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AP Biology Evolution and the Origin of Species — practice questions

Explore 84 free Evolution and the Origin of Species questions in AP Biology Biology. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Evolution and the Origin of Species questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 84.

The theory of evolution by natural selection was finally formulated by:Read the answer and worked solution →A heritable trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce where it lives is called:Read the answer and worked solution →Mutations that make no difference to the fitness of the phenotype are called:Read the answer and worked solution →When two species evolve in different directions from a common ancestor, this is:Read the answer and worked solution →Structures that remain in a body but no longer have a function are called:Read the answer and worked solution →Natural selection follows from three principles, the first being that most characteristics are:Read the answer and worked solution →The second of Darwin's three principles is that:Read the answer and worked solution →For selection to change the next generation, the differences among individuals must:Read the answer and worked solution →Natural selection is described as the only known mechanism for:Read the answer and worked solution →The Grants studied changing beak shapes in the medium ground finch on which island?Read the answer and worked solution →During a wetter El Nino year on Daphne Major, which finches did better?Read the answer and worked solution →Antibiotic resistance spreads through a bacterial population because:Read the answer and worked solution →The wings of bats and insects are a classic example of:Read the answer and worked solution →Camouflage patterns that resemble each other in unrelated species arise because of:Read the answer and worked solution →Broad groups that evolved before the breakup of Pangaea are distributed worldwide, and that breakup happened about:Read the answer and worked solution →Structures absent in adults of some groups often appear in their:Read the answer and worked solution →Differences between the three domains of life show up in conservative structures such as:Read the answer and worked solution →Sexual reproduction adds to genetic diversity because reproduction assembles:Read the answer and worked solution →Build Darwin's argumentRead the answer and worked solution →Divergent or convergent?Read the answer and worked solution →Match each term to its meaningRead the answer and worked solution →True or false: evolutionRead the answer and worked solution →Complete the selection ruleRead the answer and worked solution →Which one does not belong?Read the answer and worked solution →Which geneticist wrote that nothing makes sense in biology except in the light of evolution?Read the answer and worked solution →Which ancient Greek philosopher emphasized that species were static and unchanging?Read the answer and worked solution →Which Scottish geologist proposed that geological change accumulates gradually over long periods?Read the answer and worked solution →Darwin traveled around the world on HMS Beagle from:Read the answer and worked solution →The Galapagos Islands, where Darwin studied finches, lie west of:Read the answer and worked solution →Darwin noted seed-eating finches had which kind of beak?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

The theory of evolution by natural selection was finally formulated by:

  1. Charles Darwin
  2. Gregor Mendel
  3. Carl Linnaeus
  4. Louis Pasteur
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Correct answer: A. Charles Darwin

1. Earlier explanations held that organisms were made perfectly adapted and did not change. 2. Over time, scientists came to understand that life was constantly evolving on Earth. 3. Those earlier theories were disproven, but their development contributed to the theory of evolution that was finally formulated by Charles Darwin. 4. Mendel worked on inheritance and Linnaeus on classification. _Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 'Evolution and the Origin of Species', sections 18.1-18.3_

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A heritable trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce where it lives is called:

  1. A vestige
  2. An adaptation
  3. A mutation
  4. A migration
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Correct answer: B. An adaptation

1. Not every heritable trait improves an organism's prospects. 2. The ones that do get a specific name. 3. A heritable trait that helps the survival and reproduction of an organism in its present environment is called an adaptation. 4. A mutation is a change in DNA, which may help, harm or do nothing. _Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 'Evolution and the Origin of Species', sections 18.1-18.3_

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Mutations that make no difference to the fitness of the phenotype are called:

  1. Neutral mutations
  2. Lethal mutations
  3. Silent migrations
  4. Adaptive radiations
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Correct answer: A. Neutral mutations

1. The genetic changes caused by mutation can have one of three outcomes on the phenotype. 2. A change can help, harm, or make no difference at all. 3. Many mutations will also have no effect on the fitness of the phenotype; these are called neutral mutations. 4. Lethal mutations are the opposite extreme. _Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 'Evolution and the Origin of Species', sections 18.1-18.3_

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