Core Concepts

Question 1

Order of geological time from largest to smallest?
A. Era > Eon > Period > Epoch
B. Eon > Era > Period > Epoch
C. Period > Eon > Era > Epoch
D. Eon > Period > Era > Epoch

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Homologous traits indicate
A. Convergent function
B. Shared ancestry
C. Random similarity
D. Same environment only

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Darwin/Wallace selection needs
A. Overproduction & heritable variation
B. Unlimited resources
C. No competition
D. Identical offspring

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Principle of faunal succession says
A. Fossils appear randomly
B. Fossils repeat predictably across strata
C. All strata have same fossils
D. Only marine fossils are useful

Question 5

Index fossils are used to
A. Date rocks to a period
B. Measure temperature
C. Track plate tectonics
D. Estimate oxygen levels

Answer 5

A

Question 6

Convergent evolution creates
A. Homologous traits
B. Analogous traits
C. Vestigial organs
D. Neutral mutations

Answer 6

B

Question 7

Radiocarbon (C14) dating is best for
A. Ancient igneous rocks
B. Recent biological matter
C. Metal artifacts
D. Very old sedimentary rock

Answer 7

B

Question 8

K40 Ar40 dating is used for
A. Young bones
B. Ancient rocks
C. Recent wood
D. Modern shells

Answer 8

B

Question 9

RNA world hypothesis says early life
A. Used DNA only
B. Used RNA for info & catalysis
C. Had no nucleic acids
D. Used proteins only

Answer 9

B

Question 10

Evidence for rising ancient O2 includes
A. More uraninite at surface
B. Loss of banded iron formations
C. Presence of pyrite
D. Banded iron formations

Answer 10

D

Question 11

Mitochondria originated from
A. Cyanobacteria
B. Alphaproteobacteria
C. Archaea
D. Firmicutes

Answer 11

B

Question 12

Yeast cdc2 and mammalian cdc2
A. Are unrelated
B. Can substitute functionally
C. Only in bacteria
D. Only in plants

Answer 12

B

Question 13

Adult C. elegans has how many neurons?
A. 959
B. 131
C. 302
D. 1000

Answer 13

C

Question 14

Programmed cell death in C. elegans
A. Forms 1090 cells; 131 die
B. Forms 131 cells; 1090 die
C. Forms 302 cells; all survive
D. No cell death

Answer 14

A

Question 15

Drosophila key chromosome feature
A. Circular chromosomes
B. Polytene chromosomes
C. No introns
D. Triploid genome

Answer 15

B

Question 16

Hox genes primarily
A. Code enzymes
B. Define positional identity
C. Make membranes
D. Splice RNA

Answer 16

B

Question 17

C4 photosynthesis evolved because
A. High CO2
B. Low CO2 & water stress
C. Cold climates
D. Lack of sunlight

Answer 17

B

Question 18

Chargaff’s rule states
A. A=G
B. A=T and G=C
C. A=C
D. A+G=T+C always unequal

Answer 18

B

Question 19

DNA helix has ~
A. 8 bp per turn
B. 10 bp per turn
C. 12 bp per turn
D. 15 bp per turn

Answer 19

B

Question 20

Hershey-Chase showed genetic material
A. Is protein
B. Is RNA
C. Is DNA
D. Is lipid

Answer 20

C

Question 21

Alpha helices depend on
A. Side-chain bonding
B. Backbone H-bonds
C. Disulfide bonds
D. Hydrophobic cores only

Answer 21

B

Question 22

Disulfide bonds form between
A. Serine
B. Lysine
C. Cysteine
D. Glycine

Answer 22

C

Question 23

Fluid mosaic model says membranes
A. Are rigid
B. Lipids/proteins move laterally
C. No proteins present
D. Have no asymmetry

Answer 23

B

Question 24

Lac operon is induced when
A. Glucose high
B. Allolactose binds repressor
C. RNA pol blocked
D. tRNA scarce

Answer 24

B

Question 25

Histone acetylation generally A. Condenses chromatin B. Opens chromatin C. Degrades DNA D. Stops transcription forever

Answer 25

B

Question 26

tRNA charging is done by A. Ribosomes B. RNA polymerase C. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases D. Ligase

Answer 26

C

Question 27

Electron transport chains create A. Na+ gradients B. H+ gradients C. Cl- gradients D. ATP directly

Answer 27

B

Question 28

ATP synthase uses A. Light energy B. H+ gradient C. Na+ gradient D. DNA energy

Answer 28

B

Question 29

Chloroplasts descended from A. Alphaproteobacteria B. Cyanobacteria C. Archaea D. Actinobacteria

Answer 29

B

Question 30

Q: Three domains of life are Choices: A. Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya B. Plants, Animals, Fungi C. Protists, Bacteria, Archaea D. Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, Viruses

Answer 30

A

Question 31

Q: LUCA stands for Choices: A. Last Universal Common Ancestor B. Least Unique Common Allele C. Large Unicellular Cyanobacterial Ancestor D. Lineage Under Common Ancestry

Answer 31

A

Question 32

Q: A synapomorphy is a Choices: A. Shared ancestral trait B. Shared derived trait C. Unique trait of one species D. Trait from convergent evolution

Answer 32

B

Question 33

Q: Homoplasy refers to Choices: A. Similarity from common ancestry B. Similarity from convergence C. Loss of a trait D. Random mutation

Answer 33

B

Question 34

Q: A monophyletic group includes Choices: A. Ancestor plus some descendants B. Ancestor and all descendants C. Unrelated taxa D. Only extant species

Answer 34

B

Question 35

Q: Horizontal gene transfer is common in Choices: A. Prokaryotes B. Mammals C. Seed plants D. Birds

Answer 35

B

Question 36

Q: Gram-negative bacteria have Choices: A. Thick peptidoglycan only B. No cell wall C. Thin peptidoglycan + outer membrane D. Teichoic acids only

Answer 36

A

Question 37

Q: Archaea membranes feature Choices: A. Ester-linked fatty acids B. Ether-linked isoprenoids C. No lipids at all D. Peptidoglycan-rich lipids

Answer 37

C

Question 38

Q: Eukaryote hallmark is Choices: A. Nucleoid region B. Nucleus and organelles C. Circular chromosomes D. Cell wall of peptidoglycan

Answer 38

B

Question 39

Q: Primary endosymbiosis produced Choices: A. Mitochondria from archaea B. Chloroplasts from cyanobacteria C. Peroxisomes from bacteria D. Nucleus from bacteria

Answer 39

B

Question 40

Q: Secondary endosymbiosis yields plastids with Choices: A. One membrane B. Two membranes C. Three or four membranes D. No membranes

Answer 40

B

Question 41

Q: Opisthokonta includes Choices: A. Plants and algae B. Animals and fungi C. Diatoms and dinoflagellates D. Amoebozoa only

Answer 41

C

Question 42

Q: Archaeplastida includes Choices: A. Land plants, green & red algae B. Fungi and animals C. Brown algae and diatoms D. Ciliates and apicomplexans

Answer 42

B

Question 43

Q: Key plant innovation for height Choices: A. Cuticle B. Vascular tissue with lignin C. Stomata D. Pollen

Answer 43

A

Question 44

Q: Seeds primarily provide Choices: A. Photosynthesis B. Embryo protection & dispersal C. Nitrogen fixation D. Pollination

Answer 44

B

Question 45

Q: Flowers and fruits define Choices: A. Gymnosperms B. Bryophytes C. Angiosperms D. Pteridophytes

Answer 45

B

Question 46

Q: Fungal cell walls are made of Choices: A. Cellulose B. Peptidoglycan C. Chitin D. Lignin

Answer 46

C

Question 47

Q: Animal synapomorphy includes Choices: A. Cell walls B. Collagen-rich ECM C. Chloroplasts D. Plasmodesmata

Answer 47

C

Question 48

Q: Protostomes typically develop Choices: A. Mouth from blastopore B. Anus from blastopore C. No coelom D. Radial cleavage only

Answer 48

C

Question 49

Q: Chordates share Choices: A. Exoskeleton B. Notochord C. Spiral cleavage D. Malpighian tubules

Answer 49

B

Question 50

Q: Jaws likely evolved from Choices: A. Limb buds B. Gill arches C. Vertebrae D. Skull roof bones

Answer 50

A

Question 51

Q: Amphibians tied to water due to Choices: A. Gills as adults B. Shell-less eggs C. Lungs absent D. No legs

Answer 51

B

Question 52

Q: Amniotes evolved Choices: A. Larval stage B. Amniotic egg C. Metamorphosis D. External fertilization

Answer 52

B

Question 53

Q: Mammals are defined by Choices: A. Feathers B. Mammary glands & hair C. Exoskeleton D. Book lungs

Answer 53

B

Question 54

Q: Bird hallmark feature is Choices: A. Scales only B. Feathers C. Four-chamber heart unique D. Ectothermy

Answer 54

B

Question 55

Q: Genetic drift is strongest in Choices: A. Large populations B. Small populations C. Panmictic populations D. Asexual populations only

Answer 55

B

Question 56

Q: Hardy–Weinberg requires Choices: A. Mutation & selection B. Random mating, no evolution forces C. Assortative mating D. Constant migration

Answer 56

B

Question 57

Q: Allopatric speciation results from Choices: A. Behavioral isolation only B. Geographic isolation C. Polyploidy D. Hybrid vigor

Answer 57

B

Question 58

Q: Common sympatric speciation in plants Choices: A. Polyploidy B. Island hopping C. Vicariance D. Drift alone

Answer 58

A

Question 59

Q: Adaptive radiations often follow Choices: A. Stable environments B. New niches or key traits C. Low mutation rates D. No competition

Answer 59

B