Evidence for Evolution Quiz

1. The picture shows evidence for evolution because it shows the transition from a land animal to a water animal. The land animal most likely had a change in environment living near water and adapted while giving offspring that transitioned to live in that atmosphere. The picture shows transitional fossils that have traits of a land and water animal. It is an incomplete fossil record, but gives evidence that things such as animals evolve through time.

2. E. North America

3. Dragonflies, birds and bats are all examples of evolution. They all have analogous functions, but they differ in appearance and structure because they all have different ancestor genes.

4. The Common Descent lab shows DNA evidence and ancestry as evidence for evolution. There is a common ancestor that branches to other organisms that are related but all are derived from the common ancestor. We compare DNA strands of apes, gorillas, humans, and chimpanzees to see which ones are closest in DNA. We realized the gorilla was closest related to the common ancestor and humans were closest related to chimpanzees. We drew a cladogram that showed the relationship of the organisms that  are all derived from the common ancestor. We can see that through time organisms evolve from a common ancestor.

5. Homology is the similarities in the structures, DNA and genes of an organism that is derived from a common ancestor. The structures change to adapt to their environment such as birds and bats (very similar organisms). A bird and a bat both have similar functions but their structure in their wings are different. The digits at the end of a bird wing are closer together while a bat wing's digits are far apart and separated. They have adapted to a different environment and evolved through time.