Evolution by Natural Selection: Online Quizzes and Learning Resources

Question 1

Which condition is NOT essential for natural selection to occur?

Accepted Answer

The environment changes over time.

Answer

Variation exists within a population.

Answer

Individuals with advantageous traits have a higher chance of survival and reproduction.

Answer

Traits can be passed down from parents.

Question 2

How does camouflage contribute to the survival and reproductive success of species?

Accepted Answer

It reduces detection by predators, increasing survival.

Answer

It aids in capturing prey.

Answer

It helps attract mates during courtship.

Answer

It assists in regulating body temperature.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a natural line of evidence supporting Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection

Answer

Fossil records

Answer

Comparative anatomy

Answer

Molecular evidence

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of disruptive selection?

Accepted Answer

A population of lizards evolves to have varying camouflage patterns

Answer

A population of birds evolves to have longer beaks to reach nectar from deeper flowers

Answer

A population of insects evolves resistance to a specific pesticide

Answer

A population of rabbits evolves to have shorter tails

Question 5

Which concept is NOT a pillar of Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Inheritance of acquired characteristics

Answer

Variation in inherited traits within a population

Answer

Differential survival and reproduction of individuals based on their traits

Answer

Adaptations that enhance survival and reproductive success

Question 6

According to Darwin, individuals with traits that are advantageous in their environment are more likely to:

Accepted Answer

Produce more offspring

Answer

Consume less food

Answer

Live for a shorter period

Answer

Avoid predators

Question 7

In the context of natural selection, selective pressure refers to:

Accepted Answer

Factors in the environment that favor certain traits

Answer

Introduction of new genetic variations into a population

Answer

The rate at which a population evolves

Answer

The tendency for advantageous traits to become more common

Question 8

In natural selection, fitness refers to:

Accepted Answer

An individual's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment

Answer

An individual's overall health and well-being

Answer

An individual's physical strength

Answer

An individual's lifespan

Question 9

Which of the following is not a source of heritable genetic variation?

Accepted Answer

Epigenetic changes

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Genetic recombination

Question 10

In a population, individuals with traits that enhance their ability to survive and produce offspring are more likely to:

Accepted Answer

Pass on their advantageous genes

Answer

Be eliminated by predators

Answer

Face increased competition for resources

Answer

Experience reduced genetic diversity

Question 11

What are the primary sources of variation within a population?

Accepted Answer

A combination of the above

Answer

Mutations

Answer

Genetic recombination

Answer

Environmental influences

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

Acquired traits

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Genetic recombination

Answer

Epigenetic modifications

Question 13

The peppered moth is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Camouflage

Answer

Mimicry

Answer

Artificial selection

Answer

Convergent evolution

Question 14

In the context of natural selection, fitness refers to:

Accepted Answer

An organism's ability to survive and reproduce

Answer

An organism's physical strength and speed

Answer

An organism's intelligence and adaptability

Answer

An organism's camouflage and mimicry abilities

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of directional selection?

Accepted Answer

A gradual increase in beak size in birds over time

Answer

The presence of both dark and light-colored moths in a population

Answer

The development of camouflage in moths

Answer

Polymorphism in snail shells

Question 16

Which of the following is not a fundamental principle of Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Adaptations arise from use and disuse

Answer

Variation exists within populations

Answer

Fitness is determined by how well an individual's traits suit its environment

Answer

Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce

Question 17

According to Darwin's theory, what is the fate of individuals that are less well-adapted to their environment?

Accepted Answer

They will be eliminated from the population over time

Answer

They will survive and reproduce at a higher rate

Answer

Their traits will become more common in the population

Answer

They will evolve new adaptations rapidly

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a structural adaptation in living organisms?

Accepted Answer

A bird's wings for flying

Answer

A lizard's ability to change color

Answer

A spider's venom for capturing prey

Answer

A human's appendix

Question 19

What is the term for the gradual change in the frequency of heritable traits within a population over generations?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic drift

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Adaptation

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism that contributes to genetic variation within a population?

Accepted Answer

Phenotypic plasticity

Answer

Mutations

Answer

Genetic recombination

Answer

Gene flow

Question 21

In the context of natural selection, fitness refers to:

Accepted Answer

An organism's ability to survive and reproduce successfully in its environment

Answer

An organism's overall physical strength

Answer

An organism's appearance and external characteristics

Answer

An organism's intelligence and adaptability

Question 22

What is the term for the process by which individuals with specific traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their advantageous traits to future generations?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Artificial selection

Answer

Genetic recombination

Question 23

In the context of natural selection, what is the role of genetic variation?

Accepted Answer

It provides the raw material for selection to act upon

Answer

It ensures that all individuals in a population are genetically identical

Answer

It prevents evolution from occurring

Answer

It determines the fitness of an individual

Question 24

In the context of natural selection, 'fitness' refers to:

Accepted Answer

An individual's ability to survive and successfully reproduce in a specific environment

Answer

An individual's overall physical strength

Answer

An individual's level of intelligence

Answer

An individual's social status

Question 25

According to natural selection, individuals with traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success:

Accepted Answer

Are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation

Answer

Become increasingly intelligent

Answer

Live longer

Answer

Gain higher social status

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a condition for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Strong natural selection

Answer

Absence of mutations

Answer

Absence of gene flow

Answer

Random mating

Question 27

Individuals with traits that increase their chances of survival and reproduction are said to have:

Accepted Answer

High fitness

Answer

Low fitness

Answer

Neutral fitness

Answer

No fitness

Question 28

How does genetic variation contribute to natural selection?

Accepted Answer

It allows for individuals with advantageous traits to survive and pass on their genes

Answer

It guarantees that all individuals in a population have the same traits

Answer

It creates new traits in response to environmental changes

Answer

It prevents the evolution of new species

Question 29

An adaptation is a trait that helps an organism:

Accepted Answer

Survive and reproduce in its environment

Answer

Become extinct

Answer

Lose its genetic diversity

Answer

Prevent the formation of new species

Question 30

How does natural selection contribute to the formation of new species?

Accepted Answer

By promoting reproductive isolation between populations

Answer

By reducing the genetic diversity within populations

Answer

By increasing the rate of mutation in populations

Answer

By preventing the formation of new populations

Question 31

Homologous structures provide evidence for evolution because they have:

Accepted Answer

Similar structures and different origins, indicating common ancestry

Answer

Different structures and different origins, indicating convergence

Answer

Similar structures and the same origin, indicating adaptation

Answer

Different structures and the same origin, indicating vestigiality

Question 32

How does sexual selection differ from natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Sexual selection favours traits that increase an individual's reproductive success

Answer

Sexual selection has no relation to natural selection

Answer

Sexual selection only occurs in animals

Answer

Sexual selection is more important than natural selection in driving evolution

Question 33

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria demonstrates natural selection because:

Accepted Answer

Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics have a higher chance of survival and reproduction

Answer

Antibiotics create new genes that confer resistance to bacteria

Answer

Resistant bacteria are more likely to acquire favourable mutations

Answer

Natural selection is not applicable to microorganisms

Question 34

Which of the following is a fundamental assumption of Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Variation exists within a species.

Accepted Answer

Individuals with beneficial traits have a higher chance of survival and reproduction.

Answer

Acquired characteristics can be passed down to offspring.

Answer

Natural selection only operates in stable environments.

Question 35

In a population where individuals with stronger disease resistance have a survival advantage, which individual is most likely to survive and pass on its genetic material to the next generation?

Accepted Answer

Individual with strong disease resistance

Answer

Individual with rare genetic disorder

Answer

Individual with small body size

Answer

Individual with phobia of certain foods

Question 36

What is the primary source of genetic variation within a population?

Accepted Answer

Mutations

Answer

Migration

Answer

Gene flow

Answer

Genetic recombination

Question 37

Which of the following is not considered a mechanism of evolution?

Accepted Answer

Lamarckism

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Genetic drift

Answer

Gene flow

Question 38

How does environmental pressure contribute to natural selection?

Accepted Answer

It favors individuals with advantageous traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success.

Answer

It reduces the genetic diversity of a population

Answer

It generates new mutations

Question 39

What is the term for the gradual change in the genetic makeup of a population over time?

Accepted Answer

Evolution

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Speciation

Question 40

Which factor is most crucial in determining an individual's fitness?

Accepted Answer

Ability to produce viable offspring

Answer

Strength

Answer

Size

Answer

Speed

Question 41

Which type of selection occurs when individuals with extreme phenotypes have a higher fitness advantage compared to those with intermediate phenotypes?

Accepted Answer

Disruptive selection

Answer

Artificial selection

Answer

Directional selection

Answer

Stabilizing selection

Question 42

What is a potential consequence of genetic drift?

Accepted Answer

Loss of genetic variation

Answer

Directional change in allele frequencies

Answer

Rapid evolution

Answer

Increased fitness of the population

Question 43

Which of the following is a key concept in Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Survival or Differential Reproduction of the Fittest

Answer

Use and disuse theory

Answer

Inheritance of acquired characteristics

Answer

Lamarckian evolution

Question 44

Variation is essential for natural selection to occur primarily because it:

Accepted Answer

Provides a range of traits for selective pressures to act upon

Answer

Increases the overall fitness of a population

Answer

Allows for spontaneous generation of new traits

Question 45

Genetic drift is NOT a mechanism that can drive evolutionary change through natural selection because it:

Accepted Answer

Involves random changes in allele frequencies, not driven by selective pressures

Answer

Can lead to the loss of alleles from a population

Answer

Acts on heritable traits

Question 46

Peppered moths provide an example of how natural selection can lead to:

Accepted Answer

Adaptive coloration as a response to environmental changes

Answer

Antibiotic resistance due to the overuse of antibiotics

Answer

Speciation through the accumulation of genetic differences

Answer

Vestigial structures becoming non-functional over time

Question 47

The concept of fitness in natural selection refers to an individual's ability to:

Accepted Answer

Survive and reproduce successfully in a particular environment

Answer

Have the most desirable or advantageous physical characteristics

Answer

Adapt to future environmental changes

Question 48

Which of the following is a criticism of Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

It does not fully explain the origin of new species

Answer

It places too much emphasis on competition as the driving force of evolution

Answer

It is not supported by sufficient fossil evidence

Answer

It underestimates the role of mutations in genetic variation

Question 49

The process of natural selection is considered to be:

Accepted Answer

Gradual and cumulative, occurring over many generations

Answer

Sudden and drastic, leading to rapid changes in a short period

Answer

Directed towards a predetermined goal, driven by an inherent force

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of an adaptation that has evolved through natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Camouflage in stick insects, enhancing their ability to evade predators

Answer

The ability to fly in birds, primarily driven by genetic mutations

Answer

Human intelligence, as a result of cultural and technological advancements