UVIC BIO 400 FINAL – DARWIN EXAM QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2025-
2026
What are some of Darwin's most important achievements? - Answers Killed essentialism in
biology.
He presented a reasonable mechanism for evolution: natural selection.
Natural selection remained controversial until _____ - Answers the 1930s
What was Darwin's argument for evolution? - Answers It was a reality. It was a result of natural
selection.
What term was use in place of "purpose" when explaining the existence of organisms? Why? -
Answers Function. Since function does not imply conscious intent (like divine purpose in a
teleological explanation).
Why was Charles Darwin generally free of financial worry? - Answers He came from a rich family;
his father and grandfather were both physicians.
Aside from coming from a rich family, how else did Charles Darwin make money? - Answers
Sale of books. His book "The Voyage of the Beagle" was a best seller. He was also a wise
investor.
Darwin originally studied _______ at the University of Edinburgh but dropped out because of
______ and ______ - Answers Medicine, Lack of interest, motivation.
While at the University of Edinburgh studying medicine, what was Charles Darwin horrified by
and lead to his overall lack of interest and motivation? - Answers Surgery demonstrations
without anesthetic.
While attending the University of Edinburgh, Darwin became interested in ___________ and
__________. - Answers Natural history and geology.
While at the University of Edinburgh, Darwin met ______ who was a zoologist and Lamarckian. -
Answers Robert Grant.
Why did Darwin's father advise him not to voice his doubts about religion should they arise? -
Answers If he should die it would cause a wife to have a hard life since she would think he
would be roasting in Hell.
What was Darwin's role on the Beagle? - Answers Ships naturalist.
, A conversational companion to the captain, Captain Fitzroy (who was concerned about his own
mental health).
After his voyage on the Beagle, Charles Darwin married ________ back in London England. -
Answers Emma Wedgewood.
What was Darwin's original book called (when he started thinking about evolution) - Answers
Species Transmutation
What were three possible causes for Darwin's poor health in the remainder of his days? -
Answers Chigas, chrones, psycho-somatic punishment (as a subconscious way of punishing
himself for thinking about evolution in a time of adversity).
What did Darwin research at Down House? - Answers Barnacles (over 8 years)
Evolution
Earthworms
Animal behavior (expression of emotion)
Insectivorous plants
Power of movement in plants
Plant reproduction
Domesticated plants and animals
Darwin's work on "The Origin of Species" was the result of ____________ not the ideas of
_________ - Answers Primary observation by himself and others, not the ideas of prior
evolutionary thinkers.
2. July 1837 - Darwin began a notebook on ________ ________. The observations and material he
had gathered on his voyage convinced him that _________ occurs - Answers (notebook on)
species transmutation.
Evolution (occurs).
According to Darwin, what was the force behind the natural phenomenon of evolutionary change?
- Answers Adaptation to the environment.
The idea outlined in the essay by Thomas Malthus about population caused Darwin to conclude
that: - Answers All populations have the reproductive ability to outstrip the resources available
to them.
What is contained within Darwin's "sketch of 1842" - Answers Darwin's evolutionary ideas in a
manuscript, which was not published in his lifetime.
2026
What are some of Darwin's most important achievements? - Answers Killed essentialism in
biology.
He presented a reasonable mechanism for evolution: natural selection.
Natural selection remained controversial until _____ - Answers the 1930s
What was Darwin's argument for evolution? - Answers It was a reality. It was a result of natural
selection.
What term was use in place of "purpose" when explaining the existence of organisms? Why? -
Answers Function. Since function does not imply conscious intent (like divine purpose in a
teleological explanation).
Why was Charles Darwin generally free of financial worry? - Answers He came from a rich family;
his father and grandfather were both physicians.
Aside from coming from a rich family, how else did Charles Darwin make money? - Answers
Sale of books. His book "The Voyage of the Beagle" was a best seller. He was also a wise
investor.
Darwin originally studied _______ at the University of Edinburgh but dropped out because of
______ and ______ - Answers Medicine, Lack of interest, motivation.
While at the University of Edinburgh studying medicine, what was Charles Darwin horrified by
and lead to his overall lack of interest and motivation? - Answers Surgery demonstrations
without anesthetic.
While attending the University of Edinburgh, Darwin became interested in ___________ and
__________. - Answers Natural history and geology.
While at the University of Edinburgh, Darwin met ______ who was a zoologist and Lamarckian. -
Answers Robert Grant.
Why did Darwin's father advise him not to voice his doubts about religion should they arise? -
Answers If he should die it would cause a wife to have a hard life since she would think he
would be roasting in Hell.
What was Darwin's role on the Beagle? - Answers Ships naturalist.
, A conversational companion to the captain, Captain Fitzroy (who was concerned about his own
mental health).
After his voyage on the Beagle, Charles Darwin married ________ back in London England. -
Answers Emma Wedgewood.
What was Darwin's original book called (when he started thinking about evolution) - Answers
Species Transmutation
What were three possible causes for Darwin's poor health in the remainder of his days? -
Answers Chigas, chrones, psycho-somatic punishment (as a subconscious way of punishing
himself for thinking about evolution in a time of adversity).
What did Darwin research at Down House? - Answers Barnacles (over 8 years)
Evolution
Earthworms
Animal behavior (expression of emotion)
Insectivorous plants
Power of movement in plants
Plant reproduction
Domesticated plants and animals
Darwin's work on "The Origin of Species" was the result of ____________ not the ideas of
_________ - Answers Primary observation by himself and others, not the ideas of prior
evolutionary thinkers.
2. July 1837 - Darwin began a notebook on ________ ________. The observations and material he
had gathered on his voyage convinced him that _________ occurs - Answers (notebook on)
species transmutation.
Evolution (occurs).
According to Darwin, what was the force behind the natural phenomenon of evolutionary change?
- Answers Adaptation to the environment.
The idea outlined in the essay by Thomas Malthus about population caused Darwin to conclude
that: - Answers All populations have the reproductive ability to outstrip the resources available
to them.
What is contained within Darwin's "sketch of 1842" - Answers Darwin's evolutionary ideas in a
manuscript, which was not published in his lifetime.
