Evolution & Natural Selection
What is natural selection?
A. Random changes in an organism
B. The process by which better-adapted individuals survive and reproduce
C. Human-controlled breeding
D. Mutation caused by the environment
B. The process by which better-adapted individuals survive and reproduce
What is a fossil?
A. A living organism
B. A rock with minerals
C. Preserved remains or traces of living things
D. A mold of tree bark
C. Preserved remains or traces of living things
What is a mutation?
A. A fossil
B. A change in an organism’s genetic material
C. A body fossil
D. A competition for resources
B. A change in an organism’s genetic material
What is an adaptation?
A. A type of fossil
B. A behavior learned in a lifetime
C. An inherited trait that helps survival
D. A fossil record
C. An inherited trait that helps survival
Who developed a classification system for naming organisms?
A. Darwin
B. Lamarck
C. Linnaeus
D. Anning
C. Linnaeus
Which scientist developed the theory of natural selection?
A. Lamarck
B. Linnaeus
C. Darwin
D. Lyell
C. Darwin
What does the fossil record show?
A. Current climate conditions
B. How Earth formed
C. How life has changed and evolved over time
D. The future of evolution
C. How life has changed and evolved over time
How are traits passed from parents to offspring?
A. Through soil nutrients
B. Via inherited genes
C. By food consumption
D. Through fossils
B. Via inherited genes
Which term describes how well an organism can survive and reproduce?
A. Fossilization
B. Competition
C. Fitness
D. Overpopulation
C. Fitness
What did Lamarck believe about evolution?
A. Species never change
B. Evolution happens by natural selection
C. Organisms can change by using or not using body parts
D. Genes control traits
C. Organisms can change by using or not using body parts
Which is not one of the three factors affecting natural selection?
A. Overpopulation
B. Mutation
C. Variation
D. Competition
B. Mutation
What is a mold fossil?
A. Fossil with preserved soft tissue
B. An impression that creates a hollow mold in rock
C. An unbroken skeleton
D. A fake fossil
B. An impression that creates a hollow mold in rock
Which mutation can be inherited by offspring?
A. A sunburn
B. A body cell mutation
C. A mutation in reproductive cells
D. A mold fossil
C. A mutation in reproductive cells
What happens when an organism cannot adapt to its environment?
A. It becomes a fossil
B. It forms a new species
C. It becomes extinct
D. It gains mutations
C. It becomes extinct
What did Darwin observe in the Galápagos Islands?
A. Fossils in layers
B. Trees with ants
C. Finches with different beaks
D. Extinct dinosaurs
C. Finches with different beaks
How does sexual selection differ from natural selection?
A. It is caused by predators
B. It involves environmental changes
C. It focuses on traits that improve mating success
D. It only happens in extinct species
C. It focuses on traits that improve mating success
Which event can cause many species to go extinct at once?
A. Coevolution
B. Mutation
C. Mass extinction
D. Sexual reproduction
C. Mass extinction
What is gene flow?
A. Loss of genes
B. Transfer of alleles between populations
C. Death of an organism
D. Change in fossils over time
B. Transfer of alleles between populations
Which is an example of a trait selected through sexual selection?
A. Camouflage
B. Sharp teeth
C. Bright feathers in male birds
D. Resistance to disease
C. Bright feathers in male birds
What is the name of Darwin’s ship?
A. HMS Evolution
B. HMS Discovery
C. HMS Beagle
D. HMS Origin
C. HMS Beagle
What describes reproductive success in evolution?
A. Surviving extreme environments
B. Producing offspring that survive and reproduce
C. Having the most mates
D. Living the longest
B. Producing offspring that survive and reproduce
How does the fossil record provide evidence of Earth’s climate changes?
A. It shows color changes in fossils
B. Fossils indicate which organisms lived in certain climates
C. It tracks temperature changes directly
D. Fossils absorb climate data
B. Fossils indicate which organisms lived in certain climates
Which process can reduce genetic variation due to random events?
A. Mutation
B. Gene flow
C. Genetic drift
D. Natural selection
C. Genetic drift
Why can sexual selection lead to traits that are harmful to survival?
A. They increase lifespan
B. They distract predators
C. They only matter for reproduction
D. They make the organism slower or more visible
D. They make the organism slower or more visible
What is a scientific theory?
A. A guess
B. A proven law
C. A tested explanation based on evidence
D. A random idea
C. A tested explanation based on evidence