Physical Anthropology Exam 1- 2025
Graded A+
(Syn) Apomorphic - ANSWER-characters that are derived
(Syn) Plesiomorphic Characters - ANSWER-characters that are ancestral
Adaptations - ANSWER-physiological response to environmentally induced stress
Adaptations (cont'd) - ANSWER-evolved phenotypic traits that increase fitness; adaptive
functions can change through time; a trait that evolved for 1 reason in the past may be
used for something completely different today
Ales Hrdlicka - ANSWER-1st. Forensic Anthropologist at the Smithsonian
[1869-1943]
alleles - ANSWER-one variant of a gene; correspond to gene expression
Allopatric Speciation - ANSWER-geographic separation (rivers, mountains, islands)
ex: chimps vs bonobos - the split of the Congo River
analogies - ANSWER-similarities based on common function, w/ no assumed common
evolutionary descent
Analogous traits - ANSWER-similar functions/appearance, but do not share evolutionary
history
Angiogenesis
(speciation) - ANSWER-one species evolves into another over time, linear
Anthropology - ANSWER-the holistic study of human beings
Applied Anthropology - ANSWER-the application to solve practical problems
(non-academic, in the field, e.g. medical anthropology)
archaeology - ANSWER-the study of the material culture of past peoples
(ex: artifacts and material culture)
(prehistoric, historic, etc.)
Autosomes - ANSWER-govern all physical characteristics except determination
Behaviorial Genetics - ANSWER-trying to understand how the behavior of animals,
including humans is influenced by genetics
, Biocultural Evolution - ANSWER-biology makes culture possible - culture further
influences the direction of biological evolution
...Over time, culture and biology interacted in such a way that humans are said to be the
result of biocultural evolution
Blumenbadk - ANSWER-(Father of Physical Anthropology)
- he was a physician, naturalist, physiologist, and anthropologist
- father of craniometry
catastrophism - ANSWER-the view that the earth's geological landscape is the result of
violent cataclysmic events
Causes of speciation - ANSWER-allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation;
physical and behaviorial differences
Cell Types - ANSWER-somatic and gametes
Cellular and Molecular Genetics - ANSWER-the study of genetics at the level of the cell
and DNA molecule
(devise gen. therapy for disease)
Chordata - ANSWER-one phyla of the animal kingdom; includes all animals with a
nerve chord, gills, slits, and supporting chord along the back
chromosomes - ANSWER-tightly coiled DNA strands which contain multiple genes;
double stranded during cell division; joined at centromere (XX/XY)
clade - ANSWER-lineage, or a group of orgs. sharing a common ancestor
Cladistics - ANSWER-method of classifying species into [clades] groups
distinguishes b/w primitive and derived traits;
1st presented by Willi Hennig (1950)
Cladogenesis
(speciation) - ANSWER-species 1 can branch into 2 or more species
Class: Mammalia - ANSWER-endothermic amniotes w/ hair, 3 middle ear bones, and
mammary glands in females
Classical/Mendelian Genetics - ANSWER-pedigree of related individuals and tracking
how traits are passed b/w generations (study OBSERVABLE TRAITS)
Classification - ANSWER-organize diversity into category, indicates evolutionary and
genetic relationships;
Graded A+
(Syn) Apomorphic - ANSWER-characters that are derived
(Syn) Plesiomorphic Characters - ANSWER-characters that are ancestral
Adaptations - ANSWER-physiological response to environmentally induced stress
Adaptations (cont'd) - ANSWER-evolved phenotypic traits that increase fitness; adaptive
functions can change through time; a trait that evolved for 1 reason in the past may be
used for something completely different today
Ales Hrdlicka - ANSWER-1st. Forensic Anthropologist at the Smithsonian
[1869-1943]
alleles - ANSWER-one variant of a gene; correspond to gene expression
Allopatric Speciation - ANSWER-geographic separation (rivers, mountains, islands)
ex: chimps vs bonobos - the split of the Congo River
analogies - ANSWER-similarities based on common function, w/ no assumed common
evolutionary descent
Analogous traits - ANSWER-similar functions/appearance, but do not share evolutionary
history
Angiogenesis
(speciation) - ANSWER-one species evolves into another over time, linear
Anthropology - ANSWER-the holistic study of human beings
Applied Anthropology - ANSWER-the application to solve practical problems
(non-academic, in the field, e.g. medical anthropology)
archaeology - ANSWER-the study of the material culture of past peoples
(ex: artifacts and material culture)
(prehistoric, historic, etc.)
Autosomes - ANSWER-govern all physical characteristics except determination
Behaviorial Genetics - ANSWER-trying to understand how the behavior of animals,
including humans is influenced by genetics
, Biocultural Evolution - ANSWER-biology makes culture possible - culture further
influences the direction of biological evolution
...Over time, culture and biology interacted in such a way that humans are said to be the
result of biocultural evolution
Blumenbadk - ANSWER-(Father of Physical Anthropology)
- he was a physician, naturalist, physiologist, and anthropologist
- father of craniometry
catastrophism - ANSWER-the view that the earth's geological landscape is the result of
violent cataclysmic events
Causes of speciation - ANSWER-allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation;
physical and behaviorial differences
Cell Types - ANSWER-somatic and gametes
Cellular and Molecular Genetics - ANSWER-the study of genetics at the level of the cell
and DNA molecule
(devise gen. therapy for disease)
Chordata - ANSWER-one phyla of the animal kingdom; includes all animals with a
nerve chord, gills, slits, and supporting chord along the back
chromosomes - ANSWER-tightly coiled DNA strands which contain multiple genes;
double stranded during cell division; joined at centromere (XX/XY)
clade - ANSWER-lineage, or a group of orgs. sharing a common ancestor
Cladistics - ANSWER-method of classifying species into [clades] groups
distinguishes b/w primitive and derived traits;
1st presented by Willi Hennig (1950)
Cladogenesis
(speciation) - ANSWER-species 1 can branch into 2 or more species
Class: Mammalia - ANSWER-endothermic amniotes w/ hair, 3 middle ear bones, and
mammary glands in females
Classical/Mendelian Genetics - ANSWER-pedigree of related individuals and tracking
how traits are passed b/w generations (study OBSERVABLE TRAITS)
Classification - ANSWER-organize diversity into category, indicates evolutionary and
genetic relationships;
