Evolution and Inheritance

Question 1

What is evolution?

Answer 1

• Evolution is the change in living things over time.
• The process of evolution takes place over very long timescales. For example, the evolution of the polar bear from the brown bear took between 100,000 and 250,000 years.

Question 2

What did Charles Darwin’s theory suggest?

Answer 2

Darwin’s theory of evolution suggested that species will change over time to make new versions of the species in order to survive.

Question 3

What record shows evidence of evolution?

Answer 3

The fossil record.
Fossils show us a range of living creatures from across different times in the past.

Question 4

• If we find the fossils in newer rock, we know the organisms existed ________________.
• If we find the fossils in older rock, we know the organisms were ______________________.

Answer 4

• If we find the fossils in newer rock, we know the organisms existed more recently.
• If we find the fossils in older rock, we know the organisms were from much longer ago.

Question 5

List the adaptations of a cactus.

Answer 5

waxy skin, to reduce water loss; spines, which lose less water than leaves and protect it from animals; water storage, in stems, leave and roots; tap roots, which reach further under ground to access water.

Question 6

List the adaptations of a camel.

Answer 6

long eye lashes, hairy ears and closing nostrils help to keep out sand; thick eyebrows which stand out and shade eyes from the sun; wide feet so they don’t sink in the sand; they can go without water for over a week because they can drink gallons in one go; they can go months without food - they store fat in their humps; body temperature can change to avoid losing water through sweating; they are well camouflaged; thick fur helps to keep them warm at night.

Question 7

What adaptation does a creature have that enables them to live in the deep sea?

Answer 7

Bioluminescence.
Many animals make their own light, called bioluminescence to communicate, find mates, scare predators, or attract prey.

Question 8

List the adaptations of a polar bear and emperor penguin.

Answer 8

• Polar Bear adaptations include: white colour to camouflage on ice; thick layers of fat for insulation; large feet with claws to grip ice; oily fur that sheds water.
• Emperor Penguin adaptations include: huddle together to stay warm; thick layers of fat for insulation; dark colour absorbs heat from the sun; their wings, shaped like flippers, also help them “fly” underwater at speeds up to 15 mph.

Question 9

What adaptations to creatures have that live in marine habitats.

Answer 9

Creatures who live in marine habitats can breathe underwater (for example, using gills) or can hold their breath for a long time and just come up to the surface every now and then for air.

Question 10

What adaptations do nocturnal animals have?

Answer 10

• Animals like owls and large cats have specialised hearing to hunt at night. Many nocturnal animals also have a good sense of smell and often communicate with scent marking. Some animals, like snakes, use taste to navigate and locate prey.
• Nocturnal animals often have larger eyes that are more sensitive. They have bigger pupils which allows more light in and because their eyes are sensitive to light, they have to make sure they don’t let in too much light during the day.

Question 11

List characteristics which offspring can inherit from parents.

Answer 11

Eye colour.
Hair colour.
Roll tongue.
Bloody type.
Dominant hand.
Nose shape.

Question 12

List characteristics which are environmental and not inherited from parents.

Answer 12

Ability to ride a bike.
Favourite colour.
Personal style.
Pierced ears.
Dog or cat preference.

Question 13

Create a timeline of the evolution of Earth.

Answer 13