Evolution and Charles Darwin Quiz

Research that expands existing knowledge.

Research that uses basic knowledge to solve practical problems.

Used hypothesis, observation, & study to develop a theory of natural selection.

Ship used by Darwin for his observations.

A natural process of adaptation to environment resulting in species change.

A naturalist who independently developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, similar to Darwin.

The idea that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Natural selection, the process where organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on these traits.

The idea that all living things share a common ancestor, and have evolved over time.

Darwin provided a scientific mechanism, natural selection, to explain how evolution occurs.

Fossils showing intermediate stages between ancestral and descendant species.

Evidence of past life preserved in rocks, revealing evolutionary history.

The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old, providing ample time for evolution.

A sequence where each term is found by multiplying the previous term by a constant factor.

A sequence where each term is found by adding a constant difference to the previous term.

Darwin observed that related species had slightly different characteristics depending on their location. He specifically studied Galapagos Finches, noting 14 related species with subtle differences.

'Descent with modification' is another term for evolution. It describes how species gradually change over time, inheriting characteristics from their ancestors with modifications.

Thomas Malthus argued that populations grow exponentially, while resources increase linearly. This means populations will eventually outgrow their resources, leading to competition and death.

Malthus believed that death, caused by factors like limited resources and disease, naturally controls population size.

Geometric growth increases at a faster rate, doubling with each generation. Arithmetic growth increases at a steady rate, adding a fixed amount each time.

The idea that the structure of something determines how it works.

Living things constantly change energy from one form to another.

Process where plants use sunlight to create energy for themselves.

Energy stored in the bonds of molecules, like food.

Energy of motion.

The idea that geological processes happening today are the same as those that shaped the Earth in the past.

Body parts in different species that share the same basic structure but have different functions.

Body parts in different species that have different origins but serve the same function.

Darwin couldn't explain how traits were passed down from parents to offspring because Mendel's laws of inheritance were not yet discovered.

The similarity in bone structure between mammals' forelimbs supports the idea that they share a common ancestor.

Comparing genomes or proteins among different organisms to understand their evolutionary relationships. It can reveal similarities and differences suggesting common ancestry.

A diagram showing evolutionary relationships between organisms, based on tracing genetic changes over time.

Living organisms obey chemical and physical laws. This includes principles like molecular bonding and thermodynamics.

The number of amino acid variations in hemoglobin protein can indicate how closely related different species are.

A molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.

A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a sequence of DNA that codes for a specific protein or RNA molecule.

The complete set of genetic instructions or DNA contained within an organism, including all of its genes.

The flow of genetic information within cells and between organisms, including DNA replication, gene expression, and cell signaling.

The ability of living organisms to reproduce and pass on their genetic information to offspring, ensuring the continuation of life.

All living organisms share a common ancestor, as evidenced by similarities in their biochemistry and genetics.

Variations in genes and traits accumulate over time, leading to the diversity of life we see today.

Certain biological features, like DNA, remain unchanged across diverse species, pointing to their fundamental importance.

These proteins regulate development in various organisms (fungi, plants, animals), demonstrating evolutionary diversification from a shared ancestor.

Evolutionary processes lead to the development of new traits and species, contributing to the vast diversity of life.