Year 10 Evolution – Revision/ Trial Test 2013
Name: _______________________________
Part A – Multiple Choice Questions [ 30 marks ]
1. According to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
A. An organism can evolve during its lifetime.
B. All organisms have an equal chance of producing offspring.
C. A population can change over time in response to environmental pressures.
D. All organisms have an equal chance of surviving.
2. The selection pressure acting on the light peppered moth in an industrial environment is:
A. Predation
B. Food supply
C. Finding a mate
D. Pollution
3. Which of the following statements about Natural Selection is TRUE?
A. Natural selection occurs in opposition to evolution.
B. Natural selection is a process whereby genes are selected randomly for
preservation in the next generation.
C. Natural selection favours individuals that reproduce more than others.
D. Natural selection can be used by farmers to generate organisms with desirable
traits.
4. Many bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Reduced use of antibiotics will mean that more bacteria will develop resistance.
B. Resistance to antibiotics in bacteria is an example of natural selection in action.
C. The non-resistant bacteria have a selective advantage when antibiotics are used.
D. The resistance gene is slow to spread through the population because of the short
generation time of the bacteria.
5. Which group of organism is believed to be among the earliest to evolve on Earth?
A. Protozoans
B. Reptiles
C. Insects
D. Worms
6. Darwin referred to the process of promoting certain traits by breeding members with
those traits as __________________.
A. Natural selection
B. Artificial selection
C. Evolution
D. Ancestral breeding
7. Which of these is an example of analogous structures?
A. Hawk wings and fish fins
B. Hawk wings and insect wings
C. Horse legs and insect wings
D. Horse legs and elephant trunks
8. The vertebrate forelimbs are examples of
A.
B.
C.
D.
Homologous structures
Heterozygous structures
Vestigial structures
Analogous structures
9. A _____________________ is a scientist who studies fossils.
A. Ecologist
B. Biologist
C. Geologist
D. Paleontologist
10. Which statement is NOT TRUE of fossils?
A. Some bacteria can form fossils.
B. Most extinct organisms have been preserved.
C. A small percentage of extinct organisms are preserved
D. Faeces can be formed into fossils called coprolites
11. The _________ era was characterized by mammals becoming the dominant land animals.
A. Mesozoic
B. Cenozoic
C. Paleozoic
D. Pro-Cambrian
12. Which model represents the major geological and biological events of Earth’s history?
A. Historical Earth Time
B. Fossil Dating System
C. Precambrian Model
D. Geological Time Scale
13. Which of these is an example of a vestigial structure?
A. Kangaroo’s pouch
B. Leg attachment site on snake pelvis
C. Elephant’s trunk
D. Adam apple in humans
14. Which is the most common rock types that fossils can be found?
A. Igneous Rocks
B. Sedimentary Rocks
C. Metamorphic Rocks
D. Mineral Rocks
15. Which term describes a trait that increases an individual’s ability to survive in a particular
environment?
A. Adaptation
B. Fitness
C. Evolution
D. Heritability
16. What are the two main components of natural selection?
A. Vestigial structures and camouflage
B. Artificial selection and selective breeding
C. Variation and inheritance
D. Fossilization and sedimentation
17. Trilobite is a(n) fossilised
A. Fish
B. Amphibian
C. Arthropod
D. Worm
18. Which type of fossils is the most common?
A. Fish
B. Reptiles
C. Birds
D. Mammals
19. When did life exist on Earth?
A. 5000 to 10 000 years ago.
B. 30 to 40 million years ago.
C. 3500 to 4000 million years ago.
D. 4600 million years ago.
20. Petrification is a process in which
A. Whole insect is trapped in amber
B. The formation of fossil of soft tissues
C. The formation of a fossil by replacing the organic materials with minerals in water
D. The formation of a fossil by freezing in icy soil
21. What evidence do scientists have that supports the idea that Earth’s surface has
changed over time?
A. fossils of rainforest plants in areas that are deserts today.
B. rocks that came from outer space
C. modern plants and animals that look like ancient organisms.
D. climates in some places on Earth that are different than other places.
22. What are the preserved remains of living things or evidence of their existence called?
A. an artifact
B. a fossil
C. a specimen
D. a model.
23. Which of the following is a typical location where a bone or shell could become petrified?
A. buried in the sand of a desert.
B. submerged in water or mud.
C. in the frozen soil of the arctic.
D. covered with leaves in a tropical rainforest.
24. The process which uses the decay rate of elements to determine the absolute age of
objects is known as
A. Relative age
B. Radioactive dating
C. Petrification
D. Sedimentation
25. The age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks is the rock’s
A. Absolute age
B. Geologic age
C. Sedimentary age
D. Relative age
26. Which of the following substances is NOT able to preserve entire organisms?
A. Sticky tar
B. Amber
C. Ice
D. Water
27. A solid copy of the shape of an organism is a
A. Mold
B. Cast
C. Tray
D. Plaster
28. A hollow space in sediment in the shape of an organism or part of an organism is a
A. Mold
B. Cast
C. Tray
D. Plaster
29. What type of fossils provide evidence of the activities of ancient organisms?
A. Molds and casts
B. Petrified fossils
C. Trace fossils
D. Index fossils
30. According to the Law of Superposition, in undisturbed horizontal layers of ________________
rock, the ___________________ rock layer is on the bottom.
A. Igneous
older
B. Igneous
younger
C. Sedimentary
younger
D. Sedimentary
older
Part B: Short Answered Questions
1. Answer the questions based on the image below:
A. What does the Geologic Time Scale
tell you? [2]
B.
What are the 4 main Geologic
Period? [2]
C.
Which Era did Dinosaurs exist? [1]
D.
When did life appear on Earth? [1]
E.
When did mass extinction of life take
place? [2]
F.
How old is our Earth? [1]
G.
Arrange the time for the evolution of the following organism from oldest (1) to
youngest (10).
(The first mammals lived in the Triassic and the first birds lived in the Jurassic) [5]
amphibian
humans mammals
jelly fish
worms
bacteria
fish
reptiles
birds
insects
H.
How many percentage of Earth History belongs to the Pre-Cambrian Time? [1]
10%
25%
50%
85%
98%
(Circle the correct answer)
I.
Which Epoch did human evolve? How long ago? [2]
J.
What is the name given to scientists who specialize in studying fossils? What is the
science of studying ancient life? [2]
2. How is a dinosaur fossil form? [3]
Arrange them in correct steps:
A. Dissolved minerals, transported by ground-waters in the sediment, fill tiny spaces in the
bones.
B. A dinosaur dies, falls into water and is buried before the remains are completely
destroyed.
C. The fossils remain within the rock until uncovered through erosion or excavation.
D. The combination of pressure, chemical reactions and time eventually turns the sediments
into rock and the bones into mineralised fossils.
E. Over time, layers of sediment build up and press down on the buried remains.
3. The followings are the different ways of fossilization: [12]
Mold and Cast
Frozen
Insects
Petrification
Mammoth
Amber
Bones
Mummification
Trace fossils
shells
Replacement
A. ________________ (like whole organism or plant parts trapped in tree sap and
became hardened), eg. ____________
B. _________________ (in which rock-like minerals seep in slowly and replace
the original organic tissues with silica, calcite or pyrite, forming a rock-like
fossil - can preserve hard and soft parts) eg. __________ and wood.
C. ______________ (An organism's hard parts dissolve and are replaced by
other minerals) eg. _______________
D. _______________( Organisms buried in sediment may decay or dissolve away
leaving a cavity. If the space is subsequently filled with sediment)
eg. _____________, bones and wood.
E. ___________________ (dry air—desert winds dehydrate animals quickly.
This will prevent bacteria from growing) eg. Ancient humans
F. _______________ (extremely cold condition – icy soil prevents the dead body
from decaying and preserved the whole body as a fossil) eg. _____________
G. ______________ ((fossilized nests, swimming, burrows, footprints, etc.)
4. Explain 3 factors or conditions necessary for fossilization to take place. [6]
5. How often fossils can be formed? Explain why is fossil record incomplete? [4]
6. a) What is the origin form of Peppered Moths (colour) ? [1]
b) What might cause the appearance of black Peppered Moths? [1]|
c) What happens to the tree trunks as a result Industrial Revolution in England? [2]
d) Explain how the Peppered Moths is evolved. [4]
7. How can scientists determine the age of rocks and fossils? [3]
8. Describe briefly 2 evidences for evolution [4]
9. a) Name 3 creatures Charles Darwin studied in details during his trip to the Galapagos
Islands in 1835. [3]
b) There are 13 different species of sparrow-like bird.
(i) What is the common name of this type of bird? [1]
(ii) What are the differences among all these species? [1]
(iii) Why did this type of bird evolve into so many different new species? [2]
(iv) According to Darwin's theory of evolution, how do new species evolve? [1]
10. List 3 factors that may cause a species to become extinct. [3]
Answers
How are fossils formed?
For a plant or animal to become a fossil, a series of events must occu© Australian Museum
The remains have to be buried before they completely decompose or are eaten. The conditions of burial must then be
suitable for the remains to leave an impression or have their organic material replaced by minerals. Finally, the fossils
must survive millions of years of pressure, uplift and erosion if they are to come back to the surface.
So what are the chances of any dead animal turning into a fossil? Many millions to one – so we certainly appreciate the
fossils we find.
From dinosaur to fossil
Stage 1
A dinosaur dies, falls in water and is buried before the remains are completely destroyed.
Stage 2
Over time, layers of sediment build up and press down on the buried remains.
Stage 3
Dissolved minerals, transported by ground-waters in the sediment, fill tiny spaces in the bones.
Stage 4
The combination of pressure, chemical reactions and time eventually turns the sediments into rock and the bones into
mineralised fossils.
Stage 5
The fossils remain within the rock until uncovered through erosion or excavation.
Conditions necessary for fossilization:
 In the water/sea (hard to form on land) – more marine organisms
 Dead body is not eaten by others (scavengers)
 The dead body must be buried very quickly
 No bacteria
 No air/oxygen – anaerobic condition
1) Organisms must contain hard parts such as bones, teeth, cartilage, or shells.
2) The organic material must be buried quickly in an oxygen-free environment protected
from scavengers.
3) Conditions after burial must be favorable as the effects of heat and pressure that
produce sedimentary rock may alter the composition and appearance of a potential fossil.
There are thirteen species of Darwin's finch, a small sparrow-like bird, in the Galapagos Islands. Each species has
adapted - or evolved - depending on the type of food that it feeds on. This is shown by the different beak shapes.
For example, the large ground finch has developed a broad, wide beak, for cracking hard seeds. The cactus ground
finch has a long, downcurved beak, for reaching down into the cactus flowers upon which it feeds. Other types of finch
feed on insects, some remove ticks from tortoises, and one even pecks at seabirds and feeds on their blood! Each finch
species has evolved according to its particular food source.
Why is the Fossil Record Incomplete?
1: Only a very small proportion of organisms get buried quickly enough to prevent them
decomposing
2: Not all organisms have hard parts
3; Sediments containing fossils are continually being eroded and removed along with their
fossil content
4: metamorphism and deformation destroy fossils
5: many fossils are still buried in rocks not exposed at the surface
6: the sea floor in particular is being continuously recycled, so deep marine organisms are
seldom preserved.
To become a fossil an organism needs to have hard parts, die and be buried in an anaerobic
environment very quickly, and then be preserved through geological time, without being
destroyed by tectonism or metamorphism, or removed by erosion. These are pretty rare
circumstances, so organisms becoming fossilized are the exceptions rather than the rule.
In which era did dinosaurs exist or begin to exist?
Dinosaurs lived throughout the Mesozoic Era, which began 245 million years ago and lasted
for 180 million years. It is sometimes called the Age of the Reptiles. The era is divided into
three periods
TRIASSIC
245 to 208 million years ago
During the Triassic period, all land on Earth existed as one enormous mass. It was called
Pangaea. The supercontinent slowly began to break up during the Triassic Period.
Some reptiles, frogs, turtles and crocodiles existed earlier, but dinosaurs didn’t appear until
late in the Triassic period.
The period marked the rise of small, lightly built dinosaurs.
The first mammals evolved during the Triassic period.
Most of the plants that existed were evergreens.
The period ended with a mass extinction that wiped out most animals and reptiles. An entire
order of plants or animals dies out in a mass extinction. The dinosaurs that survived
flourished in the next period, the Jurassic.
JURASSIC
208 to 146 million years ago
The supercontinent continued to break apart
Dinosaurs ruled the land and flourished during the period
Herbivores and carnivores increased in size; some of the largest dinosaurs emerged during
the Jurassic period
Birdlike dinosaurs first appeared
Flowering plants began to appear late in the period
The Jurassic period also ended with an extinction, but it was not as extensive as the one in the
Triassic period. Only a few types of dinosaurs died out.
CRETACEOUS
146 to 65 million years ago
Pangaea continued to separate into smaller continents
A wide variety of dinosaurs roamed the land
Birds flourished and spread all over the globe
Flowering plants developed
Mammals flourished
Dinosaurs became extinct by the end of the period. The extinction, the second largest of all
time, marked the end of the Age of Reptiles and the beginning of the Age of Mammals.
http://www.skepticalscience.com/Earths-five-mass-extinction-events.html
Evidences of Evolution
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best substantiated theories in the history of science,
supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including paleontology, geology, genetics and
developmental biology.
Summary of Darwin’s Evolution Theory
It is the process by which organisms change over time as a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioral traits.
Changes that allow an organism to better adapt to its environment will help it survive and have more offspring.
Evolution of Peppered Moths
1. In 1700 Peppered moths are a pale brown colour. They like to rest
on the trunks of trees where they are well camouflaged.
2. Occasionally there is a mutation in the colour of the peppered moth
and it is born a darker colour.
3. When this darker moth rests on a tree trunk it is spotted by a bird and
eaten
4. In 1850 The industrial revolution has started. Factories are
producing huge amounts of pollution and the trees are going black.
5. The pale brown peppered moths are no longer safe resting on tree
trunks. Their numbers decline.
6. However, the mutant black moths are now better adapted and are
camouflaged on the tree trunks. They survive to breed and pass on
their genes.
7. The species of peppered moth has evolved.
Evolution of the Peppered Moth
Arrange into correct sequence:
When this darker moth rests on a tree
trunk it is spotted by a bird and eaten.
1850 The industrial revolution has
started. Factories are producing huge
amounts of pollution and the trees are
going black.
However, the mutant black moths are
now better adapted and are
camouflaged on the tree trunks. They
survive to breed and pass on their
genes.
Occasionally there is a mutation in the
colour of the peppered moth and it is
born a darker colour.
The species of peppered moth has
evolved.
1700 Peppered moths are a pale
brown colour. They like to rest on the
trunks of trees where they are well
camouflaged.
The pale brown peppered moths are no
longer safe resting on tree trunks.
Their numbers decline.