Question 1
1 markJean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed an alternative theory of evolution before Darwin. What was the primary mechanism of inheritance suggested by Lamarck's theory?
AQA GCSE · Biology 8461
The development of understanding of genetics and evolution: Practice Questions
5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 4 written questions with worked solutions. All on The development of understanding of genetics and evolution.
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Question 2
1 markAlfred Russel Wallace is known for his independent proposal of evolution by natural selection and his pioneering work on speciation. Which of the following best describes the process of speciation according to modern evolutionary theory?
Question 3
1 markIn the mid-19th century, Gregor Mendel carried out breeding experiments on pea plants. Which observation led him to propose the existence of inherited 'units', now known as genes?
Question 4
1 markOur understanding of genetics has developed over a long period. Which of the following correctly describes the chronological sequence of events in the development of the gene theory?
Question 5
1 markCharles Darwin proposed that evolution occurs through the process of natural selection. According to his theory, why do certain characteristics become more common in a population over many generations?
Question 6
3 marksIdentify two different ways in which fossils can be formed in rocks over millions of years.
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Question 7
5 marksCompare Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's theory of evolution with Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, focusing on how characteristics are inherited.
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Question 8
5 marksExplain how the mid-\( 20^{th} \) century discovery of DNA structure by scientists like Watson and Crick finally provided the evidence needed to support Gregor Mendel’s mid-\( 19^{th} \) century theory of 'units' of inheritance.
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Question 9
7 marksOur understanding of genetics has developed significantly since the mid-\( 19^{th} \) century through the work of many scientists.
a) Describe the theory of evolution by natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin, explaining how variation within a species leads to the formation of a new species.
b) Darwin's theory was only gradually accepted after its publication in \( 1859 \). Give two reasons why many scientists and the public were initially reluctant to accept his ideas.
c) In the early \( 20^{th} \) century, it was observed that the 'units' of inheritance described by Gregor Mendel behaved in a similar way to chromosomes. Explain how the discovery of DNA structure in the mid-\( 20^{th} \) century finally allowed the gene theory to be fully developed.
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