Darwin Quiz - Honors Biology

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fossils

the preserved remains of ancient organisms

evolution

change over time

During Darwin’s time geologists suggested that earth was…

ancient and changed over time

Darwin’s work offers insight into the living world by showing organisms are constantly….

evolving

In what two ways did an understanding of geology influence Darwin?

Knowing that the earth was old and had changed over time helped Darwin to consider that living things might change as well.

Hutton realized that the Earth was much younger than previously believed.

false; older

Lyell thought most geological processes operated extremely quickly.

false; slowly

The processes that changed Earth in the past are different from the processes that operate in the present.

false; the same as

Lyell’s work explained how large geological features could be built up or torn down over long periods of time.

true

How did Lamarck propose that species change over time?

set the idea of evolution; use and disuse; inheritance of acquired traits

fitness

the ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment

adaptations

inherited traits that increase an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce

what’s the difference between natural and artificial selection?

natural selection is forced by nature; artificial selection is forced by man

homologous structures

show individual variations on a common anatomical theme; these are seen in organisms that are closely related

analogous structures

have very different anatomies but similar functions; these are seen in organisms that are not necessarily closely related, but live in similar environments and have similar experiences

vestigial structures

anatomical remnants that were important in the organism’s ancestors, but are no longer used in the same way (lost original function); eg. wisdom teeth

How are vestigial structures an example of evidence of evolution?

The structures change over time.

important facts about fossils

the fossil record is incomplete; fossils have to be at least 10,000 years old

genetic drift

usually a natural disaster; reduces a large population to a small one

founder effect

a small number of the population become isolated from a larger population

What was Darwin’s ship called?

HMS Beagle

How long was Darwin’s journey?

5 years

What year was Darwin’s theory published, and what was the name?

1859; On the Origin of Species

Who sent a letter to Darwin confirming his knowledge on evolution, that prompted him to publish?

Wallace

In what way did the voyage of the HMS Beagle provide Charles Darwin with an ideal opportunity for collecting and analyzing data?

Darwin was able to learn about new places, and collect knowledge from the living organisms. This helped him record the observations from the data he found.

What did Charles Darwin learn about the land tortoises of the various Galapagos Islands?

Each tortoise had different sizes of necks depending on wear their main food source was from. Ones with longer necks had food high up, where the ones with shorter necks had food on the ground.

What did Charles Darwin discover about the Galapagos birds that he thought were different kinds of wrens, warblers, and blackbirds?

He discovered they were all descendent of the same bird, but their beak evolved to fit their dieting habits.

What are vestigial structures? How could vestigial structures contribute to the theory of evolution?

Vestigial structures were important structures in an organism’s ancestors but lost their original use. This contributes to evolution because over time when the structures lose use, they are changing over time or evolving.

What might happen if a well-adapted population experienced sudden major changes in its environment?

Over time the population would learn to evolve but more than half the population would die due to sudden changes (genetic drift). For example if the major food source disappeared the population would suffer starvation but eventually evolve to accommodate a new food source.

What sources of evidence did Charles Darwin consider when he presented his concept of evolution by natural selection? (i.e. what are the lines of evidence for evolution?)

There are four lines of evidence for evolution. They are the fossil record, comparative anatomy, biogeography, and direct observation.