High School Biology : Genetics and Evolution

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #4 : Understanding Other Evolution Principles

Which of the following is not an example of evolution?

Possible Answers:

When the Grand Canyon formed, it geographically divided a squirrel population into two populations, which developed into distinct species.

Finches in the Galapagos islands have diversified over time into many species each well-suited for eating a particular type of food.

A frog begins its life as a tadpole, but becomes an amphibian.

Over many generations, wild teosinte has become maize.

Correct answer:

A frog begins its life as a tadpole, but becomes an amphibian.

Explanation:

Evolution must occur over many generations and a long time scale. Changes within the life of an individual do not constitute evolution. Thus, a tadpole becoming a frog is not evolution.

Example Question #32 : Evolutionary Principles

Before the Industrial Revolution in England, the peppered moth population in England was predominantly white-colored, with very few individuals exhibiting black coloring. The white moths were camouflaged when they rested on birch trees, while the black moths were not, making them easy targets for predators. Air pollution—specifically, soot—from the Industrial Revolution resulted in the trees being drastically darkened. What most likely happened over time to the moth population?

Possible Answers:

The black moths came to represent most of the population of peppered moths, and white moths became much less common.

The black moths developed an additional defensive mechanism—spots on their wings resembling eyes.

It experienced no changes due to the pollution.

The predators of the moths specifically began to eat more black moths than white moths.

The black moth phenotype died out entirely, leaving the population composed of entirely white moths.

Correct answer:

The black moths came to represent most of the population of peppered moths, and white moths became much less common.

Explanation:

After the Industrial Revolution's smog polluted the trees and resulted in them darkening in color, it was much easier for the black moths to survive and reproduce, because the darkened trees provided them with better camouflage than the light-colored trees had. The white-colored moths, on the other hand, were now exposed to predation at a greater rate, because they were not camouflaged. Due to this change in the environment, the moth population became predominantly black-colored as it adapted. This is an example of natural selection in action.

Example Question #1 : Understanding Other Evolution Principles

Which of the following offers the best description of the mechanism of evolution?

Possible Answers:

There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals best-suited to survive the current conditions will have the lowest success in passing on their genes. Over many generations, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species.

There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals best-suited to survive the current conditions will have the highest success in passing on their genes. In a single generation, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species.

There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals least-suited to survive the current conditions will have the highest success in passing on their genes. Over many generations, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species.

There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals best-suited to survive the current conditions will have the highest success in passing on their genes. Over many generations, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species.

Correct answer:

There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals best-suited to survive the current conditions will have the highest success in passing on their genes. Over many generations, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species.

Explanation:

The mechanism of evolution was described by Darwin as the "survival of the fittest." We need an answer that addresses the fact that the individuals best suited to survival pass on their genes more often than individuals that aren't as well-suited, and that over long periods of time, these changes an accumulate until new species arise. This means that the correct answer is "There are always differences in the genes of individuals of a species. Some differences give certain individuals a better chance of survival. In each generation, those individuals best-suited to survive the current conditions will have the highest success in passing on their genes. Over many generations, the accumulation of these changes leads to the creation of new species from existing species."

Example Question #31 : Genetics And Evolution

Which of the following is an example of a selective pressure?

Possible Answers:

The presence of wolves in grasslands populated by elk, causing the elk to take refuge in surrounding forests with less energy-dense food until wolves leave

None are instances of selective pressures 

Ocean acidification, causing a depletion of calcium carbonate from shelled organisms and eventually fragile shells 

The presence of the brown anoles in the same habitat as green anoles, causing an increase in the number of toe pads in green anoles

The presence of diurnally active predators causing the extinction of zooplankton in a laboratory experiment

Correct answer:

The presence of the brown anoles in the same habitat as green anoles, causing an increase in the number of toe pads in green anoles

Explanation:

A selective pressure is a factor that promotes evolution by selecting for a trait that will allow better survival for the organism that is at risk for compromised survival. In the case of anoles, the presence of the brown anole has promoted an evolutionary change for the green anole. There is no evolutionary change that can be observed in the other instances. 

Example Question #7 : Understanding Other Evolution Principles

Which of the following do not evolve?

Possible Answers:

Envrionment

Communities 

Individuals

Populations

Species

Correct answer:

Individuals

Explanation:

Evolution occurs over a given time and may be punctuated or stagnant.  As individuals are produced with different characteristics more fit for their environments, the population gradually changes.  Evolution may even cause speciation or the merging  of two species.  Evolution is the response of a changing environment and different species interactions- individuals do not evolve; rather, natural selection works in favor of those individuals who are more fit for the current environment.  Those more fit individuals will go on to produce more offspring with their same qualities, leading to a gradual change, or evolution, of a species, population, and community. 

Example Question #32 : Genetics And Evolution

Hummingbirds have very long tongues and feed on nectar from long, tube-like flowers. The tongue of a hummingbird and the shape of these flowers are an example of what type of evolution?

Possible Answers:

Stabilizing selection

Founder effect

Genetic hitchhiking 

Coevolution

Correct answer:

Coevolution

Explanation:

Coevolution describes how two species that interact closely with each other for their survival can evolve in response to one another. Another example is lichens, which are fungi and bacterial cells that grow together to act as a single living organism. 

Example Question #33 : Genetics And Evolution

A visible difference between males and females of the same species is known as __________.

Possible Answers:

The sperm-egg model

Genetic drift

Sexual dimorphism

Evolutionary monomorphism

Correct answer:

Sexual dimorphism

Explanation:

Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic differentiation between males and females of the same species. These altered phenotypes occur in organisms that reproduce through sexual reproduction. Commonly referenced possible examples are body size, physical strength and morphology, ornamentation, behavior and other bodily traits. An example would be comparing bright green male peacocks to the brown and grey female peacocks. Genetic drift is a different, unrelated evolutionary concept. Evolutionary monomorphism and the sperm-egg model do not refer to real concepts.

Example Question #1 : Genetics Principles

Hemophilia is a sex-linked recessive mutation found on the X-chromosome. A healthy male mates with a female that is a carrier for the disease.

Which of the following statements is true?

Possible Answers:

100% of their daughters will have hemophilia

All offspring will be healthy

50% of their daughters will have hemophilia

50% of their sons will have hemophilia

Correct answer:

50% of their sons will have hemophilia

Explanation:

The disease is recessive and found on the X-chromosome. Remember that males only have one X-chromosome, while females have two. As a result, males only require one mutant allele to express a recessive phenotype, while females need to have two mutant alleles in order to have hemophilia.

In this scenario, both parents are healthy, but the female is a carrier for the disease. This means that one of her alleles codes for hemophilia.

Parents: XXh x XY

Since daughters will need two copies of the mutant allele, they will all be healthy; by default they will receive the healthy X-chromosome from the father.

Daughters: XX or XXh; all healthy phenotype

Sons, however, have a 50% chance of receiving the mutant allele from the mother, because the father will always contribute the Y-chromosome to sons.

Sons: XY or XhY; half healthy, half hemophilic

As a result, 50% of the sons will have hemophilia.

Example Question #1 : Inheritance Patterns

Rett syndrome is a sex-linked dominant disease found on the X-chromosome. If the offspring of a certain cross have a 50% chance of receiving the disease, regardless of gender, which of the following statements is true?

Possible Answers:

The mother is heterozygous for the disease

The father has the disease

The mother is homozygous for the disease

The mother does not have the disease

Correct answer:

The mother is heterozygous for the disease

Explanation:

Since the disease is found on the X-chromosome, we need to find the scenario in which both sons and daughters have an equal 50% probability of getting the disease. Regardless of gender, mothers will always donate one X-chromosome to the offspring. If the mother is heterozygous for the disease, she has a 50% chance of giving an offspring the diseased allele. As a result, a heterozygous mother will have children that display the disease in the observed ratio.

Parents: XXR x XY

Offspring: XX, XXRXYXRY

Note that this ratio of expression is only possible when the allele for the disorder is dominant; otherwise the heterozygous female would be a carrier, and not express the disorder.

Example Question #1 : Genetics Principles

Colorblindness is a sex-linked recessive condition. If a woman is a carrier for the colorblind trait has a child with a man that does not have the trait, what percent chance will their first child (regardless if it is a girl or boy) be colorblind?

Possible Answers:

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Correct answer:

25%

Explanation:

First, we have to look at the genotype of the mother and father. The mother is XX, because she is a woman, while the father is XY. The mother is a carrier for the gene, which means she has the traits on one chromosome, but since it is recessive she does not express it physically (she is not colorblind). Therefore, we can denote her genotype to be X Xc (with c being the color blind trait). When we cross the mother and the father (XY), we receive the following possibilities for their children: XX , XcX, XY, XcY. The trait shows up twice, they could have a girl that is a carrier, but no female will express colorblindness from this couple. If they have a boy, there is a 50% chance that he will be color blind (remember, males only have 1 chromosome so they will inherit genes directly from their mother). But, the question is asking what percent of their children will be colorblind, regardless of it being a girl or boy, therefore the answer is 25%.

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