Variation and evolution: Practice Questions

• a.

  Eye colour in humans

• b.

  A scar on the skin from an injury

• c.

  Naturally occurring blood group

• d.

  The presence of a genetic disorder like Polydactyly

• a.The age of the organism, its gender, and its habitat.
• b.The type of cell division, the number of ribosomes, and the rate of respiration.
• c.Predation, competition, and the availability of food.
• d.Genetic causes, environmental causes, or a combination of both.

• a.

  Darwin failed to publish his ideas in a formal book for over 50 years.

• b.

  The fossil record at the time showed that organisms never changed over millions of years.

• c.

  Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics had already been proven correct.

• d.

  The mechanism of inheritance and variation was not known at the time the theory was published.

• a.

  The formation of new species within a single generation.

• b.

  Inbreeding, which makes the population prone to disease or inherited defects.

• c.

  The accidental creation of genetically modified (GM) organisms.

• d.

  Increased genetic variation within the species.

• a.

  To provide the amino acid sequence required for protein synthesis.

• b.

  To insert the isolated gene into the required cells of the target organism.

• c.

  To act as an enzyme that cuts the required gene out of a chromosome.

• d.

  To stimulate an electric shock that triggers cell division in the embryo.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.