heritable? (The color red
represents the ability of the bacteria to digest the sugar lactose.) - answer-A - all same
color
Evaluate Chris's model of Darwin's postulates. - answer-The model shows that in this
population, grass plants vary in the height of their shoots.
True
, The model suggests that in this population, at least some of the variation in shoot height
is heritable.
True
The drawings must be life-like for the model to be helpful.
False
This model shows that the shorter and taller grass plants have the same reproductive
success.
False
Grass plants have roots, but roots are not the focus of this model, so it is fine that Chris
left them out.
True
Scientific evidence documents the pattern of evolution. The evidence exists in a variety
of categories, including direct observation of evolutionary change, the fossil record,
homology, and biogeography. Sort the following examples into the correct categories. -
answer-direct observation of evolutionary change:
development of drug resistance in bacteria
fossil record:
discovery of transitional forms of horses
discovery of shells of extinct species
homology:
similarities in mammalian forelimbs
same genetic code in fireflies and tobacco plants
vestigial pelvis in right whales
biogeography:
similarity of endemic island species to nearby mainland species
the high concentration of marsupial species in Australia
