Evolution: Evidence and Theory

1.         What are homologous and vestigial structures and how do they provide evidence of evolution?

2.         How do scientists date fossils?

3.         How do fossils indicate species have changed over time?

4.         How does embryology suggest common ancestry?

5.         What evidence of common ancestry is found in biochemical studies?

6.         Define the term fossil.

7.         What can we learn from fossils?

8.         Name three methods of fossilization?

9.         What are trace fossils?

10.       What are the earliest fossils and how old are they?

11.       What is the earliest hominid?

12.       What distinguishes the human jaw from the ape jaw?

13.       What distinguished Homo habilus from earlier hominids?

14.       How does the law of superposition allow paleontologists to date fossils?

15.       What did Malthus propose about the growth of populations?

16.       How did Lamarck’s theory of evolution differ from Darwin’s?

17.       What does the existence of similar embryological forms imply?

18.       Why are some traits beneficial for only some species?

19.       What pattern of evolution is demonstrated by the Galapagos finches?

20.       What pattern of evolution is shown by the body shapes of sharks (fish) and dolphins (mammals)?

21.       How does the structure of proteins and other macromolecules indicate the relationships between species?

22.       What kind of pattern is demonstrated by bats and the flowers they feed on?

23.       What is an acquired characteristic?

24.       What limits the growth of populations?

25.       Describe natural selection.

26.       How did Lyell’s work affect Darwin?

27.       What types of evidence are used to support the theory of evolution?

28.       Give an example of adaptive radiation.

29.       How do the red fox and the kit fox show divergent evolution?

30.       What is convergent evolution?

31.       What is uniformitarianism?

32.       How do pollinators show convergent evolution with flowers?

33.       Adaptive radiation most often happens on newly formed island. Why is this so?

34.       What 2 concepts form the basis for Darwin’s theory of evolution?

35.       How do Hawaiian honeycreepers provide evidence for evolution?

36.       According to Darwin, how does natural selection result in new species?

37.       Why is adaptive radiation a form of divergent evolution?

38.       What are examples of vestigial structures in humans?

39.       What can a trail tell you about the animal?

40.       Arrange these is order of increasing complexity: multicelled eukaryotes, prokaryotes, single celled eukaryotes.

41.       In general, what can be said about the complexity of organisms?

42.       What is needed to make a fossil?

43.       How does petrification differ from carbonization?

44.       Which hominid showed the first evidence of burial rituals?

45.       Which hominid built the first shelters?

46.       What are the two parts of Darwin’s theory of evolution?