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S8 - Q4 - Unit 1 Test

Biological Evolution + Critical Thinking

📚 Science 🎓 Grade 8 ⏱️ 45 minutes

Learning Objectives

  • Explain how scientists use the rock record and dating methods to determine Earth's history

  • Describe Darwin's four principles of natural selection and how they drive evolution

  • Compare types of adaptations and selection patterns, and explain speciation

  • Classify organisms using the taxonomic hierarchy, domains, and kingdoms

  • Identify and detect logical fallacies

1

Q4 Unit 1 Test

Question 1

According to the Law of Superposition, in an undisturbed sequence of rock layers, the oldest layers are found:

Question 2

Which type of dating determines the ACTUAL age of a rock or fossil in years?

Question 3

A radioactive element has a half-life of 500 years. A scientist starts with 80 grams. How much of the original element remains after 1,500 years?

Question 4

What characteristic makes a fossil useful as an index fossil?

Question 5

What is the correct order of the geologic time scale from LARGEST division to SMALLEST?

Question 6

A gap in the rock record where layers are missing due to erosion or non-deposition is called:

Question 7

Which of Darwin's four principles states that organisms produce MORE offspring than the environment can support?

Question 8

Natural selection acts directly on an organism's:

Question 9

Which of the following is a source of genetic variation in a population?

Question 10

In evolutionary biology, 'fitness' BEST refers to an organism's ability to:

Question 11

A bodybuilder develops very large muscles through years of training. Will the bodybuilder's children inherit larger muscles?

Question 12

On an island, beetles with green coloring survive better against green leaves because birds eat fewer of them. After many generations, most beetles are green. This is an example of:

Question 13

A polar bear has a thick layer of blubber to retain heat. This is which type of adaptation?

Question 14

Birds flying south for the winter is which type of adaptation?

Question 15

In a population, individuals with the AVERAGE trait value have the highest survival rate, while individuals at either extreme survive less. This is:

Question 16

A mountain range divides a population of lizards into two groups. Over thousands of years, the two groups become so different that they can no longer interbreed. This process is called:

Question 17

When two populations can no longer produce fertile offspring together, they have achieved:

Question 18

Which selection pattern favors BOTH extremes of a trait over the average?

Question 19

What is taxonomy?

Question 20

Who is credited with creating the binomial nomenclature system used to name organisms?

Question 21

In the scientific name Canis lupus, the word 'Canis' represents the organism's:

Question 22

Which is the correct order of classification from the BROADEST level to the MOST SPECIFIC?

Question 23

Based on DNA evidence, which kingdom of Eukarya is MOST closely related to Kingdom Animalia?

Question 24

'You got a C in English, so you have no right to evaluate this essay.' Which logical fallacy is this?

Question 25

'Everyone in our grade is signing up for this club, so you should too.' This is an example of which fallacy?

Question 26

Relative dating gives the exact age of a rock in years.

Question 27

After two half-lives, 25% of the original radioactive sample remains.

Question 28

Acquired traits, such as scars or learned skills, can be passed to offspring through DNA.

Question 29

Fungi are more closely related to plants than to animals.

Question 30

The three domains of life are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Question 31

In binomial nomenclature, the species name is capitalized and the genus name is lowercase.

Question 32

A Straw Man fallacy distorts someone's argument into an extreme version and then attacks the distorted version.

Question 33

The 3-question defense begins by asking 'What evidence supports this claim?'

Question 34

Match each principle of natural selection to its description.

Inheritance
Overproduction
Selection
Variation
Question 35

Match each adaptation example to its type.

A cactus has sharp spines for protection
A possum plays dead to avoid predators
A snake produces venom to subdue prey
Arctic foxes grow white fur in winter
Question 36

Match each Kingdom of Eukarya to its description.

Fungi
Animalia
Protista
Plantae