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Evolution Questions Review
1. Describe Lamarck's theory of evolution according to his two principles. Relate this
theory to the evolution of the giraffe.
Two principles: Law of acquired characteristics
Law of use and disuse
2. Explain how Charles Lyell and Thomas Malthus contributed to Darwin's theory of
evolution.
Lyell was a geologist who stated that the earth was extremely old and was constantly
changing (undergoing geologic evolution)
Malthus was a stated that the human population unchecked would grow geometrically.
Therefore, it is subject to the same factors of control as all other populations.
3. Summarize and explain the 6 main points of Darwin's theory, i.e. overproduction,
competition, variation, adaptation, natural selection, and speciation.
Overproduction: More organisms are born than are needed to maintain the population.
Competition: Organisms compete for limited resources.
Variation: Organisms within a population vary according to their genes.
Natural selection: Nature selects which adaptations/variations are passed to successive
generations.
Adaptation: Any inherited trait that increases the chance of survival and reproduction of
successive generations.
Speciation: favorable adaptations accumulate over time and unfavorable variations are
eliminated. Eventually this leads to the development a new species.
4. What is the difference between geologic evolution and organic evolution?
Geologic evolution: Change of the Earth’s surface over time.
Organic evolution: Change in living populations over time.
5. How does relative dating differ from absolute dating?
Relative dating
Radioactive dating
Useful in small geographic area
Useful in a large range of geographic areas
Give relative age of fossils
Gives a more precise age of fossils
Uses fossils in sedimentary rock
Can date fossils from any substance
6. What is a fossil?
The remains or impression of an organism preserved in petrified form
7. Name 6 types of fossils.
Fossils in amber, fossils in ice, imprints, casts, molds, petrified (mineralized)
8. What is the relationship between a mold and a cast?
9. In what type of rock are fossils found?
Sedimentary Rock
1. What is the fossil record?
The total history of organisms from different time periods found in sedimentary rock.
11. Name three different types of evidence, other than the evidence supplied by the fossil
record, that support the theory of organic evolution.
Homology, Embryological studies, and Biochemical similarities (DNA and proteins)
12. Define homologous structures.
Structures with similar anatomy but differing function. Share a common ancestry
(wing of a bird and flipper of a whale)
13. Name two analogous structures.
Wing of a bird and wing of an insect
14. Looking at the diagram of the development of vertebrate species, how do you know that the
evolutionary relationship between humans and chickens is closer than that between
humans and fish?
During the period of embryological development the human and chicken appear to be more
similar for a longer time.
15. Name the components of the atmosphere thought to have been present on the primitive
earth.
Ammonia, methane, hydrogen,
Adaptations and Natural Selection
16. Define the term gene pool.
The total number of alleles in a population. Ex. p + q =1
17. Describe how evolution can occur as a result of genetic drift.
Genetic drift changes the p and q values which result in evolution
18. Why is genetic drift less likely to affect large population than small ones?
Larger populations have a larger gene pool.
19. Define the term adaptation.
Any inherited trait that increases the chance of survival and reproduction of
successive generations.
20. Distinguish between structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. Give
examples of each.
21. List, describe, and give examples of the following types of speciation: Isolation
(geographical and reproductive), and adaptive radiation.
22. Explain why Darwin's finches may be said to represent an example of adaptive radiation?
23. Distinguish between convergent evolution and coevolution and give examples of each.
24. Describe and give examples of evolution that are observable today.
25. Give examples of artificial and natural selection
26. Define and identify types of natural selection from graphs (disruptive, stabilizing and
directional)
27. Relate the conditions a population must follow for the Hardy-Weinberg Theorem.
28. Solve Hardy-Weinberg problems