Evolution and Inheritance: Online Learning Quizzes for Year 6 Science

Question 1

Which factor does NOT affect an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment?

Accepted Answer

The organism's preferred color

Answer

Availability of resources, such as food and water

Answer

Presence of predators or competitors

Answer

Physical characteristics, including adaptations

Question 2

How does genetic variation within a species help it evolve and adapt?

Accepted Answer

It gives some individuals traits that help them survive better in their environment.

Answer

It stops new species from forming.

Answer

It makes all individuals in a population the same.

Answer

It makes sure all individuals in a population will survive and reproduce.

Question 3

Which of the following does NOT increase genetic variation in a population?

Accepted Answer

Non-random mating

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Recombination

Question 4

What condition prevents a fossil from forming?

Accepted Answer

The organism is exposed to air for a long time after it dies.

Answer

The organism is quickly buried in mud or sand.

Answer

The organism has hard body parts like bones or shells.

Question 5

What information do phylogenetic trees provide?

Accepted Answer

How species are related and how they have changed over time

Answer

Only the connections between species that are still alive

Answer

Exactly how species evolved, with no chance of being wrong

Question 6

How do fossils provide evidence for the evolution of life?

Accepted Answer

Fossils show how organisms have changed over time.

Answer

Fossils only tell us about extinct animals.

Answer

Fossils can tell us about the weather millions of years ago.

Answer

Fossils are not useful for studying evolution.

Question 7

How has the theory of evolution changed our understanding of humans' place in the world?

Accepted Answer

Humans evolved from a common ancestor shared with other living organisms.

Answer

Humans are the most advanced species on Earth.

Answer

Humans are the only species that has evolved over time.

Answer

Evolution is a random process without any direction.

Question 8

When two species affect each other's evolution over time, what is this relationship called?

Accepted Answer

Co-evolution

Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Competition

Question 9

Why do some butterflies have white wings while others have orange wings?

Accepted Answer

Different genes for wing color

Answer

Different amounts of sunlight

Answer

Different types of food they eat

Answer

Different places they live

Question 10

What is genetic equilibrium, and when is a population said to be in genetic equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Genetic equilibrium occurs when the frequencies of different genes and alleles in a population remain stable over several generations.

Answer

Genetic equilibrium occurs when all members of a population have the same genetic makeup.

Answer

Genetic equilibrium is only possible in large populations.

Question 11

How has the understanding of evolution aided in the fight against diseases?

Accepted Answer

Identifying the genetic basis of diseases and developing treatments that target specific mutations.

Answer

Developing vaccines to protect against infectious diseases.

Answer

Eradicating disease-carrying insects.

Answer

Creating new antibiotics to combat bacteria.

Question 12

Variations that are passed down to offspring are called inherited variations. Which of the following is NOT an inherited variation?

Accepted Answer

Intelligence

Answer

Eye color

Answer

Height

Answer

Skin color

Question 13

Charles Darwin is widely credited with developing the theory of evolution by natural selection. Who is he?

Accepted Answer

A biologist and naturalist

Answer

A physicist and mathematician

Answer

A chemist and geologist

Answer

A medical doctor and geneticist

Question 14

A phylogeny is a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships between different species. What does a phylogeny look like?

Accepted Answer

A tree-like branching diagram

Answer

A straight line connecting species

Answer

A circle with species arranged around it

Answer

A table with species listed in order of relatedness

Question 15

What is the term for the process where traits are passed down from parents to offspring?

Accepted Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Evolution

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Variation

Question 16

Which of these is an instance of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Rabbits developing larger ears to hear predators better

Answer

Breeders choosing dogs with desired traits for breeding

Answer

A new plant species emerging due to isolation

Answer

Birds learning to sing a particular song

Question 17

What part does variation play in evolution?

Accepted Answer

It gives natural selection something to work with

Answer

It helps organisms adjust to changing conditions

Answer

It ensures that every individual in a group is the same

Answer

It stops new species from forming

Question 18

What is the difference between inherited and acquired traits?

Accepted Answer

Inherited traits are passed down from parents, while acquired traits develop over an individual's lifetime

Answer

Acquired traits are passed down from parents, while inherited traits develop over an individual's lifetime

Answer

All traits are both inherited and acquired

Answer

There is no difference between inherited and acquired traits

Question 19

Who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Isaac Newton

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 20

Which of these is NOT a property of living things?

Accepted Answer

Made of steel

Answer

Reproduction

Answer

Movement

Answer

Response to stimuli

Question 21

What does natural selection describe?

Accepted Answer

Survival and reproduction of individuals with beneficial traits

Answer

Extinction of species due to climate shifts

Answer

Creation of new species through artificial means

Answer

Random distribution of traits in a group

Question 22

What is DNA's function in inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Stores the genetic code determining an organism's traits

Answer

Stores energy for the cell

Answer

Facilitates cell communication

Answer

Provides structural support for the cell

Question 23

What is the process by which organisms become more or less similar over time?

Accepted Answer

Evolution

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Inheritance

Question 24

What is a fossil?

Accepted Answer

Preserved remains or traces of past living organisms

Answer

Rocks formed from plant or animal remains

Answer

Living organisms preserved in ice

Answer

Models of extinct organisms

Question 25

Who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Isaac Newton

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 26

What is the term for passing traits from parents to offspring?

Accepted Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Genetics

Answer

Evolution

Answer

Natural selection

Question 27

The process where organisms best suited to their environment survive and reproduce is called:

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Adaptation

Question 28

What trait do all living things share?

Accepted Answer

Ability to reproduce

Answer

Having only non-living parts

Answer

Lifespan that never changes

Answer

No DNA

Question 29

Passing of genetic material from parents to young is known as:

Accepted Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Variation

Answer

Mutation

Question 30

What is a kind of genetic variation?

Accepted Answer

Mutation

Answer

Migration

Answer

Predation

Answer

Camouflage

Question 31

What is the change in the amount of a trait in a population over time called?

Accepted Answer

Evolution

Answer

Adaptation

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Inheritance

Question 32

Which of these is an example of a body part without a clear purpose?

Accepted Answer

Human tailbone

Answer

Eagle's wings

Answer

Snake's legs

Answer

Dolphin's blowhole

Question 33

Who introduced the theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Isaac Newton

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism that contributes to evolution?

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic drift

Answer

Mutation

Question 35

Darwin's theory of evolution is based on the idea that:

Accepted Answer

Species change over time through natural selection.

Answer

All organisms are created perfectly and do not change.

Answer

Evolution is driven by random chance.

Answer

The strongest organisms survive and reproduce.

Question 36

Who is known as the 'father of evolution'?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Isaac Newton

Answer

Gregor Mendel

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a source of evidence for evolution?

Accepted Answer

Religious beliefs

Answer

Comparison of DNA sequences

Answer

Analysis of the fossil record

Answer

Comparative anatomy

Question 38

What is the name of the theory that explains how species change over time?

Accepted Answer

Theory of Evolution

Answer

Theory of Natural Selection

Answer

Theory of Inheritance

Answer

Theory of Variation

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a factor that can cause evolution over time?

Accepted Answer

Overuse of traits

Answer

Variation within a population

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Artificial selection

Question 40

What is the name of the process where organisms that are better adapted to their environment have a higher chance of survival and reproduction?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic variation

Answer

Gene flow

Answer

Inheritance

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of a homologous structure?

Accepted Answer

The forelimbs of a human and a dog

Answer

The wings of a bee and the wings of a bird

Answer

The tail of a cat and the tail of a lizard

Answer

The stomach of a cow and the stomach of a sheep

Question 42

What is the term for the sequence of DNA that determines a specific trait in an organism?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

Nucleotide

Answer

Allele

Question 43

Who is often referred to as the "father of genetics"?

Accepted Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

James Watson

Answer

Francis Crick

Question 44

Which of the following is an example of a vestigial structure?

Accepted Answer

The appendix in humans

Answer

The wings of an ostrich

Answer

The legs of a snake

Answer

The fur of a polar bear

Question 45

What is the term for the transfer of new genetic material into a population?

Accepted Answer

Gene flow

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic drift

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a source of genetic variation in a population?

Accepted Answer

Environmental influences

Answer

Mutations

Answer

Genetic recombination

Question 47

What is the process by which individuals with advantageous traits have a higher chance of passing on their genes to the next generation?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic drift

Answer

Adaptation

Question 48

Which scientist is famous for developing the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 49

Which of the following is a characteristic of inherited traits?

Accepted Answer

Passed from parent to offspring

Answer

Acquired during an individual's lifetime

Answer

Can be changed by environmental factors

Question 50

What is the difference between a dominant and a recessive allele?

Accepted Answer

A dominant allele is expressed even if only present in one copy, while a recessive allele is only expressed if present in two copies.

Answer

A dominant allele is only expressed in males, while a recessive allele is only expressed in females.

Answer

A dominant allele is present in all chromosomes, while a recessive allele is present in only one chromosome.

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of humans influencing and changing traits in plants or animals?

Accepted Answer

Breeding dogs for specific traits

Answer

Natural selection of birds with stronger beaks

Answer

Mutation in a population of bacteria

Question 52

What is the main idea behind the concept of evolution?

Accepted Answer

All living things share a common ancestor and change over time.

Answer

All living organisms have the same DNA.

Answer

All living organisms have evolved from monkeys.

Question 53

How has the study of genetics advanced our understanding of evolution?

Accepted Answer

It has helped scientists identify genetic variations that explain differences in appearance and behavior.

Accepted Answer

It has provided evidence for evolution by revealing similarities in DNA across species.

Answer

It has enabled scientists to modify genes in plants and animals to create new varieties.

Answer

It has fully explained how natural selection operates and leads to the survival of the fittest.

Question 54

What is the process by which organisms become better adapted to their environment over time?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Evolution

Question 55

Who developed the theory of evolution?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Isaac Newton

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 56

Which of the following is **not** a factor that can affect the survival of an organism?

Accepted Answer

Luck

Answer

Predation

Answer

Climate change

Answer

Competition for resources

Question 57

What is the difference between a dominant and a recessive allele?

Accepted Answer

A dominant allele is always expressed, while a recessive allele is only expressed when paired with another recessive allele.

Answer

A recessive allele is always expressed, while a dominant allele is only expressed when paired with another dominant allele.

Answer

Both dominant and recessive alleles are always expressed.

Answer

There is no difference between dominant and recessive alleles.

Question 58

Which of the following is an example of a vestigial structure?

Accepted Answer

The appendix in humans

Answer

The wings of a bird

Answer

The legs of a snake

Answer

The eyes of a fish

Question 59

What is the main function of DNA?

Accepted Answer

To store genetic information

Answer

To produce proteins

Answer

To transport nutrients

Answer

To fight disease

Question 60

Which of the following is a type of genetic variation?

Accepted Answer

Both mutation and recombination

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Recombination

Answer

Neither mutation nor recombination

Question 61

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Accepted Answer

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype refers to its observable characteristics.

Answer

Phenotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while genotype refers to its observable characteristics.

Answer

Genotype and phenotype are the same thing.

Answer

There is no difference between genotype and phenotype.

Question 62

New species form from existing ones in a process called speciation. Which of these does NOT cause speciation?

Accepted Answer

People deciding which animals or plants reproduce

Answer

Groups being unable to reproduce with each other

Answer

Survival of the fittest

Answer

Random changes in genes

Question 63

How do farmers use their knowledge of evolution to enhance their crops?

Accepted Answer

Breed plants with desired traits

Answer

Create entirely new plant species

Answer

Prevent diseases in their crops

Answer

Control pests using evolutionary principles

Question 64

Scientists use homologous structures, like the wings of bats and birds, to support the theory of evolution. What is the role of convergent evolution in the development of homologous structures?

Accepted Answer

Convergent evolution occurs when unrelated species develop similar structures due to similar environmental pressures.

Answer

Convergent evolution leads to the development of different structures in unrelated species.

Answer

Convergent evolution contributes to genetic variation within a species.

Answer

Convergent evolution suggests that all living organisms share a common ancestor.