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Edexcel Biology Gcse - Natural Selection and Genetic Modification Sample Exam Questions and Answers

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Alfred Russel Wallace was a naturalist who worked alongside Charles Darwin and is well known for his work on speciation.

Which naturalist worked alongside Darwin and is famous for his work on speciation?

wallace

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Key Terms

Term
Definition

Which naturalist worked alongside Darwin and is famous for his work on speciation?

wallace

What is MRSA?

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

What name was given to the human-like skeleton that walked upright but had a small skull?

Lucy

Which of these is a domain in the three-domain system developed by Woese?

Archaea

Describe why Darwin was reluctant to publish his findings when he returned from his voyage to the Galapagos Islands. [2 marks]

Answer (two from):

his idea challenged that of the Church

the Church was very powerful at the time

he did not want to challenge G...

What does natural selection mean? [2 marks]

the best adapted organisms in a population are most likely to survive

and reproduce

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TermDefinition

Which naturalist worked alongside Darwin and is famous for his work on speciation?

wallace

What is MRSA?

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

What name was given to the human-like skeleton that walked upright but had a small skull?

Lucy

Which of these is a domain in the three-domain system developed by Woese?

Archaea

Describe why Darwin was reluctant to publish his findings when he returned from his voyage to the Galapagos Islands. [2 marks]

Answer (two from):

his idea challenged that of the Church

the Church was very powerful at the time

he did not want to challenge God

What does natural selection mean? [2 marks]

the best adapted organisms in a population are most likely to survive

and reproduce

What are fossils? [2 marks]

they are the imprints or remains of organisms

- which were alive millions of years ago

Describe how the binomial system is used to name organisms. [2 marks]

Answer (two from):

a two part name is given to every organism

the first part of the name is the organism’s genus

it may share this with other very closely related species

the second part is the organism’s species

this is unique to it

Explain why there are gaps in the fossil record. [3 marks]

not all fossils have been found yet

not all parts of organisms become fossils

some fossils have been destroyed in the rock cycle

Explain how the changes in horse’s feet are evidence for evolution. [4 marks]

the ground horses walked on was originally marshy

smaller horses with bigger feet had the evolutionary advantage because they did not sink into the marshy ground

the ground slowly dried up

horses with smaller feet now had the evolutionary advantage because they could run away faster from predators

Describe the evidence for human evolution. [6 marks]

stone tools show increasing sophistication

these began with simple hand axes (or other suitable example)

then arrowheads and needle bones (or other suitable examples)

many vertebrates including humans have the pentadactyl limb

this suggests we evolved from a common ancestor

Ardi is a female human-like fossilised skeleton that dates from 4.4 million years ago

Ardi’s feet suggest that humans and chimpanzees evolved separately

Lucy is a female human-like fossilised skeleton, and dates from 3.2 million years ago

Lucy’s bones suggest that she walked in an upright position, like a human, but possessed a relatively small ape-like skull

Describe how vertebrates are classified in the Linnaean system of classification. [6 marks]

vertebrates are classified into five groups, each with different characteristics.

mammals are warm-blooded, have hair or fur and breathe with lungs (or other suitable example)

reptiles are cold-blooded, have dry scales and lay leathery eggs (or other suitable example)

amphibians are cold-blooded, lay eggs and have soft permeable skin (or other suitable example)

birds are warm blooded, have feathers and a beak and many can fly (or other suitable example)

fish are cold-blooded, breathe through gills and lay many eggs (or other suitable example)

Describe how the pentadactyl limb provides evidence for evolution. Give two examples in your answer and for each explain how their limbs are adapted to their function. [6 marks]

many vertebrates including humans have the pentadactyl limb

this is a five fingered limb structure

this suggests they evolved from a common ancestor

the bat has evolved a very long and thin pentadactyl limb with skin that has stretched across it to form wings (or other suitable example and adaptation for two marks)

the whale has evolved a shorter pentadactyl limb within a flipper that allows it to swim (or other suitable example and adaptation for two marks)

Doctors are now prescribing fewer antibiotics to reduce the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Describe the process of evolution of antibiotic bacteria. [5 marks]

Answer (five from):

in every population there is variation, so some bacteria are resistant whilst others aren’t.

the individuals (in this example, the bacteria) with the most advantageous characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce

so those that have the gene for resistance have an advantage

this is survival of the fittest

because of inheritance, the offspring of those with the advantageous characteristic are more likely to have it

this process is repeated over many generations until a new species is produced

How is natural selection different from selective breeding? [5 marks]

Answer (five from):

Natural selection occurs when the best adapted organisms in a population are most likely to survive [1 mark] and reproduce

the offspring of these organisms are likely these adaptations

this will lead to evolution

all organisms are evolving [1 mark] - award a mark for any named example

selective breeding is artificial selection

this occurs when people specifically choose organisms to reproduce because of desirable characteristics

the offspring of these organisms are likely to have these characteristics

cows, dogs and crop plants have been selectively bred/any named example

Describe how DNA analysis has helped the process of classification. [4 marks]

Answer (four from):

classification was originally based on the way different species looked

DNA analysis involves mapping the genomes of organisms

this is the sequence of DNA base pairs that make up an organism

comparisons between genomes of organisms in different species lets scientists see how close they are genetically

this is a more accurate way of classifying organisms than the way they look

many scientists now believe in three domains not five kingdoms