Evolution Test/Quiz – Practice Questions & Revision Notes
Darwin's Observations - ANS ✔✔Darwin noted that different, yet ecologically similar, animal
species inhabited separated but, ecologically similar habitats around the globe- different, yet
related, animal species often occupied different habitats within a local area- some fossils of
extinct animals were similar to living species
Hutton and Lyell's proposals - ANS ✔✔Hutton and lyell's principle of uniformitarianism
suggested the earth to be far older than previously thought and that the changes in geological
features of the earth occur gradually, this stimulated Darwin to reason that the slow
accumulation of small changes could ultimately produce the profound changes documented in
the fossil record, in this context, the age of the earth was important to Darwin, because unless
the earth was very old, he could not envision how there would have been enough time for
evolution to occur.
lamarck - ANS ✔✔Presented first theory of evolution,1809; Believed evolutionary changes were
caused by organisms actively adapting themselves to environmental conditions; Ideas disproved
by Weissman
Origin of the Species - ANS ✔✔Written by CHARLES DARWIN, 1859, and outlining his theory of
evolution. Had huge impact on more than just the scientific community. (Hegel and Marx had
already introduced evolutionary philosophies). Darwin inadvertently put the scientific stamp of
approval on these. In 1871 he published Descent of Man in which he applied the theory of
evolution specifically to human evolution.
artificial selection - ANS ✔✔Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring
with identical traits.
Darwin's evidence - ANS ✔✔evidence of geological change, fossils similar to, but different from
exisiting animals, biogeographic relationships: chain of islands see species that are very different
among island
, scientific theory - ANS ✔✔A well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or
experimental results.
scientific evidence - ANS ✔✔obtained from many different investigations and observations
evolution - ANS ✔✔a gradual change in a species through adaptations over time
Natural Selection - ANS ✔✔a mechanism for change in a population
responsible for most evolutionary change by selectively changing genetic variation through
differentiated survival and reproduction
Goal to be fit enough to survive and reproduce
Stabilizing Selection - ANS ✔✔favors average individuals in a population
those individuals have a selective advantage
reduces variation in a population
Directional Selection - ANS ✔✔favors one of the extreme variations of a trait
can lead to rapid evolution of a population
Disruptive Selection - ANS ✔✔favors both extreme variations of a trait
leads to evolution of two new species
speciation - ANS ✔✔a process of producing two individual species from one
members of the population no longer interbreed within their natural environment
Structural Adaptation - ANS ✔✔methods of protection:
Teeth claws, thorns
Darwin's Observations - ANS ✔✔Darwin noted that different, yet ecologically similar, animal
species inhabited separated but, ecologically similar habitats around the globe- different, yet
related, animal species often occupied different habitats within a local area- some fossils of
extinct animals were similar to living species
Hutton and Lyell's proposals - ANS ✔✔Hutton and lyell's principle of uniformitarianism
suggested the earth to be far older than previously thought and that the changes in geological
features of the earth occur gradually, this stimulated Darwin to reason that the slow
accumulation of small changes could ultimately produce the profound changes documented in
the fossil record, in this context, the age of the earth was important to Darwin, because unless
the earth was very old, he could not envision how there would have been enough time for
evolution to occur.
lamarck - ANS ✔✔Presented first theory of evolution,1809; Believed evolutionary changes were
caused by organisms actively adapting themselves to environmental conditions; Ideas disproved
by Weissman
Origin of the Species - ANS ✔✔Written by CHARLES DARWIN, 1859, and outlining his theory of
evolution. Had huge impact on more than just the scientific community. (Hegel and Marx had
already introduced evolutionary philosophies). Darwin inadvertently put the scientific stamp of
approval on these. In 1871 he published Descent of Man in which he applied the theory of
evolution specifically to human evolution.
artificial selection - ANS ✔✔Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring
with identical traits.
Darwin's evidence - ANS ✔✔evidence of geological change, fossils similar to, but different from
exisiting animals, biogeographic relationships: chain of islands see species that are very different
among island
, scientific theory - ANS ✔✔A well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or
experimental results.
scientific evidence - ANS ✔✔obtained from many different investigations and observations
evolution - ANS ✔✔a gradual change in a species through adaptations over time
Natural Selection - ANS ✔✔a mechanism for change in a population
responsible for most evolutionary change by selectively changing genetic variation through
differentiated survival and reproduction
Goal to be fit enough to survive and reproduce
Stabilizing Selection - ANS ✔✔favors average individuals in a population
those individuals have a selective advantage
reduces variation in a population
Directional Selection - ANS ✔✔favors one of the extreme variations of a trait
can lead to rapid evolution of a population
Disruptive Selection - ANS ✔✔favors both extreme variations of a trait
leads to evolution of two new species
speciation - ANS ✔✔a process of producing two individual species from one
members of the population no longer interbreed within their natural environment
Structural Adaptation - ANS ✔✔methods of protection:
Teeth claws, thorns
