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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Read the Evolution notesFree MDCAT chapter notes with key terms814 questions · page 28 of 41
- A. Analogous to the fin of living fish
- B. Fossil structure from an extinct animal
- C. Homologous structure of the wings of a bat
- D. Vestigial structures that had a function in an ancestor
Explanation: In baleen whales, vestigial pelvic bones are examples of structures that had a function in their ancestors.
Correct answer: Vestigial structures that had a function in an ancestor- A. Genetic drift
- B. Continental drift
- C. Mutation
- D. Gene pool
Explanation: Random changes in allele frequency occur due to genetic drift.Genetic drift is the change in the frequency of gene variants (alleles) in a…
Correct answer: Genetic drift- A. Darwin
- B. Wallace
- C. Weismann
- D. Lamarck
Explanation: Lamarck - Correct. Lamarck's theory of evolution suggested that organs develop or diminish based on their usage.
Correct answer: Lamarck- A. Theory of natural selection
- B. Theory of survival of fittest
- C. Theory of inheritance of acquired characters
- D. Theory of special creation
Explanation: Theory of special creation - Correct. This theory states that all living beings were created by a divine power.The theory of special…
Correct answer: Theory of special creation- A. 1 and 2
- B. 1 and 3
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 2 and 3
- E. 3 and 4
Explanation: Different living and nonliving things in a single habitat form a single community.
Correct answer: 3 and 4- A. Analogous
- B. Homologous
- C. Vestigial
- D. Evolutionary convergent
Explanation: A great example of homologous structures is the wings of a bird and the forelegs of a horse.
Correct answer: Homologous- A. Mutation
- B. Migration
- C. Genetic drift
- D. Change in allele frequency
Explanation: The ultimate source of all genetic variation is mutation. The mutation is important as the first step of evolution because it creates a…
Correct answer: Mutation- A. Giraffe
- B. Galapagos finches
- C. Snake
- D. All of the above
Explanation: Galapagos finches support Darwin's view of the inheritance of desirable variations.
Correct answer: Galapagos finches- A. Metamorphic rocks
- B. Soil
- C. Volcanic mountains
- D. Sedimentary rocks
Explanation: The majority of fossils are found in sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are formed through the accumulation and cementation of sediments…
Correct answer: Sedimentary rocks- A. Special creation
- B. Natural selection
- C. Catastrophism
- D. Inheritance of acquired characters
Explanation: Linnaeus was the father of taxonomics and gave us the binomial system of naming and classifying organisms.
Correct answer: Special creation- A. Polymorphism
- B. Gene linkage
- C. Specialization
- D. Replication
Explanation: Specialization refers to the adaptation of an organism or a cell to perform specific functions or tasks within a larger system and fill in…
Correct answer: Specialization- A. Adaptation
- B. Polymorphism
- C. Niches
- D. Specialization
Explanation: A niche is an exact position or location, so if two species occupy different niches, they will be having separate reservoirs of…
Correct answer: Niches- A. Genus
- B. Family
- C. Specie
- D. Community
Explanation: Specie is a population which has the ability to interbreed among each other in nature.
Correct answer: Specie- A. Vestigial organs
- B. Fuel
- C. Fossils
- D. All of these options are correct
Explanation: OPTION A: Vestigial organs are organs, tissues, or cells in a body that are no longer functional the way they were in their ancestral form…
Correct answer: Fossils- A. Increased
- B. Decreased
- C. No change
- D. None of these
Explanation: If an allele is evolutionarily successful, its frequency in the population is likely to increase over time.
Correct answer: Increased- A. Fossil record
- B. Vestigial structures
- C. Common ancestor organisms
- D. None of these
Explanation: The answer is None of these. All of the options listed are evidence for evolution.
Correct answer: None of these- A. Rate of spontaneous mutation
- B. Levels of aggression
- C. Genetic diversity
- D. Expression of deleterious recessive traits
Explanation: d) Expression of deleterious recessive traits, This option is also correct.
Correct answer: Expression of deleterious recessive traits- A. Genetic drift
- B. Mutation
- C. Migration
- D. Natural selection
Explanation: The question describes the definition of a genetic drift, which is a change in the frequency of alleles that occurs purely by chance.
Correct answer: Genetic drift- A. Forelimbs of man and bat
- B. Wings of birds and insects
- C. Darwin's finches
- D. All of these
Explanation: Examples of convergent evolution include the relationship between bat and insect wings, shark and dolphin bodies, and vertebrate and…
Correct answer: Wings of birds and insects- A. 1.5 billion years ago
- B. 4.5 billion years ago
- C. 1000 million years ago
- D. 3.5 billion years ago
Explanation: Fact: Prokaryotes are thought to be evolved 3.5 billion years ago.
Correct answer: 3.5 billion years ago