Theories of Evolution - Lamarck and Darwin - Unsolved Practice Set
Chapter: Evolution | Topic: Theories of Evolution Lamarck Darwin
THEORIES OF EVOLUTION - LAMARCK AND DARWIN - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Theories of Evolution Lamarck Darwin
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Lamarck's theory of evolution proposed that evolution occurs mainly through:
- Natural selection
- Use and disuse of organs, with inheritance of acquired characters
- Random genetic drift
- Chemical evolution
Q2. Lamarck's classic example to explain the elongated neck of the giraffe was based on:
- Natural selection favouring taller giraffes
- Continuous stretching of the neck by giraffes to reach food, passed on to offspring
- Random mutation
- Sexual selection
Q3. Darwin's theory of evolution is centrally based on the concept of:
- Inheritance of acquired characters
- Natural selection
- Chemical evolution
- Punctuated equilibrium
Q4. The main criticism of Lamarck's theory is that:
- It has too much experimental support
- Acquired characters (changes during an organism's lifetime) are generally not inherited genetically
- It agrees completely with modern genetics
- It cannot explain any evolutionary change
Q5. Darwin published his theory of evolution by natural selection in his book titled:
- The Origin of Species
- The Voyage of the Beagle
- The Selfish Gene
- The Descent of Genetics
Short Answer Questions
Q6. State Lamarck's theory of "use and disuse of organs" in your own words.
Q7. Briefly outline the main points of Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Q8. Why is Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characters generally rejected by modern genetics?
Q9. Give one key difference between Lamarck's and Darwin's explanations for the giraffe's long neck.
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Explain Lamarck's theory of evolution, describing the concept of use and disuse of organs and inheritance of acquired characters, with a suitable example.
Q11. Discuss Darwin's theory of natural selection, explaining the key steps involved - overproduction, variation, struggle for existence, and survival of the fittest.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. A bodybuilder trains for years and develops large, well-defined muscles. According to Lamarck's theory, his children should inherit similarly large muscles at birth. Explain, using modern genetic understanding, why this does not actually happen.
Q13. In a population of insects living on tree bark, individuals with a colour closely matching the bark tend to survive predator attacks better than brightly coloured individuals. Using Darwin's theory of natural selection, explain how this situation could lead to a change in the population's colour over many generations.