AS Science In Society 1.9
Teacher Notes
Suggested answers
a i 8 million years ago
ii Neanderthal & Erectus
b
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for 1 mark
both for 1
mark
Any 4 for 1
mark each
1
1
4
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more recent species show increasing brain size
variation in individuals/ some individuals have larger
brains
Larger brains/ Better adapted/ more intelligent more likely
to survive
Able to pass on advantageous characteristics
offspring inherit larger brains
development of new species over time
extinction of smaller brain size/less adapted species
advantages may be language/tool making
example of exception (Neanderthal or chimpanzee )
c
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all information we do have fits theory
gaps may be filled later
not all species died in conditions for fossil formation
no contradictory evidence
good evidence for evolution of non-human species
Any 2 for 1
mark each
2
d
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We seem to be different from animals/
Common ancestor with chimpanzees seems improbable/
Only humans have language/self awareness/
moral sense/developed intelligence/technology
Any 2 for 1
mark each
2
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Not ‘superior’ or ‘advanced’ unless explained
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Religious books such as Bible describe creation/
Evolution breaks special relationship with God/
Some people consider humans superior
Timescale
10
November 2008
Page 1
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.9
Student sheets
Human evolution is an important topic of research. Humans are classified as primates and show many
similarities to other living primates. Other primate species are now extinct. The lines in Figure 1 show
one suggested relationship between modern humans (Homo sapiens), modern chimpanzees and some
of the other extinct human-like (Homo) species.
Figure 1 A possible relationship between some different primate species.
Average brain
size for each
species is shown
next to the name.
(a) (i) According to Figure 1 how long ago did chimpanzees become a separate species from those that
led to humans?
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(1 mark)
Page 1
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.9
Student sheets
(ii) Name two Homo species that became extinct less than one million years ago.
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(1 mark)
(b) Use Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and the information in Figure 1 to explain the
evolution of the intelligent species Homo sapiens, the scientific name for modern humans.
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(4 marks)
(c) Most of the information in Figure 1 is derived from fossils. There are gaps in the fossil record and
some intermediates in the stages of human evolution are therefore not known about. Explain why
these gaps do not cause scientists to doubt the overall process of human evolution.
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(2 marks)
(d) Suggest two reasons why some people find it hard to accept that humans have evolved from other
species.
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(2 marks)
Page 2
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges