Evolutionary Biology Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What concept did Weismann propose regarding germ cells and somatic cells?

  • Germplasm is transmitted to the next generation
  • Somatoplasm carries inherited traits
  • Only germplasm influences inheritance (correct)
  • All traits are inherited from parents

    • Darwin's voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle lasted for ten years.

    False

    What event prompted Darwin to develop his theory of evolution?

    His observations of variations among organisms during his voyage.

    Alfred Wallace sent an essay to Darwin titled 'On the __________ of varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the original type.'

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

    What was the title of Darwin's book published in 1859?

    <p>On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following individuals with their contributions:

    <p>Weismann = Concept of germplasm and somatoplasm Malthus = Theory of population growth Darwin = Voyage on H.M.S. Beagle Wallace = Essay on varieties and evolution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Weismann conducted experiments on rats to prove the inheritance of acquired traits.

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

    What main conclusion can be drawn from Darwin's observations in the Galapagos Islands?

    <p>Species exhibit variation that can lead to evolution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is considered a significant event in earth’s history related to oxygen production?

    <p>The evolution of cyanobacteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Oxygen started accumulating in the atmosphere nearly 2.2 billion years ago.

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

    What process led to the formation of mitochondria and chloroplasts in primitive eukaryotes?

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

    The oldest fossilized evidence of filamentous photosynthetic bacteria is found in __________.

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

    Match the following terms with their definitions:

    <p>Cyanobacteria = Bacteria capable of oxygenic photosynthesis Stromatolites = Fossilized microbial mats Endosymbiosis = Process leading to the formation of organelles Banded iron formations = Sedimentary deposits with alternate iron and silica layers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a consequence of oxygen accumulating in the atmosphere?

    <p>Formation of the ozone layer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    There is conclusive evidence showing how the nucleus originated in primitive eukaryotes.

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

    What is cognogeny?

    <p>Diversification of primitive life forms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event occurs when a star's internal temperature can no longer be compressed?

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

    Heavy elements such as gold and uranium are formed during a supernova explosion.

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

    Approximately how long ago did the solar system form as a result of a supernova explosion?

    <p>5 billion years ago</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The solar nebula was composed mostly of _____ and helium.

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

    Match the following elements with their characteristics in the solar system formation:

    <p>Mercury = Mostly iron Jupiter = Composed mostly of methane and ammonia ices Earth = Contains water and silicon-oxygen compounds Gold = Created during supernova events</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process describes the forming of planets from small particles clumping together?

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

    The protosun formed in the cooler outer regions of the solar nebula.

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

    What type of astronomical event is a supernova?

    <p>An explosive release of energy from a dying star</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What marks the transition from protostar to star?

    <p>Nuclear fusion beginning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A protostar is formed from the expansion of a nebula.

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

    What happens to a medium-mass star when it begins to consume carbon and oxygen?

    <p>It becomes a red giant.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Nuclear fusion in stars primarily converts __________ into heavier elements like helium.

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

    What is the result of the collapse of a star's core when it runs out of hydrogen?

    <p>It explodes as a supernova</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the stages of a star's life cycle with their descriptions:

    <p>Protostar = Initial stage of star formation Red giant = Swelling stage after consuming carbon and oxygen Supernova = Explosive end of a massive star Nebula = Cloud of dust and gas where stars form</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All stars convert hydrogen into helium during their life cycle.

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

    What happens to most of the carbon and oxygen produced during the death of a red giant?

    <p>It is trapped in the cooling ember at the star's heart.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which period is known as the Age of Reptiles?

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

    The Devonian period is known as the Age of Mammals.

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

    What significant event occurred during the Pliocene epoch?

    <p>Origin of human beings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The _______ period is associated with the rise of gymnosperms.

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

    Match the following epochs/periods with their defining events:

    <p>Pleistocene = Age of man and herbs Cretaceous = Extinction of Dinosaurs Permian = Extinction of trilobites Eocene = Diversification of placental mammals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which epoch did the diversification of placental mammals occur?

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

    The Mesozoic era includes the Paleozoic period.

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

    What is considered as the first land plants during the Ordovician period?

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

    The _______ epoch is witnessed by the rise of primates.

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

    Which period is associated with the rise of mammals?

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

    What significant event occurred around 2.8 billion years ago?

    <p>Evolution of Cyanobacteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The first form of life originated from pre-existing non-living organic molecules according to the Chemosynthetic or Naturalistic theory.

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

    What is the age estimated for the formation of primitive oceans?

    <p>4.0 billion years ago</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The atmosphere was enriched with molecular oxygen due to the evolution of __________.

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

    Match the following theories of the origin of life with their proponents:

    <p>Theory of special creation = Different religious mythologies Theory of Abiogenesis = Aristotle, Plato, Von Helmont Theory of Biogenesis = Francesco Redi, Louis Pasteur Chemosynthetic or Naturalistic theory = A L Oparin, J B S Haldane</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory proposes that life arises from pre-existing life?

    <p>Theory of Biogenesis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The theory of Panspermia suggests that life originated from within Earth.

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

    According to the Chemosynthetic theory, what precedes the formation of life?

    <p>Chemical evolution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Origin of Earth and Evolution of Life

    • Universe Origin (Big Bang Theory): All mass and energy were concentrated at a point at the beginning of time and space. Expansion started 13.7 billion years ago. The cause of this is unknown. The early universe was hot, but cooled as it expanded.
    • Formation of Atoms: A million years after the Big Bang, temperatures cooled enough for atoms (mostly hydrogen) to form from the energy and particles of the expanding universe. Hydrogen is abundant in both early and current universe.
    • Galaxy Formation: A billion years after the Big Bang, matter started coalescing into the first galaxies and stars.
    • Galaxies: Huge, rotating collections of stars, dust, gas, held together by gravity. Spiral, elliptical, or irregular in shape. There are approximately 100 billion galaxies and 100 billion stars in each. Our spiral galaxy is the Milky Way.
    • Solar System Origin (Nebular Condensation Theory): Our solar system formed from a nebular (dust and gas cloud) cloud after a previous star's death. The cloud condensed, shrunk, heated up due to gravity, becoming a protostar. Eventually, nuclear fusion started forming a star, with remaining material forming planets.
    • Star Birth: Spinning nebulae shrink and heat due to their gravity. The cloud condenses at the center, forming a protostar. Increased internal pressure and temperature initiate nuclear fusion (hydrogen to helium). This stops the star's contraction.
    • Star Death (Small/Medium): Stars convert hydrogen to other fusion products (helium, carbon, etc.) over long periods, becoming stable. Their energy output increases, swelling into a red giant. Eventually it pulsates, expelling its outer layers of light gases. The core cools to form a 'cooling ember'
    • Star Death (Large): Stars much larger than the sun fuse hydrogen to heavier elements faster, reaching higher core temperatures. The core collapses causing a catastrophic expansion (supernova). In this process, a lot of energy is released and elements heavier than iron are formed.
    • Solar System Formation: The remnants of a supernova explosion formed the solar nebula, which condensed and spun. It formed a rotating disk shape, where the center became the proto-sun. Materials close to the protosun (center) condensed into denser forms. Materials farther from the center condensed to form gas giant planets composed of ices.
    • Earth's Formation: As the solar system cooled, heavier materials (iron, nickel) sank towards the core. Light materials (silicon, magnesium) formed the crust. This process called density stratification takes approximately 100 million years to complete. Earth's surface cools about 4.6 billion years ago.
    • Moon's Formation: A Mars-sized object collided with the young Earth, ejecting material that condensed into the moon about 30 million years after Earth formed.
    • Earliest Atmosphere: Early Earth's atmosphere consisted of gases common in the early solar system (hydrogen, helium, methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide, water vapor). Most of these gases escaped into space.
    • Second Atmosphere: Volcanic outgassing released gases from Earth's interior into the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen, traces of ammonia and methane). This atmosphere was anoxic (lacked free oxygen).
    • Third Atmosphere: Photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria) evolved about 2.8 billion years ago, producing free oxygen. This oxygen formed the ozone layer, protecting the Earth's surface from UV radiation.
    • Ocean Formation: Water vapor condensed into clouds, then rained, resulting in early oceans about 4 billion years ago.

    Origin of Earliest Life Forms

    • Theories of origin of life include: Special Creation, Spontaneous Generation/Abiogenesis, Catastrophism, Cosmozoic Theory, Biogenesis, Chemosynthetic/Naturalistic theory.
    • Chemosynthetic Theory (most recent): Coacervates (clusters of organic molecules) in the primordial soup could have evolved into simple cells. These early forms lacked nucleic acids and metabolism. RNA likely preceded DNA in genetic material.
    • Formation of cells: Coacervates acquired RNA which evolved into more stable DNA, forming early prokaryotes.
    • Early life: Anoxygenic photoautotrophs (bacteria) may have evolved around 3.85-3.5 billion years ago. Stromatolites are fossilized bacterial mats.

    Evolution of Early Earth and its Atmosphere

    • Formation of Atmosphere: The early atmosphere contained gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and trace amounts of ammonia and methane.
    • Formation of Oceans: As Earth cooled, water vapor condensed and rained, forming oceans.
    • Presence of Oxygen: Photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria) added oxygen to the atmosphere around 2.8 billion years ago.
    • Origin of Life: Life likely originated in the early oceans, perhaps from organic molecules generated by chemical processes.

    Mass Extinctions

    • Definition: Mass extinction is a significant increase in the rate of extinction compared to the normal background rate.
    • Past events: Events occurring millions of years ago. Evidence shows these events can be linked to major habitat destruction.
    • Causes: Various factors may trigger mass extinctions (glacier formation, changes in sea levels, meteorite/asteroid impact, volcanism, warming). These have all resulted in significant biodiversity reductions.

    Theories of Biological Evolution

    • Lamarckism: Organisms change over time in response to their environment. Acquired characteristics are inherited by offspring (e.g., giraffes' necks extending). (disproven)
    • Darwinism/Natural Selection: Organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to their offspring. The environment causes some variations to disappear and others to persist. The species changes gradually through accumulated favorable variations.
    • Mutation Theory (de Vries): Variations (mutations) arise suddenly and directly contribute to evolutionary change; they are not continuous but discontinuous.

    Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

    • Concept: A theoretical state where allele and genotype frequencies in a population remain constant from one generation to the next, in the absence of evolutionary influences.
    • Conditions: No mutations, no gene flow (migration), random mating, no genetic drift, and no natural selection.
    • Equilibrium: Genotype frequencies (AA, Aa, and aa) can be calculated using allele frequencies (p and q). The condition (p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1) holds true under these conditions.

    Evolution of Humans

    • Primates: Group of mammals characterized by features such as flexible shoulders, hands with opposable digits, and large brains.
    • Diversification: From common primate ancestors, primates diversified in various features (e.g., locomotion, sensory systems, and brain size) through speciation, including the hominins (precursors) of humans.
    • Human Evolution: Significant stages in evolution (e.g., hominins) and key characteristics of these groups (e.g., bipedalism, brain size, tool use).
    • Modern Humans: Emergence of Homo sapiens, distinguishing characteristics, and their dispersal across different parts of the globe.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on key concepts in evolutionary biology, focusing on the ideas of Darwin and Weismann. Explore important events in Earth's history and understand the significance of various scientific observations. This quiz challenges you with matching questions and insightful inquiries into the mechanisms of evolution.

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