Free Evolution MCQs with Answers
814 Evolution MCQs from Biology, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.
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- A. Overproduction
- B. Variations
- C. Acquired characters are inherited
- D. Struggle for existence
Explanation: Inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by Lamarck, not Darwin.
Correct answer: Acquired characters are inherited- A. Darwin
- B. Lamarck
- C. Linnaeus
- D. Aristotle
Explanation: Charles Darwin is regarded as the Father of Evolution due to his theory of natural selection, which laid the foundation for modern…
Correct answer: Darwin- A. Homologous organs
- B. Analogous organs
- C. Vestigial organs
- D. Mutation
Explanation: Mutations are a source of variation, not direct evidence of evolution. Homologous, analogous, and vestigial structures serve as evidence…
Correct answer: Mutation- A. Homologous organs
- B. Analogous organs
- C. Vestigial organs
- D. Modified organs
Explanation: Analogous organs perform similar functions but have different structural origins (e.g., wings of insects and birds).
Correct answer: Analogous organs- A. Homologous organs
- B. Analogous organs
- C. Vestigial organs
- D. Rudimentary organs
Explanation: Homologous organs share a common structural origin but may perform different functions, such as the forelimbs of humans, whales, and bats.
Correct answer: Homologous organs- A. Convergent evolution
- B. Divergent evolution
- C. Natural selection
- D. Common ancestry
Explanation: Analogous structures arise when unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits due to adaptation to similar environments.
Correct answer: Convergent evolution- A. The Origin of Species by Natural Selection
- B. The Origin of Species
- C. The Evolution of Species
- D. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
Explanation: This was the full title of Darwin's groundbreaking work published in 1859, where he proposed his theory of natural selection.
Correct answer: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection- A. Pteranodon
- B. Avimimus
- C. Caudipteryx
- D. Archaeopteryx
Explanation: Archaeopteryx had both reptilian (teeth, claws, tail) and avian (feathers, wings) features, making it a transitional fossil between…
Correct answer: Archaeopteryx- A. Lamarckism
- B. Theory of special creation
- C. Neo-Darwinism
- D. Mendelism
Explanation: Neo-Darwinism, also called the modern evolutionary synthesis, generally denotes the integration of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by…
Correct answer: Neo-Darwinism- A. 30 types
- B. 20 types
- C. 13 types
- D. 25 types
Explanation: Darwin collected on the Galapagos were 13 types of inches that, although quite similar, seemed to be different species.
Correct answer: 13 types- A. Biogeography
- B. Biology
- C. Comparative anatomy
- D. Molecular biology
Explanation: Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.
Correct answer: Biogeography- A. Artificial selection
- B. Selection by chance
- C. Wild type
- D. Natural selection
Explanation: Artificial selection is the identification by humans of desirable traits in plants and animals, and the steps taken to enhance and…
Correct answer: Artificial selection- A. Witt's theorem
- B. Fischer's theorem
- C. Hardy-Weinberg theorem
- D. Binomial theorem
Explanation: The shuffling of alleles by meiosis and random fertilization has no effect on the overall gene pool of a population.
Correct answer: Hardy-Weinberg theorem- A. None
- B. Gene frequency of one allele
- C. Frequency of whole gene pool
- D. Both (A) and (B)
Explanation: Population geneticists use the letter p to represent the frequency of one allele and the letter q to represent the frequency of the other…
Correct answer: Gene frequency of one allele- A. 44%
- B. 10%
- C. 84%
- D. 20%
Explanation: Tropical rain forests, the most threatened areas on the earth, have been reduced to 44% of their original extent.
Correct answer: 44%- A. A community
- B. A population
- C. A species
- D. An ecosystem
Explanation: The smallest unit of evolution is population as it is the smallest unit of living organisms that can undergo evolution.
Correct answer: A population- A. Comparative embryology
- B. Fossil record
- C. Comparative anatomy
- D. Molecular biology
Explanation: More than just a catchy phrase, "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" is the foundation of recapitulation theory.
Correct answer: Comparative embryology- A. Variable
- B. Abnormal
- C. Fixed
- D. Normal
Explanation: Individuals can be homozygous or heterozygous for these homologous loci.
Correct answer: Fixed- A. Threatened species
- B. Endangered species
- C. Wild species
- D. None
Explanation: Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to extinction in the near future.
Correct answer: Threatened species- A. Population genetics
- B. Molecular biology
- C. Embryology
- D. Cytogenetics
Explanation: Population genetics is the study of genetic variation within and among populations and the evolutionary factors that explain this…
Correct answer: Population genetics