Human Species Reading Questions

Which correctly describes the process by which DNA makes proteins (also referred to as the 'central dogma of biology')?

DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA. Messenger RNA is then read by the Ribosome and translated into a string of amino acids, which is a protein.

What is the name of the process when regions of DNA are exchanged between homologous chromosomes? And in what type of cell division does it occur?

Recombination during meiosis.

Just proposed that cellular differentiation and development were driven by the contents of the cell's cytoplasm, but Thomas Morgan thought that genes were the main driver. Which statement below is considered accurate today?

both genes and molecules outside of genes, which interact with the DNA molecule, drive cellular differentiation by changing gene expression patterns.

Which definition best describes Evolution?

Evolution is changes to the inherited traits in a population over time through successive generations.

Which mechanism of evolution can result in a change of allele frequencies in a population over time?

Natural Selection ,Genetic Drift ,Gene Flow

Which mechanism of evolution results in a change in allele frequencies due to random sampling error from one generation to the next?

Genetic Drift

Which trait is NOT present in all living primates?

claws instead of nails on their digits

According to the article, when did the first primates evolve?

75 to 65 million years ago

Which traits were present in the earliest hominins, 6- 7 million years ago?

bipedalism and small blunt canines

Which hominin genus evolved most recently?

Homo

Compared with other mammals, the human brain is how many times larger than expected, given our body size?

7 x

At what age does the human brain reach maturity?

30 years old

Racial identity is determined by our DNA. (True or False)

False

Which statement below is correct regarding race and human biology:

two individuals who identify as the same race may be more genetically different to one another than either is to someone who identifies as a different race. Therefore, race is not a meaningful or scientifically accurate way to group people.

How is genetic variation produced?

1. Mutation

2. Random assortment

3. Recombination (crossing over)

2&3 occurs through sexual reproduction