The theory of Punctuated Equilibrium helps to answer...

why there are so few transitional fossils

why there are so many species in the world today

why it takes so long for speciation to happen

why speciation can happen in only some organisms

Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the cladogram above?

Species S is more closely related to species T than to species R.

Species P and Q are equally related to species T.

Species P and T do not share a common ancestor.

Species S evolved from species R.

Which of the following factors was MOST important in the origin of life on Earth?

Natural selection acting on molecules and protobionts

Biotic synthesis of organic molecules

On island chains like the one shown below, animal populations that spread from the main island to the other islands can evolve into separate species. Which of the following best explains why speciation is favored in such a situation?

The physical separation of the islands from the main island limits gene flow and interbreeding between the populations.

Predators on the main island can easily migrate to follow the populations to the other islands.

Lack of disease on the other island enables the populations to grow and change without limits.

The climatic conditions of the islands allow the populations to breed all year long and produce several generations.

Which of the following supports the hypothesis of an “RNA world” on early Earth?

Some RNA molecules are important catalysts in modern cells.

The oldest known fossils contain trace amounts of RNA.

Single-stranded RNA molecules are linear and do not form three-dimensional shapes.

RNA is the primary genetic material of many viruses.

Evolution of The graph above illustrates the change in oxygen concentration that occurred roughly 2.3 billion years ago. Which of the events listed below most likely led to this rapid rise in atmospheric oxygen?

Evolution of photosynthetic bacteria

Why do some scientists believe that RNA, rather than DNA, was the first genetic material?

RNA has both information storage and catalytic properties.

RNA can replicate more accurately than DNA.

RNA contains uracil in place of thymine.

Experimental evidence shows that the process of glycolysis is present and virtually identical in organisms from all three domains, Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Which of the following hypotheses could be best supported by this evidence?

Glycolysis is a universal energy-releasing process and is present in a common ancestor for all forms of life.

All organisms carry out the Krebs cycle in mitochondria.

Across the three domains, all organisms are made up of cells.

The presence of glycolysis as an energy-releasing process in all organisms suggests that convergent evolution occurred.

Phylogeny, Speciation, & Origin of Life

Quiz

•

Biology

•

11th Grade - University

•

Practice Problem

•

Medium

•

NGSS

HS-LS4-1, HS-LS4-2, HS-LS4-5

+3

Standards-aligned

Used 394+ times

FREE Resource

22 questions

Show all answers

1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

Which piece of evidence BEST supports the endosymbiotic theory of organelle evolution?

Mitochondria and chloroplast are the same size as present day extant bacteria.

They divide by a process that is similar to meiosis.

Mitochondria and chloroplast both contain DNA and can make their own proteins.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

The two extant species that are closely related to each other are __.

A and B

B and C

C and D

D and E

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

The most precise information to use when making phylogenetic trees is...

morphology

molecular

fossil

synapomorphies

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

What is a species?

A group of organisms that can mate with each other and produce fertile offspring.

A group of organisms that genetically are very different from each other.

A group of organisms that can mate and produce offspring even if those offspring are infertile.

Indivual organisms that live in the same environment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-2

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

What type of speciation involves reproductive isolation?

Allopatric

Sympatric

Both

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

6.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

What type of speciation involves geographic isolation?

Allopatric

Sympatric

Both

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

7.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

1 min • 1 pt

What type of speciation involves isolation due to behavior such as sexual selection or habitat differentiation?

Allopatric

Sympatric

Both

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Phylogeny, Speciation, & Origin of Life

22 questions

Which piece of evidence BEST supports the endosymbiotic theory of organelle evolution?

The two extant species that are closely related to each other are __.

The most precise information to use when making phylogenetic trees is...

What is a species?

What type of speciation involves reproductive isolation?

What type of speciation involves geographic isolation?

What type of speciation involves isolation due to behavior such as sexual selection or habitat differentiation?

The model that predicts evolution occurs in rapid bursts followed by long periods of no change is called...

If, like the horse, all of the transitional forms for a species are found in the fossil record, which model of evolution most likely occurred in that species?

The theory of Punctuated Equilibrium helps to answer...

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