Biology MCQs for Class 12 with Answers Chapter 7 Evolution

Free PDF Download of CBSE Biology Multiple Choice Questions for Class 12 with Answers Chapter 7 Evolution. Biology MCQs for Class 12 Chapter Wise with Answers PDF Download was Prepared Based on Latest Exam Pattern. Students can solve NCERT Class 12 Biology Evolution MCQs Pdf with Answers to know their preparation level.

Evolution Class 12 Biology MCQs Pdf

1. Evolutionary convergence is characterised by
(а) development of characteristics by random mutations.
(b) development of similar characteristics in different groups of organisms of different ancestry.
(c) development of dissimilar characteristics in closely related groups of organisms.
(d) development of similar characteristics in related groups of organisms.

Answer

Answer: b


2. Homologous organs indicate
(a) convergent evolution.
(b) divergent evolution.
(c) adaptive radiation.
(d) natural selection.

Answer

Answer: b


3. Darwin judged the fitness of individuals by
(a) ability to defend itself.
(b) strategy to obtain food.
(c) number of offspring produced.
(d) dominance over other individuals.

Answer

Answer: c


4. Change of frequency of alleles in a population results in evolution. This statement is proposed in
(a) Darwin’s theory
(b) Lamarck’s theory
(c) Hardy-Weinberg principle
(d) de Vries theory.

Answer

Answer: c


5. Select the correct statement from the following options.
(a) Mutations are random and directional.
(b) Darwinian variations are small and direction less.
(c) Fitness is the end result of the ability to adapt and get selected by nature.
(d) All mammals have evolved vivipary as an adaptation.

Answer

Answer: c


6. Which type of selection is industrial melanism observed in moth, Biston bitularia [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) Stabilising
(b) Directional
(c) Disruptive
(d) Artificial

Answer

Answer: b


7. Analogous organs arise due to [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) divergent evolution
(b) artificial selection
(c) genetic drift
(d) convergent evolution

Answer

Answer: d


8. The bones of forelimbs of whale, bat, cheetah and man are similar in structure, because [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) one organism has given rise to another
(b) they share a common ancestor
(c) they perform the same function
(d) they have biochemical similarities.

Answer

Answer: b


9. Appearance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an example of [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) adaptive radiation
(b) transduction
(c) pre-existing variation in the population
(d) divergent evolution.

Answer

Answer: c


10. In 1953 S. L. Miller created primitive earth conditions in the laboratory and gave experimental evidence for origin of first form of life from preexisting non-living organic s molecules. The primitive earth conditions created include [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) low temperature, volcanic storms, atmosphere rich in oxygen
(b) low temperature, volcanic storms, reducing atmosphere
(c) high temperature, volcanic storms, non¬reducing atmosphere
(d) high temperature, volcanic storms, reducing atmosphere containing CH4, NH3 etc.

Answer

Answer: d


11, The most accepted line of descent in human evolution is [NCERT Exemplar]
(a) Australopithecus → Ramapithecus → Homo sapiens → Homo habilis
(b) Homo erectus → Homo habilis → Homo sapiens
(c) Ramapithecus → Homo habilis → Homo erectus → Homo sapiens
(d) Australopithecus → Ramapithecus → Homo erectus → Homo habilis → Homo sapiens.

Answer

Answer: c


12. A study of fossils in different sedimentary layers indicates the ______ period in which they existed.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Geological.


13. ______evolution leads to homologous organs.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Divergent.


14. Placental mammal lemur in Australia shows resemblance to the marsupial mammal, ______ .

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Spotted Cuscus.


15. Placental mammals and marsupial mammals of Australia show ______ evolution.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Convergent.


16. De Vries believed that single step large mutation, called ______ caused speciation.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Saltation.


17. ______ evolved into the first amphibians.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Lobefins.


18. About 65 mya, ______ suddenly disappeared from the earth.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Dinosaurs.


19. ______ probably lived in East African grasslands about 2 mya.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Australopithecus.


20. The brain capacities of Homo habilis was about ______ cc.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: 650-800 cc


21. Fossils of ______ were discovered in Java.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Homo erectus.


22. Match the items in Column I with those in Column II.

Column I Column II
A. Ice-age (75000 – 10000 years before) 1. Neanderthal man.
B. 1.5 mya 2. Agriculture started.
C. Brain size of 1400 cc 3. Homo erectus; they probably ate meat.
D. 10000 years before 4. Modern Homo sapiens arose.
5. Homo habilis; they probably did not eat meat.
Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: A – 4, B – 3, C – 1, D – 2


23. Match the organisms in Column I with the geological time scale of their appearance on the globe.

Column I Column II
A. lawless fish 1. 500 mya
B. Dryopithecus 2. 320 mya
C. Sea weeds 3. 350 mya
D. Invertebrates 4. 200 mya – dominated the earth
E. Reptiles 5. 15 mya
6. 1.5 mya
Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: A – 3, B – 5, C – 2, D – 1, E – 4


24. Prehistoric cave art developed after agriculture, about 18000 years ago. [True/False]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: False.


25. The skull of baby chimpanzee is more like the adult human skull than the skull of adult chimpanzee. [True/False]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: True.


26. It is believed that 3-4 mya, man-like primates walked in Eastern Africa.[True/False]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: True.


27. Due to continental drift, pouched mammals of Australia survived due to lack of competition. [True/False]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: True.


28. Tyrannosaurus was the smallest among the dinosaurs. [True/False]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: False.


Directions (Q29 to Q32): Mark the odd one in each of the following groups.
29. Carboniferous, Triassic, Devonian, Permian.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Triassic.


30. Bobcat, Wolf, Ant eater, Spotted cuscus.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Spotted cuscus.


31. Human hands, Wings of butterfly, Wings of bat, Wings of birds.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Wings of butterfly.


32. Lamarckism, Darwinism, Branching descent, Natural selection.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Lamarckism.


33. What is Evolutionary Biology?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Evolutionary Biology is the study of history of life forms on earth.


34. When was the earth supposed to have been formed and when did life appear on the earth?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– Earth was supposed to have been formed ’ 4.5 billion years before.
– Life appeared about four billion years ago.


35. What was the idea of early Greek thinkers about origin of life?
Or
What is Theory of Panspermia?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: According to this theory (of early Greek philosophers) it was believed that units called ‘Spores’ or ‘pansperms’ came on the earth along with meteorites and they must have evolved into the various life forms.


36. Name the scientist who disproved spontaneous generation theory. [Delhi 2010]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Louis Pasteur disproved the spontaneous generation theory.


37. State the two principal outcomes of the experiments conducted by Louis Pasteur on origin of life. [Delhi 2019]
Or
What did Louis Pasteur’s experiment on ‘Killed yeast’ demonstrate? Name the theory that got disproved on the basis of his experiment. [Foreign 2013]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– It demonstrated that life comes only from pre-existing life.
– Theory of spontaneous generation was disproved.


38. What role does an individual organism play as per Darwin’s theory of natural selection? [Delhi 2017]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: The individual organism passes on the (genetic) variations) to the next generation; the useful variations are selected by nature and it can lead to speciation.


39. How did Charles Darwin express ‘fitness’? [Delhi 2019]
Or
What is ‘fitness’ of an individual according to Darwin? [Delhi 2017]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: The fitness, according to Darwin, refers ultimately to reproductive fitness.


40. Name the scientist who also came to similar conclusion as Darwin. Where did he work?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Alfred Wallace. He worked in Malay Archepelago.


41. What are fossils?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Fossils are the remnants and/or impressions of the life-forms that lived in the remote past.


42. Define biogeography.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Biogeography refers to the study of distribution of living organisms in different parts of the earth.


43. Name any two vertebrate body parts that are homologous to human forelimbs.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Wings of birds, flippers of whales, forelimbs of dog/cat, wings of bats. (any two)


44. Identify the examples of convergent evolution from the following: [Delhi 2013]
(a) Flippers of penguins and dolphins.
(b) Eyes of Octopus and mammals.
(c) Vertebrate brains.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: (a) and (b)


45. Identify the examples of homologous structures from the following: [Delhi 2013]
(a) Vertebrate hearts.
(b) Thoms in Bougainvillea and tendrils of Cucurbita.
(c) Food storage organs in sweet potato and potato.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: (a) and (b)


46. Name the type of evolution that has resultedin the development of structures like wings of butterfly and bird. What are such structures called? [Delhi 2014 C]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– Convergent evolution.
– They are called analogous organs/ structures.


47. ‘Sweet potato tubers and potato tubers are the result of convergent evolution’. Justify the statement. [Delhi 2013]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Sweet potato tubers and potato tubers are analogous structures, evolved for the same function; analogous structures result from convergent evolution.


48. Write the similarity between the wing of a butterfly and the wing of a bat. What do you infer from the above with reference to evolution? [Delhi 2012; HOTS]
Or
Comment on the similarity between the wing of a cockroach and the wing of a bird. What do you infer from the above with reference to evolution? [AI 2012; HOTS]
Or
Comment on the similarity between the flippers of dolphins and penguins, with reference to evolution. [Foreign 2012]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– They are analogous organs, which perform similar functions, but are dissimilar in their anatomy and origin.
– Analogous organs are the result of convergent evolution.


49. State the significance of biochemical similarities amongst diverse organisms in evolution. [Delhi 2012]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: The biochemical similarities point to the same shared ancestry among diverse organisms.


50. State a reason for the increased population of dark-coloured moths coinciding with the loss of lichens (on tree barks) during industrialisation period in England. [Foreign 2015]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– During the post-industrialisation period, the tree trunks became dark due to deposition of industrial smoke and soot.
– The dark-coloured moths were able to camouflage better and were not picked up by the predators and hence, increased their population size.


51. Why are lichens regarded as pollution indicators?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Since, they do not grow in areas that are polluted, lichens are regarded as pollution indicators.


52. Name two animals that have evolved along with Tasmanian wolf in the Australian continent.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Sugar glider/Bandicoot/Koala/Numbat/ Wombat/Kangaroo/Marsupial rat/ Marsupial mole.


53. What is the basis of origin of variations in organisms as described by Hugo de Vries? [AI 2013C]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Mutation.


54. List the two characteristics of mutation that help in explaining evolution. [Delhi 2011C]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
Mutations are:
(i) random, and
(ii) directionless.


55. According to de-Vries, what is saltation? [Delhi 2016]
Or
What is saltation according to De-Vries? [Delhi 2014C]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Saltation refers to single-step large mutation that results in speciation.


56. What does Hardy-Weinberg equation p² + 2pq + q² = 1, convey? [Foreign 2011]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: It indicates genetic equilibrium, i.e. the allele frequencies in a population are stable and remain constant from generation to generation.


57. What is evolution according to Hardy- Weinberg? [CBSE Sample Paper 2013, 2014]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Disturbance in genetic equilibrium, i.e. change of frequency of alleles in a population, would be considered as evolutionary change.


58. How does a population become ‘founders’ of a new species? [AI 2012C]
Or
When does a species become founders to cause founder effect? [Foreign 2010]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: When the change in allele frequency is so different that the new sample of population becomes a different species, the original drifted population becomes founders to cause founder effect.


59. According to Hardy-Weinberg principle, the allele frequency of a population remains constant. How do you interpret the change of frequency of alleles in a population?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: The change in frequency of alleles indicates evolutionary change.


60. Pick out the ancestral line of Angiosperms from the list: Conifers, Seed ferns, Cycads, Ferns.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Seed ferns.


61. Coelacanth was caught in South Africa. State the significance of discovery of Coelacanth in the evolutionary history of vertebrates. [Guwahati 2019]
Or
State the significance of Coelacanth in evolution. [AI 2012]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
– Coelacanth has evolved into the first amphibians; they are fish with stout and strong fins that could move on land and go back to water.
– They were thought to be extinct.


62. What technical term is given to the fish-like reptiles?

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Ichthyosaurs.


63. Write the names of the following:
(a) A 15 mya primate that was ape-like.
(b) A 2 mya primate that lived in East African grasslands. [CBSE 2018]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
(a) Dryopithecus
(b) Australopithecus


64. Name the common ancestor of great apes and man. [AI 2011]

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination: Dryopithecus


65.

Biology MCQs for Class 12 with Answers Chapter 7 Evolution

Study the ladder of human evolution given above and answer the following questions: [Delhi 2010C]
(a) Where did Australopithecines evolve?
(b) Write the scientific name of Java man.

Answer/Explanation

Answer:
Explaination:
(a) Australopithecines evolved in East African Grasslands.
(b) Homo erectus.


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