BIO 182 Exam Questions with Complete
Solutions
Using the molecular record to determine evolutionary relationships is based on the assumption
that
A) DNA sequences do not change over time
B) DNA sequences change over time
D) evolutionary changes occur in phenotypes (physical appearances) but not in genotypes (based
on DNA).
E) all mutations are harmful B) DNA sequences change over time
Which of the following statements related to natural selection is true?
A) Variations among individuals in a population are not heritable.
B) All offspring are equally likely to survive and reproduce.
C) Many adaptive traits may be acquired during an individual's lifetime, helping that individual
to evolve.
D) Individuals with traits best adapted to the environment are likely to leave more offspring.
E) All of the above D) Individuals with traits best adapted to the environment are likely to
leave more offspring.
,A theory in scientific terms is:
A) just a guess
B) a concept widely supported by experimental evidence
C) a proposed answer to a question which will be supported or rejected by experimental
evidence. B) a concept widely supported by experimental evidence
After World War II, DDT was regularly used to control insect pest populations. The use of DDT
kept the numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes low for a while, but resistant mosquitoes began
to appear quite quickly. Currently, most mosquito populations worldwide are DDT resistant. This
is an example of:
A) artificial selection
B) mutation
C) evolution C) evolution
Which of the following statements is false?
A) The direction of natural selection can change
B) Natural selection is a process without a planned outcome
C) A phenotype that is beneficial in one environment, may be detrimental in another
,D) Natural selection operates at the level of individuals D) Natural selection operates at
the level of individuals
Which statement regarding fossils is false?
A) The age of fossils can be determined using radiometric dating
B) Fossils form easily under any environmental condition
C) The fossil record is incomplete because soft-bodied organisms don't readily fossilize
D) To form fossils, bones must mineralize and sediments must harden to rock B) Fossils
form easily under any environmental condition
The smallest biological unit that can evolve over time is:
A) a cell
B) an individual organism
C) a population
D) a species
E) an ecosystem C) a population
Darwin's famous book that described evolution by natural selection is called:
, A) The HMS Beagle
B) On the Origin of Species
C) Galapagos Memories
D) None of the above B) On the Origin of Species
Even though sickle-cell anemia is usually fatal to homozygous individuals, the disease persists
because:
A) gene therapy has alleviated the condition
B) the disease is carried on a dominant allele
C) individuals with one allele for sickle-cell anemia are resistant to malaria
D) a combination of all of the above C) individuals with one allele for sickle-cell anemia
are resistant to malaria
Which of the following describes the founder effect?
A) Cheetahs lost much of their genetic diversity due to a drastic decrease in their population size.
B) A colony of 20 individuals move to a deserted island and start families.
C) A bear from the Catalina mountains joins the population of bears in the Rincon mountains.
D) Long-beaked hummingbirds prefer to breed with other long-beaked hummingbirds. B)
A colony of 20 individuals move to a deserted island and start families.
Solutions
Using the molecular record to determine evolutionary relationships is based on the assumption
that
A) DNA sequences do not change over time
B) DNA sequences change over time
D) evolutionary changes occur in phenotypes (physical appearances) but not in genotypes (based
on DNA).
E) all mutations are harmful B) DNA sequences change over time
Which of the following statements related to natural selection is true?
A) Variations among individuals in a population are not heritable.
B) All offspring are equally likely to survive and reproduce.
C) Many adaptive traits may be acquired during an individual's lifetime, helping that individual
to evolve.
D) Individuals with traits best adapted to the environment are likely to leave more offspring.
E) All of the above D) Individuals with traits best adapted to the environment are likely to
leave more offspring.
,A theory in scientific terms is:
A) just a guess
B) a concept widely supported by experimental evidence
C) a proposed answer to a question which will be supported or rejected by experimental
evidence. B) a concept widely supported by experimental evidence
After World War II, DDT was regularly used to control insect pest populations. The use of DDT
kept the numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes low for a while, but resistant mosquitoes began
to appear quite quickly. Currently, most mosquito populations worldwide are DDT resistant. This
is an example of:
A) artificial selection
B) mutation
C) evolution C) evolution
Which of the following statements is false?
A) The direction of natural selection can change
B) Natural selection is a process without a planned outcome
C) A phenotype that is beneficial in one environment, may be detrimental in another
,D) Natural selection operates at the level of individuals D) Natural selection operates at
the level of individuals
Which statement regarding fossils is false?
A) The age of fossils can be determined using radiometric dating
B) Fossils form easily under any environmental condition
C) The fossil record is incomplete because soft-bodied organisms don't readily fossilize
D) To form fossils, bones must mineralize and sediments must harden to rock B) Fossils
form easily under any environmental condition
The smallest biological unit that can evolve over time is:
A) a cell
B) an individual organism
C) a population
D) a species
E) an ecosystem C) a population
Darwin's famous book that described evolution by natural selection is called:
, A) The HMS Beagle
B) On the Origin of Species
C) Galapagos Memories
D) None of the above B) On the Origin of Species
Even though sickle-cell anemia is usually fatal to homozygous individuals, the disease persists
because:
A) gene therapy has alleviated the condition
B) the disease is carried on a dominant allele
C) individuals with one allele for sickle-cell anemia are resistant to malaria
D) a combination of all of the above C) individuals with one allele for sickle-cell anemia
are resistant to malaria
Which of the following describes the founder effect?
A) Cheetahs lost much of their genetic diversity due to a drastic decrease in their population size.
B) A colony of 20 individuals move to a deserted island and start families.
C) A bear from the Catalina mountains joins the population of bears in the Rincon mountains.
D) Long-beaked hummingbirds prefer to breed with other long-beaked hummingbirds. B)
A colony of 20 individuals move to a deserted island and start families.
