EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWER WITH EXPLANATION GRADED
A+ STUDY GUIDE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
UNIVERSITY
1. Evolution is defined as:
A. Change in inherited traits over generations
B. Daily weather changes
C. Growth of individual organisms only
D. Formation of rocks only
Answer: A
Rationale: Evolution involves genetic changes in populations over time.
2. The scientist associated with natural selection is:
A. Charles Darwin
B. Isaac Newton
C. Gregor Mendel
D. Louis Pasteur
Answer: A
Rationale: Darwin proposed evolution by natural selection.
3. Natural selection favors organisms that:
A. Are better adapted to their environment
B. Are always the largest
C. Never reproduce
D. Avoid mutation completely
Answer: A
Rationale: Adaptations improve survival and reproduction.
4. Variation within a population is important because it:
A. Provides material for natural selection
B. Prevents evolution
C. Stops reproduction
D. Eliminates adaptation
Answer: A
Rationale: Genetic diversity allows evolutionary change.
,5. Mutations are:
A. Changes in DNA sequences
B. Identical copies of genes
C. Forms of respiration
D. Protein molecules only
Answer: A
Rationale: Mutations create genetic variation.
6. The ultimate source of new genetic variation is:
A. Mutation
B. Respiration
C. Digestion
D. Photosynthesis
Answer: A
Rationale: Mutations introduce new alleles.
7. An adaptation is a trait that:
A. Improves survival or reproduction
B. Causes extinction immediately
C. Stops inheritance
D. Reduces all variation
Answer: A
Rationale: Adaptations increase fitness.
8. Fitness in evolutionary biology refers to:
A. Reproductive success
B. Physical strength only
C. Body size only
D. Speed only
Answer: A
Rationale: Fitness measures contribution to future generations.
9. Artificial selection occurs when:
A. Humans choose traits for breeding
B. Nature controls breeding only
C. Mutations stop completely
D. Organisms never reproduce
Answer: A
Rationale: Human-directed selection.
, 10. The study of fossils is called:
A. Paleontology
B. Ecology
C. Cytology
D. Physiology
Answer: A
Rationale: Fossils provide evidence of evolution.
11. Fossils provide evidence of:
A. Past life and evolutionary change
B. Weather patterns only
C. Ocean currents only
D. Planet formation only
Answer: A
Rationale: Show historical organisms and transitions.
12. Homologous structures indicate:
A. Common ancestry
B. Different ancestry always
C. No evolution
D. Random similarity only
Answer: A
Rationale: Similar structures from shared ancestors.
13. Analogous structures result from:
A. Convergent evolution
B. Common ancestry only
C. Mutation only
D. Extinction only
Answer: A
Rationale: Similar functions evolve independently.
14. Vestigial structures are:
A. Reduced remnants of ancestral traits
B. Newly evolved organs
C. Harmful pathogens
D. Reproductive cells only
Answer: A
Rationale: Evidence of evolutionary history.
AND CORRECT ANSWER WITH EXPLANATION GRADED
A+ STUDY GUIDE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
UNIVERSITY
1. Evolution is defined as:
A. Change in inherited traits over generations
B. Daily weather changes
C. Growth of individual organisms only
D. Formation of rocks only
Answer: A
Rationale: Evolution involves genetic changes in populations over time.
2. The scientist associated with natural selection is:
A. Charles Darwin
B. Isaac Newton
C. Gregor Mendel
D. Louis Pasteur
Answer: A
Rationale: Darwin proposed evolution by natural selection.
3. Natural selection favors organisms that:
A. Are better adapted to their environment
B. Are always the largest
C. Never reproduce
D. Avoid mutation completely
Answer: A
Rationale: Adaptations improve survival and reproduction.
4. Variation within a population is important because it:
A. Provides material for natural selection
B. Prevents evolution
C. Stops reproduction
D. Eliminates adaptation
Answer: A
Rationale: Genetic diversity allows evolutionary change.
,5. Mutations are:
A. Changes in DNA sequences
B. Identical copies of genes
C. Forms of respiration
D. Protein molecules only
Answer: A
Rationale: Mutations create genetic variation.
6. The ultimate source of new genetic variation is:
A. Mutation
B. Respiration
C. Digestion
D. Photosynthesis
Answer: A
Rationale: Mutations introduce new alleles.
7. An adaptation is a trait that:
A. Improves survival or reproduction
B. Causes extinction immediately
C. Stops inheritance
D. Reduces all variation
Answer: A
Rationale: Adaptations increase fitness.
8. Fitness in evolutionary biology refers to:
A. Reproductive success
B. Physical strength only
C. Body size only
D. Speed only
Answer: A
Rationale: Fitness measures contribution to future generations.
9. Artificial selection occurs when:
A. Humans choose traits for breeding
B. Nature controls breeding only
C. Mutations stop completely
D. Organisms never reproduce
Answer: A
Rationale: Human-directed selection.
, 10. The study of fossils is called:
A. Paleontology
B. Ecology
C. Cytology
D. Physiology
Answer: A
Rationale: Fossils provide evidence of evolution.
11. Fossils provide evidence of:
A. Past life and evolutionary change
B. Weather patterns only
C. Ocean currents only
D. Planet formation only
Answer: A
Rationale: Show historical organisms and transitions.
12. Homologous structures indicate:
A. Common ancestry
B. Different ancestry always
C. No evolution
D. Random similarity only
Answer: A
Rationale: Similar structures from shared ancestors.
13. Analogous structures result from:
A. Convergent evolution
B. Common ancestry only
C. Mutation only
D. Extinction only
Answer: A
Rationale: Similar functions evolve independently.
14. Vestigial structures are:
A. Reduced remnants of ancestral traits
B. Newly evolved organs
C. Harmful pathogens
D. Reproductive cells only
Answer: A
Rationale: Evidence of evolutionary history.
