©THEBRIGHTSTARS 2024
Evolutionary Analysis Exam 1 Questions
With Correct Answers
What is evidence of microevolution? - answer✔-selective breeding (picking particular
individuals with a desirable trait to reproduce...remember those running mice?)
-direct observation of natural populations (mustard seeds that survived the drought)
vestigial structure - answer✔-a useless or rudimentary version of a body part that has an
important function in other, closely allied species (this just doesn't make sense with "special
creation"). organisms with these structures descended from ancestors where the structure was
fully formed and functional (think tailbones, goosebumps, disabled enzymes)
species - answer✔populations, or groups of populations, within and among which individuals
actually or potentially interbreed and outside of which they do not interbreed
-speciation is a gradual process ending when two distinct species cannot reproduce. One way
speciation can happen is when mutant strains appear in populations.
ring species - answer✔populations that can interbreed with neighboring populations but not
with populations separated by larger geographical distances. In the book, this is evident as a
population actually moves in a geographic circle.
fossil - answer✔any trace of an organism that lived in the past
fossil record - answer✔a worldwide collection of fossils
macroevolution - answer✔ok so this is just like microevolution, but the idea is that BIG
changes happen rapidly.
the law of succession - answer✔the general pattern of correspondence between fossil and living
forms of the from the same locale.
-Basically, extinct species resemble contemporary species found in the same location
transitional forms - answer✔species with a mix of features , old and new.
-think of those jumping blennies (terrestrial fish), or the archaeopteryx (dino-bird)
, ©THEBRIGHTSTARS 2024
-it is transitional because it shows some but not all the novel traits of an organism
Between fact, law, theory, hypothesis, which is most explanatory? - answer✔theory! Because
while laws and facts just say what we observe, the theory can help explain what happens and
maybe why.
Hypothesis 1. (special creation) - answer✔this hypothesis suggests that species have had no
change since the beginning of time, "6000 years ago." Nothing goes extinct.
Hypothesis 2. - answer✔this hypothesis says that everything was created separately in the
beginning, but some species have changed over time through microevolution. However, no
species go extinct here either. It is better than hypothesis because it allows for change over time,
allows for vestigial structures, explains some "junk" DNA, etc.
Hypothesis 3 - answer✔this hypothesis says that in the beginning, a couple of species were
created (like animals and plants), which then branched into a variation of species we see today.
This theory helps explain microevolution in hypothesis 2, but suggests that speciation can, in
fact, occur as well as microevolution/macroevolution.
supports homology, vestigial structures
hypothesis 4. - answer✔this is really the best hypothesis, which suggests that evolution and
speciation can occur, but also connects all living species to a common ancestor. This is supported
by the common system of genetic material in all life.
Evidence of common ancestry - answer✔homology!
homology - answer✔the study of likeness. Fundamental similarities underlie the obvious
physical differences among species. Like the same organ can exist in different animals under
every variety of form and function. These "nested' traits can help us determine the order of the
species ho came first.
molecular homology - answer✔shared genetic flaws (like copied wrong ancestors)
Processed Pseudogenes - answer✔nonfunctional copies of normal genes that originate when
processed mRNAs are accidentally reverse transcribed to DNA then inserted back into the
genomes in a new place. They lack introns and promoters
Exons and introns - answer✔exons are little coding bits of DNA, introns are little noncoding
bits of DNA
retrotransposons - answer✔retroviruses, they are like gene genetic elements that jump from
place to place in the genome via transcription to RNA, reverse transcription to DNA, and
insertion at a new site
How can we age processed pseudogenes from their mother gene? - answer✔processed
pseudogenes lack introns and promoters, which means that they can accumulate lots of mutations
Evolutionary Analysis Exam 1 Questions
With Correct Answers
What is evidence of microevolution? - answer✔-selective breeding (picking particular
individuals with a desirable trait to reproduce...remember those running mice?)
-direct observation of natural populations (mustard seeds that survived the drought)
vestigial structure - answer✔-a useless or rudimentary version of a body part that has an
important function in other, closely allied species (this just doesn't make sense with "special
creation"). organisms with these structures descended from ancestors where the structure was
fully formed and functional (think tailbones, goosebumps, disabled enzymes)
species - answer✔populations, or groups of populations, within and among which individuals
actually or potentially interbreed and outside of which they do not interbreed
-speciation is a gradual process ending when two distinct species cannot reproduce. One way
speciation can happen is when mutant strains appear in populations.
ring species - answer✔populations that can interbreed with neighboring populations but not
with populations separated by larger geographical distances. In the book, this is evident as a
population actually moves in a geographic circle.
fossil - answer✔any trace of an organism that lived in the past
fossil record - answer✔a worldwide collection of fossils
macroevolution - answer✔ok so this is just like microevolution, but the idea is that BIG
changes happen rapidly.
the law of succession - answer✔the general pattern of correspondence between fossil and living
forms of the from the same locale.
-Basically, extinct species resemble contemporary species found in the same location
transitional forms - answer✔species with a mix of features , old and new.
-think of those jumping blennies (terrestrial fish), or the archaeopteryx (dino-bird)
, ©THEBRIGHTSTARS 2024
-it is transitional because it shows some but not all the novel traits of an organism
Between fact, law, theory, hypothesis, which is most explanatory? - answer✔theory! Because
while laws and facts just say what we observe, the theory can help explain what happens and
maybe why.
Hypothesis 1. (special creation) - answer✔this hypothesis suggests that species have had no
change since the beginning of time, "6000 years ago." Nothing goes extinct.
Hypothesis 2. - answer✔this hypothesis says that everything was created separately in the
beginning, but some species have changed over time through microevolution. However, no
species go extinct here either. It is better than hypothesis because it allows for change over time,
allows for vestigial structures, explains some "junk" DNA, etc.
Hypothesis 3 - answer✔this hypothesis says that in the beginning, a couple of species were
created (like animals and plants), which then branched into a variation of species we see today.
This theory helps explain microevolution in hypothesis 2, but suggests that speciation can, in
fact, occur as well as microevolution/macroevolution.
supports homology, vestigial structures
hypothesis 4. - answer✔this is really the best hypothesis, which suggests that evolution and
speciation can occur, but also connects all living species to a common ancestor. This is supported
by the common system of genetic material in all life.
Evidence of common ancestry - answer✔homology!
homology - answer✔the study of likeness. Fundamental similarities underlie the obvious
physical differences among species. Like the same organ can exist in different animals under
every variety of form and function. These "nested' traits can help us determine the order of the
species ho came first.
molecular homology - answer✔shared genetic flaws (like copied wrong ancestors)
Processed Pseudogenes - answer✔nonfunctional copies of normal genes that originate when
processed mRNAs are accidentally reverse transcribed to DNA then inserted back into the
genomes in a new place. They lack introns and promoters
Exons and introns - answer✔exons are little coding bits of DNA, introns are little noncoding
bits of DNA
retrotransposons - answer✔retroviruses, they are like gene genetic elements that jump from
place to place in the genome via transcription to RNA, reverse transcription to DNA, and
insertion at a new site
How can we age processed pseudogenes from their mother gene? - answer✔processed
pseudogenes lack introns and promoters, which means that they can accumulate lots of mutations
