/10 Biology Chapter 10 : Test Yourself 1 / 10 The process of ------- and -------- generate variation, and --------- produces adaptation to the environment. A) sexual recombination ------ natural selection ----- mutation B) genetic drift ---- mutation ---- sexual recombination C) mutation -------- sexual recombination ---- natural selection D) mutation ------- natural selection ----- genetic drift Reasoning: Mutations and sexual recombination create genetic variation, while natural selection acts on these variations to produce adaptations. 2 / 10 Natural selection is sometimes described as “survival of the fittest.” Which of the following most accurately measures an organism’s fitness? A) how much food it is able to make or obtain. B) its mutation rate C) how many fertile offspring it produces D) its ability to withstand environmental extremes Reasoning: Fitness is measured by reproductive success—the ability to produce fertile offspring that survive and reproduce. 3 / 10 The smallest biological unit that can evolve over time is A) a population B) a species C) an individual organism D) an ecosystem Reasoning: Evolution involves changes in gene frequencies within populations over generations. 4 / 10 Which of the following pairs of structures is least likely to represent homology? A) the brain of a cat and that of a dog B) the wings of a bird and those of an insect C) the wings of a bat and the forelimbs of a human D) the haemoglobin of a baboon and that of a gorilla Reasoning: Bird and insect wings perform similar functions but have different evolutionary origins, making them analogous rather than homologous. 5 / 10 Organisms produce many more offspring that can possibly survive on the limited amount of resources available to them. The offspring that are most likely to survive are those that: A) have no natural predators B) are best adapted to the environment C) are largest and most aggressive D) are born first and grow fastest Reasoning: Organisms with favorable adaptations have a greater chance of survival and reproduction. 6 / 10 Natural selection operates to produce changes in: A) races B) populations C) genes D) individuals Reasoning: Natural selection acts on individuals, but the cumulative effect is evolutionary change in populations. 7 / 10 Speciation is the evolutionary process by which: A) a new species is formed B) a new population is formed C) a new breed is formed D) a new race is formed Reasoning: Speciation is the formation of a new species through evolutionary processes. 8 / 10 Which statement best defines a mutation at the gene level? A) a change in environment B) a change in gene C) a change in appearance D) a change in behaviour Reasoning: Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence of a gene and is a major source of variation. 9 / 10 Farmers have bred Nili-Ravi buffalo to produce more milk than older breeds. Which process was used to produce these cattle? A) adaptation B) selective breeding C) genetic engineering D) natural selection Reasoning: Selective breeding involves choosing individuals with desirable traits and breeding them to enhance those traits. 10 / 10 Which results from the process of natural selection and adaptation? A) reproduction B) evolution C) artificial selection D) selective breeding Reasoning: Over many generations, natural selection acting on adaptations leads to evolutionary change in populations. Your score is 0% Restart quiz
