Evidence for Evolution
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Questions and Answers

What is a fossil?

  • The remains or traces of an organism that died long ago (correct)
  • A living organism
  • A homologous body structure
  • A geographic distribution of living organisms

    • Fossils provide the weakest evidence of evolution.

    False

    What do fossils found in older rock layers have in common with fossils found in younger rock layers?

    They show that life on Earth has changed over time.

    The age of a material can be determined by measuring the amount of a particular _______________________ isotope it contains.

    <p>radioactive</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the type of age with its definition:

    <p>Relative age = The age of an object in relation to the ages of other objects. Absolute age = The actual age of the fossil given in years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be learned from fossils?

    <p>a) Different organisms lived at different times, b) Today’s organisms are different from those in the past, and c) Fossils found in adjacent layers are more like each other than to fossils found in deeper or higher layers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Embryology is not an evidence for evolution.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Scientists seek to determine both the “____________________” and the “absolute age” of a fossil.

    <p>relative age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one explanation for the similarities in embryological development among different organisms?

    <p>They shared a common ancestor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Darwin believed evolution to be a rapid process.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the consequence of the increasing industrialization on the lichens and trees?

    <p>The pollution killed the lichens, and the trees and rocks became black.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The black color of the moth was the result of a rare __________.

    <p>mutation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the reason for the increase in the proportion of insecticide-resistant individuals in a population?

    <p>The survivors pass on their favorable traits to their offspring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The white moths were superior to the black moths.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the effectiveness of a new insecticide over time?

    <p>It decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their descriptions:

    <p>Chlorophylls = Found in green plants DNA and RNA = Genetic machinery of all species Industrialization = Caused pollution that changed the environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The process of evolution by natural selection was observed in the __________ moth.

    <p>peppered</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of biogeography?

    <p>To study the distribution of plants and animals in the world</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The existence of Archaeopteryx is evidence that birds evolved from reptiles.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the similarity in characteristics resulting from common ancestry?

    <p>homology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The human tailbone, or __________, is made up of four fused vertebrae that resemble the bones in an animal's tail.

    <p>coccyx</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of studying transitional fossils?

    <p>To understand the evolution of species over time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Homologous structures are body parts that are similar in function but are different in structure.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of vestigial organs in living organisms?

    <p>They show a relationship to organisms that lived in the past.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their definitions:

    <p>Biogeography = The study of the distribution of plants and animals in the world Homologous structures = Body parts that are similar in structure but are different in function Vestigial organs = Structures that seem to be 'left over' from a previous ancestor Embryology = The study of embryos and their development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Evidence for Evolution

    • Evolution is supported by five key areas of evidence: the fossil record, biogeography, homologous body structures, embryology, and biological molecules.

    The Fossil Record

    • Fossils are the remains or traces of organisms that died long ago, providing a record of the history of life on Earth.
    • Fossils show that past organisms differed from present-day organisms, and many species have become extinct.
    • By comparing fossils from older rock layers with fossils from younger rock layers, scientists can document that life on Earth has changed over time.
    • Relative age is the age of an object in relation to the ages of other objects, while absolute age is the actual age of the fossil in years, determined through radioactive dating processes.
    • Transitional fossils have features and characteristics intermediate between ancient ancestors and their later descendants, providing evidence of how organisms have changed over time.

    Biogeography

    • Biogeography is the study of the geographic distribution of organisms around the world.
    • Similar environments on different continents have different species, suggesting that species now living on different continents had different ancestors.
    • Because of similar selection pressures, different animals on each continent evolved with similar features.

    Homologous Body Structures

    • Homologous structures are body parts that are similar in structure but different in function, resulting from common ancestry.
    • Examples include the bone structure of human arms, cat forelegs, horse forelegs, bat wings, and dolphin flippers.
    • These homologous structures show that different organisms shared a common ancestor in their distant past.

    Vestigial Organs

    • Vestigial organs are structures that seem to be “left over” from a previous ancestor and serve no purpose in the living organism.
    • Examples include the skeletons of present-day whales, which reveal remnants of hipbones and leg bones, and the human tailbone, or coccyx.

    Embryology

    • Embryology is the study of embryos and their development.
    • Embryos of different species look very similar in their early stages of development, suggesting that these organisms shared a common ancestor.
    • All vertebrate embryos have structures called pharyngeal gill slits in their throat regions and a postanal tail at some point during their development.

    Biological Molecules

    • All species of life have the same basic genetic machinery of DNA and RNA.
    • All types of green plants have similar types of chlorophylls, showing similarities at the molecular level.

    Evolution in Action

    • Evolution can be observed directly in some organisms due to the effects of human civilization, such as industrialization and pollution.
    • Examples include the peppered moth, which evolved from light-colored to dark-colored moths in response to pollution, and the evolution of insecticide-resistant insects.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the five key areas that provide evidence for evolution, including the fossil record, geographic distribution, homologous body structures, embryology, and biological molecules.

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