BIOB51 SAMPLE QS EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED A++
analyses of fossils cannot inform us about:
a. What is eaten by different living things in the past
b. When different living things were on Earth in the past
c. How different living things fit into Earth's past ecosystems
d. The similarities and differences of the genomes of different living things in the
past
Ans: D
The similarities and differences of the genomes of different living things in the past
Whether an atom is permanently stable or unstable, or will ultimately
spontaneously decay, depends on:
a. The number of protons in the nucleus
b. The number of neutrons in the nucleus
c. The number of electrons in the electron cloud
d. The number of protons plus the number of neutrons in the nucleus
ANS:B
b. The number of neutrons in the nucleus
The earth is very old. This statement is supported by the fact that radioactive
isotopes:
a. Are not found on Earth at all
,b. That replenish themselves, such as C-14, are not found naturally on Earth
c. With relatively long half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
d. With relatively short half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
ANS:D
d. With relatively short half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
What do phylogenetic trees represent?
a. change in the frequency of alleles in a population over time
b. shared morphologies of species
c. a series of speciation events
d. evolution over time
ANS: D
d. evolution over time
Which statement about the root of a phylogenetic tree is correct?
a. A rooted tree shows which node is the common ancestor of all the taxa shown
in the tree.
b. A rooted tree does not contain information about which character states are
ancestral and derived.
c. In a rooted tree, the root is indistinguishable from the tips of the tree.
d. An unrooted tree cannot be used to depict evolutionary relationships among
plants
ANS: A
, a. A rooted tree shows which node is the common ancestor of all the taxa shown in the
tree.
Which statement about the node of a phylogentic tree is correct:
a. A node connects two speciation events.
b. A node represents the point at which a lineage splits.
c. A node refers to the common ancestor of all the taxa shown in the tree.
d. A node depicts currently living species.
ANS: B
b. A node represents the point at which a lineage splits.
Tiktaalik is a transitional fossil. What does that mean?
a. Tiktaalik is the ancestor from which the lobe-fins arose.
b. Tiktaalik is the ancestor from which the tetrapod lineage arose.
c. Tiktaalik shares some character states with tetrapods and some with
lungfishes and coelacanths.
d. Tiktaalik shares character states with all lobe-fin taxa and is the ancestor from
which the tetrapod lineage arose.
ANS: C
c. Tiktaalik shares some character states with tetrapods and some with lungfishes and
coelacanths.
Both fin ray and lobe-fin appendages are connected to the shoulder girdle. What
is the major difference between a fin ray and a lobe-fin?
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED A++
analyses of fossils cannot inform us about:
a. What is eaten by different living things in the past
b. When different living things were on Earth in the past
c. How different living things fit into Earth's past ecosystems
d. The similarities and differences of the genomes of different living things in the
past
Ans: D
The similarities and differences of the genomes of different living things in the past
Whether an atom is permanently stable or unstable, or will ultimately
spontaneously decay, depends on:
a. The number of protons in the nucleus
b. The number of neutrons in the nucleus
c. The number of electrons in the electron cloud
d. The number of protons plus the number of neutrons in the nucleus
ANS:B
b. The number of neutrons in the nucleus
The earth is very old. This statement is supported by the fact that radioactive
isotopes:
a. Are not found on Earth at all
,b. That replenish themselves, such as C-14, are not found naturally on Earth
c. With relatively long half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
d. With relatively short half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
ANS:D
d. With relatively short half-lives are not found naturally on Earth
What do phylogenetic trees represent?
a. change in the frequency of alleles in a population over time
b. shared morphologies of species
c. a series of speciation events
d. evolution over time
ANS: D
d. evolution over time
Which statement about the root of a phylogenetic tree is correct?
a. A rooted tree shows which node is the common ancestor of all the taxa shown
in the tree.
b. A rooted tree does not contain information about which character states are
ancestral and derived.
c. In a rooted tree, the root is indistinguishable from the tips of the tree.
d. An unrooted tree cannot be used to depict evolutionary relationships among
plants
ANS: A
, a. A rooted tree shows which node is the common ancestor of all the taxa shown in the
tree.
Which statement about the node of a phylogentic tree is correct:
a. A node connects two speciation events.
b. A node represents the point at which a lineage splits.
c. A node refers to the common ancestor of all the taxa shown in the tree.
d. A node depicts currently living species.
ANS: B
b. A node represents the point at which a lineage splits.
Tiktaalik is a transitional fossil. What does that mean?
a. Tiktaalik is the ancestor from which the lobe-fins arose.
b. Tiktaalik is the ancestor from which the tetrapod lineage arose.
c. Tiktaalik shares some character states with tetrapods and some with
lungfishes and coelacanths.
d. Tiktaalik shares character states with all lobe-fin taxa and is the ancestor from
which the tetrapod lineage arose.
ANS: C
c. Tiktaalik shares some character states with tetrapods and some with lungfishes and
coelacanths.
Both fin ray and lobe-fin appendages are connected to the shoulder girdle. What
is the major difference between a fin ray and a lobe-fin?
