Which scientist is credited with the theory of evolution by natural selection?
a) Gregor Mendel
b) Charles Darwin
c) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
d) Carl Linnaeus
What is the main mechanism of evolution according to Darwin?
a) Genetic Drift
b) Natural Selection
c) Artificial Selection
d) Mutation
Which book did Charles Darwin publish in 1859?
a) The Origin of Species
b) The Descent of Man
c) The Selfish Gene
d) On Genetics
Which of the following is an example of natural selection?
a) Farmers breeding cows for more milk
b) Bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics
c) Artificial insemination in cattle
d) Cloning of plants in labs
What is “survival of the fittest”?
a) The strongest organisms always survive
b) Only large animals dominate ecosystems
c) Organisms best suited to their environment reproduce more successfully
d) Evolution favors aggressive behavior
Which of these is an example of adaptive radiation?
a) A single species evolves into multiple distinct species
b) Animals moving to different locations for food
c) A species going extinct due to habitat loss
d) A sudden increase in mutation rate
What is a vestigial structure?
a) A structure that has lost its original function over time
b) A newly developed organ in an organism
c) A body part that increases in size due to use
d) A structure present in only extinct species
Which of the following is NOT a key component of natural selection?
a) Variation in traits
b) Struggle for existence
c) Equal survival and reproduction for all
d) Differential reproduction
Which of these supports the theory of evolution?
a) Fossil record
b) Genetic similarities among species
c) Observations of speciation events
d) All of the above
Which type of selection favors the average phenotype in a population?
a) Directional selection
b) Disruptive selection
c) Stabilizing selection
d) Artificial selection
What term describes the formation of new species?
a) Extinction
b) Migration
c) Speciation
d) Hybridization
Which of these is an example of convergent evolution?
a) Wolves and dogs having a common ancestor
b) Bats and birds both having wings despite different evolutionary origins
c) Darwin’s finches evolving different beak shapes
d) A frog species splitting into two due to geographical barriers
What is genetic drift?
a) Change in allele frequencies due to random chance
b) Movement of genes from one population to another
c) Mutation occurring at a steady rate
d) The influence of environmental pressures on evolution
Which process occurs when individuals migrate and introduce new genes into a population?
a) Natural selection
b) Genetic drift
c) Gene flow
d) Bottleneck effect
Which phenomenon reduces genetic diversity in a small population?
a) Founder effect
b) Gene flow
c) Adaptive radiation
d) Artificial selection
Which structure is considered homologous to a human arm?
a) A bat’s wing
b) A butterfly’s wing
c) A fish’s fin
d) An octopus’ tentacle
Which type of selection occurs when extreme traits are favored over intermediate ones?
a) Stabilizing selection
b) Disruptive selection
c) Directional selection
d) Balancing selection
What is the study of embryos to determine evolutionary relationships?
a) Genetics
b) Embryology
c) Paleontology
d) Biogeography
What role do mutations play in evolution?
a) They eliminate species
b) They provide genetic variation for natural selection
c) They only cause diseases
d) They prevent adaptation
What did Darwin observe in the finches of the Galápagos Islands?
a) Identical beak shapes across all species
b) Variations in beak size based on diet
c) Finches that all ate the same food
d) No relation between beak structure and feeding habits
What is the term for a genetic trait that enhances survival and reproduction?
a) Mutation
b) Adaptation
c) Genetic drift
d) Migration
Which concept states that evolutionary changes occur gradually over long periods?
a) Punctuated equilibrium
b) Gradualism
c) Spontaneous generation
d) Catastrophism
Which scientist proposed the theory of inheritance of acquired traits?
a) Charles Darwin
b) Gregor Mendel
c) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
d) Alfred Wallace
Which molecule carries genetic information?
a) RNA
b) DNA
c) Protein
d) Lipid
What do fossils provide evidence for?
a) The Earth is flat
b) Evolutionary changes over time
c) That all species have always existed
d) That evolution does not occur
Which of these is NOT an example of evolution?
a) Industrial melanism in moths
b) Increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria
c) A dog learning a new trick
d) Changes in horse size over millions of years
Which group of animals is believed to be the closest relatives of birds?
a) Mammals
b) Amphibians
c) Reptiles
d) Dinosaurs
What is coevolution?
a) One species evolving independently
b) Two species evolving in response to each other
c) A single mutation causing speciation
d) Evolution occurring in only one population
Which type of isolation prevents two populations from interbreeding?
a) Behavioral isolation
b) Genetic drift
c) Founder effect
d) Stabilizing selection
