Modified True/False
Indicate
whether the sentence or statement is true or false.
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1.
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On a
branching tree, a species is more closely related to a species on the same branch than to one on a
separate branch.
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2.
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The
more similar the DNA sequences of two species are, the more closely related the species
are.
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3.
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In
sedimentary rock, the youngest fossils are usually found in the deepest layers.
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Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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4.
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What
theory proposes that species evolve during short periods of rapid change? a. | punctuated
equilibria | b. | evolution | | | | |
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5.
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What
did Darwin observe about finches in the Galapagos Islands? a. | Their feathers
were adapted to match their environment. | b. | Their beaks were adapted to the foods they
ate. | | |
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6.
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If
the half-life of a radioactive element is 4 days, how long will it take for three fourths of a sample
of the element to decay?
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7.
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Which
term refers to the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more
likely to survive and reproduce? a. | natural selection | b. | overproduction | | | | |
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8.
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Which
term refers to a species that no longer has any living members?
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9.
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The
gradual change in a species over time is called
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10.
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Entire insects have been perfectly preserved in a. | sedimentary rock
after the insects were frozen. | b. | amber formed from the hardened sap of evergreen
trees. | | |
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11.
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A
species is a group of similar organisms that a. | can mate with each other and produce fertile
offspring. | b. | can live together on an island. | | |
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12.
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What
are fossils? a. | footprints or
burrows of small animals that live today | b. | the preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the
past | | |
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13.
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How
does natural selection lead to evolution? a. | Stronger offspring kill weaker members of the
species. | b. | Helpful traits accumulate among surviving members of the
species. | | |
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14.
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A
trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce is called a(n) a. | selection. | b. | adaptation. | | | | |
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15.
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A
branching tree is a. | a diagram
showing how scientists think different groups of organisms are related. | b. | a species of
tree that is not closely related to other tree species. | | |
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16.
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Why
do scientists think related species have similar body structures and development
patterns? a. | The species
inherited many of the same genes from each other. | b. | The species
inherited many of the same genes from a common ancestor. | | |
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17.
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What
theory proposes that evolution occurs steadily in tiny changes over long periods of
time? a. | gradualism | b. | relative
dating | | | | |
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18.
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Which
term refers to similar structures that related species have inherited from a common
ancestor? a. | homologous
structures | b. | punctuated
equilibria | | | | |
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19.
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If
two organisms look very similar during their early stages, this is evidence that the
organisms a. | evolved from
different ancestors. | b. | evolved from a
common ancestor. | | | | |
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20.
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Scientists combine evidence from fossils, body structures, early development, and DNA
and protein structures to a. | determine what bones an animal has in its
forelimbs. | b. | determine the evolutionary relationships among
species. | | |
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Completion
Complete each sentence or
statement.
Word
Bank
species
genes
adaptation sedimentary
continental drift
variations natural selection
DNA
extinct
relative
homologous branching
tree
ancestor 4.6 billion precambrian
time half-life
radioactive
geographic
petrified
fossil punctuated
equilibria
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21.
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The
fossil record provides information about species that are ____________________, or have died
out.
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22.
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Earth’s history spans more than ____________________ years.
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23.
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____________________ dating can be used to determine which of two fossils is younger
and which is older, but not what their actual ages are.
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24.
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Proteins can be used to determine how closely related organisms are because amino acid
sequences are determined by an organism’s ____________________.
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25.
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Most
fossils are found in ____________________ rock.
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26.
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The
separation of a group of organisms from the rest of its species by a mountain range is an example of
____________________ isolation.
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27.
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The
only traits that can be acted upon by natural selection are those that are controlled by
____________________.
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28.
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Similarities in the early development of turtles and rats suggest that these animals
share a common ____________________.
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29.
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Scientists show how groups of organisms are related by placing them on a diagram
called a(n) ____________________.
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30.
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When
minerals replace bone, a(n) ____________________ forms.
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31.
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In
the process of ____________________, the organisms that are best suited to their environments are
most likely to survive.
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32.
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Natural selection is affected by ____________________, or traits that are different in
members of the same species.
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33.
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The
____________________ of a radioactive element is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample
to decay.
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34.
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The
theory of ____________________ states that species evolve quickly over a short time.
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35.
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Organisms can mate and produce fertile offspring only within their own
____________________.
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36.
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The
forelimbs of a bird and a mammal are examples of ____________________ structures.
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37.
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An
inherited characteristic that improves the chance for an organism to survive and reproduce is a(n)
____________________.
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38.
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To
determine a fossil’s actual age, scientists analyze ____________________ elements in rocks near
the fossils.
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39.
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New
species formed when groups were isolated by the process of ____________________, in which Pangaea
split apart.
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40.
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Living things first appeared during the geologic time period known as
____________________.
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