Q21. What is the term for structures that have similar functions but different evolutionary origins?
a) Analogous structures
b) Homologous structures
c) Vestigial structures
d) Adaptive structures
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Correct Answer: a) Analogous structures
Explanation: Analogous structures are anatomical features that have similar functions but different evolutionary origins. They arise independently in different species as adaptations to similar environmental pressures.
Q22. Which of the following is an example of convergent evolution?
a) The wings of bats and the wings of birds
b) The flippers of whales and the flippers of penguins
c) The eyes of octopuses and the eyes of vertebrates
d) The thorns of a cactus and the spines of a rose bush
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Correct Answer: b) The flippers of whales and the flippers of penguins
Explanation: Convergent evolution occurs when unrelated species independently evolve similar traits in response to similar environmental pressures. The flippers of whales and the flippers of penguins are examples of convergent evolution as both species adapted to aquatic environments.
Q23. What term describes the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms?
a) Paleontology
b) Biogeography
c) Phylogenetics
d) Comparative anatomy
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Correct Answer: c) Phylogenetics
Explanation: Phylogenetics is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms. It involves reconstructing evolutionary trees or phylogenetic trees based on shared characteristics and genetic data.
Q24. Which type of selection favors individuals with traits at both extremes of the phenotypic range?
a) Stabilizing selection
b) Directional selection
c) Disruptive selection
d) Balancing selection
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Correct Answer: c) Disruptive selection
Explanation: Disruptive selection, also known as diversifying selection, favors individuals with extreme phenotypes while acting against individuals with intermediate phenotypes. This can lead to the formation of two distinct phenotypic clusters within a population.
Q25. What is the term for the formation of a new species within the same geographic area as the parent species?
a) Convergent evolution
b) Divergent evolution
c) Allopatric speciation
d) Sympatric speciation
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Correct Answer: d) Sympatric speciation
Explanation: Sympatric speciation occurs when a new species arises within the same geographic area as the parent species, often due to ecological or behavioral factors leading to reproductive isolation.
Q26. Which concept suggests that evolutionary change occurs gradually over long periods of time?
a) Gradualism
b) Punctuated equilibrium
c) Adaptive radiation
d) Molecular clock
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Correct Answer: a) Gradualism
Explanation: Gradualism is the idea that evolutionary change occurs gradually and continuously over long periods of time, without sudden or abrupt shifts in species characteristics.
Q27. What term describes the study of the fossilized remains of organisms to understand their evolutionary history?
a) Paleontology
b) Biogeography
c) Phylogenetics
d) Comparative anatomy
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Correct Answer: a) Paleontology
Explanation: Paleontology is the study of the fossilized remains of organisms to understand their evolutionary history, including their morphology, behavior, and ecological relationships.
Q28. Which of the following is an example of a vestigial structure?
a) Human tailbone
b) Bird wings
c) Fish gills
d) Insect antennae
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Correct Answer: a) Human tailbone
Explanation: Vestigial structures are anatomical features that have lost their original function over the course of evolution. The human tailbone, or coccyx, is an example, believed to be a vestigial remnant of a larger tail structure in our evolutionary ancestors.
Q29. Which process results in the formation of new species due to geographic isolation?
a) Convergent evolution
b) Divergent evolution
c) Allopatric speciation
d) Sympatric speciation
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Correct Answer: c) Allopatric speciation
Explanation: Allopatric speciation occurs when a population becomes geographically isolated from the rest of its species, leading to reproductive isolation and the eventual formation of new species through genetic divergence.
Q30. What term describes the exchange of genes between different populations of the same species?
a) Genetic drift
b) Gene flow
c) Mutation
d) Natural selection
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Correct Answer: b) Gene flow
Explanation: Gene flow is the exchange of genes between different populations of the same species through migration and interbreeding. It can lead to the spread of advantageous traits and the maintenance of genetic diversity within populations.