Quiz 1: Chapter 1, 2, & 6

What are different variants of the same gene known as? A. Alleles B. Genes C. Genotypes D. Homozygotes E. Heterozygotes

A. Alleles This is the definition of alleles. Please note that genotype, homozygotes and heterozygotes are composed of alleles, but they are not the same as alleles. This is an extremely important point. Please review pages 195 - 196.

Please identify the two fundamental insights about evolution made by Charles Darwin. A. Artificial selection is analogous to natural selection. B. All life on Earth shares a common ancestry. C. On the Origin of Species was a work long in the making. D. Natural selection is the mechanism of evolution. E. Complex structures are difficult to predict via Darwinian evolution. F. Salvationism is the normal way that Darwinian evolution works.

B. All life on Earth shares a common ancestry. D. Natural selection is the mechanism of evolution.

Evolution via natural selection is a transformational process. A. True B. False

B. False Evolution via natural selection is a variational process. In a transformational process, the elements (i.e. individuals) would change. This is not the case for evolution via natural selection, as it only sorts individuals based on their fitness (see pages 51 - 52).

The process of exposure to an environmental stress or pathogen causes mutations to occur so that these mutations can increase the fitness of the population and make it survive. A. True B. False

B. False Mutations happen at random within populations. They do not happen because a population needs to evolve when selective pressures change. Please see pages 204 - 207.

Mendel's law of independent assortment states that which allele is passed down to the next generation at one locus is dependent on which allele is passed down to the next generation at another locus. A. True B. False

B. False The statement in this question is almost correct except for the term "dependent". If you replace "dependent" with "independent" then this would be correct (see pages 189 - 190).

Which of the following philosophical approaches is modern evolutionary biology based upon? A. Existentialism B. Supernaturalism C. Methodological Naturalism D. Logical Positivism E. Humanism

C. Methodological Naturalism All of science, including evolutionary biology, is based upon methodological naturalism (see pages 31 - 32).

Spontaneous generation was tested via experiment by which of the following scientists? A. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck B. Patrick Matthew C. Charles Darwin D. Francesco Redi E. Anaximander

D. Francesco Redi

During what process does crossing-over take place?

Meiosis

The observable, measurable characteristics of an organism are collectively referred to using which term? A. Mutation B. Fitness C. Phenotype D. Genotype E. Natural selection

Phenotype

Which of the following terms refers to the process by which species are formed? A. Speciation B. Extinction C. Phylogenetic diversity D. Species E. Major transitions

Speciation

A mutation between a cytosine and a thymine is known as a ______________________________________.

Transition