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Evolution MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Biology section, Evolution chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 1,283 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    A population of birds encounters a dramatic event that results in a severe decrease in population size. As a result of the newly decreased population, what type of genetic drift does this population now exhibit?
    • Artificial selection
    • Founder effect
    • Bottleneck effect (correct answer)
    • Both a and b
    Correct answer: C
    A population crash due to a drastic event leads to the bottleneck effect, a form of genetic drift where allele frequencies change due to reduced genetic variation.
  2. Question 2
    The oldest known fossils belong to which organisms?
    • Virus
    • Bacteria (correct answer)
    • Plants
    • Animals
    Correct answer: B
    The earliest fossil evidence points to the existence of simple prokaryotic life, specifically bacteria, predating more complex organisms.
  3. Question 3
    Of all the texa, the only one that exists in nature as a biologically cohesive unit is the:
    • genus
    • phylum or division
    • kingdom
    • species (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    The species is the only taxonomic rank that represents a naturally interbreeding group, forming a cohesive biological unit.
  4. Question 4
    Another theory of natural selection other than Darwin was developed by
    • Wallace (correct answer)
    • Lyell
    • Linnaeus
    • Lamarck
    Correct answer: A
    Alfred Russel Wallace independently conceived the theory of natural selection, mirroring Darwin's conclusions.
  5. Question 5
    What are fossils?
    • Remains of living organisms preserved in sedimentary rocks (correct answer)
    • Remains of dead organisms found in igneous rocks
    • Impressions of ancient organisms found in metamorphic rocks
    • Remains of organisms preserved in ice or amber
    Correct answer: A
    Fossils are preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms, providing crucial evidence for evolution and Earth's history.
  6. Question 6
    The human population today can best be described as
    • declining
    • growing linearly
    • at the carrying capacity
    • growing exponentially (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    The human population's rapid increase, driven by advancements in medicine and agriculture, exemplifies exponential growth, not linear or declining trends.
  7. Question 7
    The smallest taxon in plant nomenclature is:
    • Order
    • Species (correct answer)
    • Phylum
    • Class
    Correct answer: B
    Understanding the taxonomic hierarchy is key in biology. This question tests your knowledge of the standard Linnaean ranks, identifying 'species' as the most specific level.
  8. Question 8
    Homologous organs show similarity in:
    • Shape
    • Origin (correct answer)
    • Function
    • Size
    Correct answer: B
    Homologous organs, hallmarks of divergent evolution, share a common embryonic origin despite potentially differing functions.

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Read the full Evolution chapter notes: Evolution notes. Or browse every chapter.