🌸 Chapter 6
EVOLUTION (MCQs)
🧬
EVOLUTION – 100 MCQs with Answers & Explanations
🟢 SECTION A: Origin of Life
(1–20)
1.
Life appeared on Earth approximately how many years ago?
A) 4.5 billion years ago
B) 3.5 billion years ago ✅
C) 2.5 billion years ago
D) 1.5 billion years ago
🧠Explanation: Life originated ~3.5 billion years ago, while
Earth formed ~4.5 billion years ago.
2.
Primitive atmosphere of Earth lacked —
A) Oxygen ✅
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Nitrogen
D) Water vapour
🧠Explanation: Early Earth’s atmosphere was reducing, with no
free oxygen.
3.
Who proposed the theory of chemical origin of life?
A) Darwin
B) Lamarck
C) Oparin and Haldane ✅
D) Weismann
🧠Explanation: Oparin and Haldane suggested life originated from
inorganic molecules through chemical evolution.
4.
Which gas was not present in primitive atmosphere?
A) NH₃
B) CH₄
C) O₂ ✅
D) H₂O vapour
🧠Explanation: Free molecular oxygen appeared later due to
photosynthesis by cyanobacteria.
5.
Who disproved the theory of spontaneous generation?
A) Miller
B) Pasteur ✅
C) Haldane
D) Darwin
🧠Explanation: Louis Pasteur’s swan-neck flask experiment proved
that life comes from pre-existing life.
6.
Which experiment provided evidence for chemical origin of life?
A) Hershey–Chase
B) Miller–Urey ✅
C) Meselson–Stahl
D) Griffith
🧠Explanation: Miller–Urey produced amino acids by simulating
primitive Earth conditions.
7.
In the Miller–Urey experiment, electric discharge represented —
A) Solar energy
B) Lightning ✅
C) UV radiation
D) Heat from volcanoes
8.
In Miller’s experiment, amino acids were formed from —
A) Proteins
B) Simple inorganic molecules ✅
C) DNA
D) RNA
9.
The first life forms were —
A) Eukaryotes
B) Prokaryotes ✅
C) Viruses
D) Fungi
10.
“Coacervates” refer to —
A) Early life-like structures ✅
B) Cells of bacteria
C) Dead organic matter
D) Fossilized remains
🧠Explanation: Coacervates are membrane-bound droplets that show
primitive life properties.
11.
According to Oparin, life originated in —
A) Ocean water ✅
B) Air
C) Land
D) Ice
12.
The first genetic material was —
A) DNA
B) RNA ✅
C) Protein
D) Lipid
🧠Explanation: RNA was first because it can store information
and catalyze reactions (Ribozyme concept).
13.
Chemical evolution occurred before —
A) Biological evolution ✅
B) Mutation
C) Reproduction
D) Photosynthesis
14.
Miller–Urey experiment proved —
A) Natural selection
B) Evolution of man
C) Abiogenesis
D) Chemical origin of life ✅
15.
The primitive Earth atmosphere was —
A) Reducing ✅
B) Oxidizing
C) Neutral
D) Acidic
16.
Pasteur’s experiment proved —
A) Life evolved from chemicals
B) Life comes from pre-existing life ✅
C) Origin of species
D) Natural selection
17.
The first organisms were —
A) Autotrophs
B) Heterotrophs ✅
C) Photoautotrophs
D) Chemosynthetic
18.
Which of the following was not used in Miller’s apparatus?
A) CH₄
B) NH₃
C) H₂O
D) O₂ ✅
19.
The “primordial soup” refers to —
A) Early ocean rich in organic molecules ✅
B) Acidic volcanoes
C) Atmosphere gases
D) Fossil layers
20.
The theory of spontaneous generation was disproved by —
A) Weismann
B) Pasteur ✅
C) Oparin
D) Lamarck
🟢 SECTION B: Theories of
Evolution (21–40)
21.
Lamarck proposed —
A) Natural selection
B) Inheritance of acquired characters ✅
C) Mutation theory
D) Germplasm theory
22.
Darwin proposed his theory in which book?
A) Origin of Species ✅
B) Origin of Life
C) Principles of Zoology
D) Systema Naturae
23.
The giraffe’s long neck example supports —
A) Mutation
B) Inheritance of acquired traits ✅
C) Natural selection
D) Adaptive radiation
24.
Darwin explained evolution through —
A) Natural selection ✅
B) Mutation
C) Hybridization
D) Genetic drift
25.
“Survival of the fittest” was given by —
A) Darwin ✅
B) Wallace
C) Haeckel
D) Lamarck
26.
The concept of use and disuse of organs was proposed by —
A) Lamarck ✅
B) Darwin
C) Wallace
D) De Vries
27.
Industrial melanism is an example of —
A) Genetic drift
B) Mutation
C) Natural selection ✅
D) Convergent evolution
28.
“Origin of Species” was published in —
A) 1831
B) 1859 ✅
C) 1885
D) 1901
29.
Darwin’s theory failed to explain —
A) Variations origin ✅
B) Struggle for existence
C) Survival
D) Adaptation
30.
Weismann disproved Lamarckism using —
A) Dogs
B) Mice ✅
C) Birds
D) Frogs
🧠Explanation: He cut mice tails for many generations —
offspring still had tails.
31.
The term “gene pool” refers to —
A) All genes in a population ✅
B) All genes in an organism
C) Genetic drift
D) Single gene
32.
Adaptive radiation is —
A) Divergent evolution ✅
B) Convergent evolution
C) Co-evolution
D) Parallel evolution
33.
Example of adaptive radiation —
A) Bat and bird wings
B) Darwin’s finches ✅
C) Whale and fish
D) Man and ape
34.
The concept of mutation theory was proposed by —
A) De Vries ✅
B) Lamarck
C) Darwin
D) Weismann
35.
According to Darwin, variations arise due to —
A) Environmental factors ✅
B) Mutation
C) Inheritance
D) Crossbreeding
36.
According to Lamarck, evolution occurs due to —
A) Natural selection
B) Use and disuse of organs ✅
C) Genetic drift
D) Isolation
37.
Which scientist supported Darwin?
A) Wallace ✅
B) Weismann
C) Haldane
D) De Vries
38.
The phrase “descent with modification” was used by —
A) Lamarck
B) Darwin ✅
C) Mendel
D) De Vries
39.
Industrial melanism is observed in —
A) Snakes
B) Moths ✅
C) Frogs
D) Birds
40.
The best example for natural selection in action —
A) Darwin’s finches
B) Peppered moths ✅
C) Man
D) Birds
🟢 SECTION C: Evidence and
Mechanisms (41–70)
41.
Homologous organs indicate —
A) Common ancestry ✅
B) Similar function
C) Different ancestry
D) Mutation
42.
Analogous organs indicate —
A) Common ancestry
B) Convergent evolution ✅
C) Divergent evolution
D) Genetic drift
43.
Wings of bat and flipper of whale are —
A) Analogous
B) Homologous ✅
C) Vestigial
D) Adaptive
44.
Example of vestigial organ in humans —
A) Heart
B) Appendix ✅
C) Kidney
D) Brain
45.
Archaeopteryx is a connecting link between —
A) Fish and Amphibia
B) Reptiles and Birds ✅
C) Amphibia and Reptiles
D) Mammals and Reptiles
46.
Study of fossils is called —
A) Archaeology
B) Palaeontology ✅
C) Anthropology
D) Taxonomy
47.
Similarity in embryos indicates —
A) Common ancestry ✅
B) Mutation
C) Isolation
D) None
48.
Cytochrome-c similarity among organisms shows —
A) Common ancestry ✅
B) Different ancestry
C) Mutation
D) No relationship
49.
Adaptive radiation occurs when —
A) Organisms occupy new habitats ✅
B) Mutation happens
C) No competition
D) Extinction occurs
50.
Evolution due to chance is called —
A) Natural selection
B) Genetic drift ✅
C) Artificial selection
D) Mutation
51.
Founder effect is related to —
A) Migration
B) Genetic drift ✅
C) Mutation
D) Adaptation
52.
Hardy–Weinberg law deals with —
A) Population genetics ✅
B) Cell division
C) Hybridization
D) Speciation
53.
In Hardy–Weinberg equation, p² represents —
A) Heterozygous
B) Homozygous dominant ✅
C) Homozygous recessive
D) Total population
54.
2pq in Hardy–Weinberg equation represents —
A) Heterozygotes ✅
B) Homozygotes
C) Recessives
D) None
55.
Which of the following violates Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium?
A) Random mating
B) Natural selection ✅
C) No mutation
D) Large population
56.
Migration introduces —
A) Gene flow ✅
B) Mutation
C) Drift
D) Radiation
57.
Genetic drift is significant in —
A) Large populations
B) Small populations ✅
C) Stable populations
D) None
58.
Speciation occurs due to —
A) Isolation ✅
B) Mutation only
C) Migration
D) None
59.
Co-evolution occurs between —
A) Two interacting species ✅
B) Same species
C) Isolated populations
D) Fossil groups
60.
Example of co-evolution —
A) Flower and pollinator ✅
B) Lion and deer
C) Dog and man
D) Birds and reptiles
61.
Divergent evolution example —
A) Forelimbs of mammals ✅
B) Wings of birds and bats
C) Eyes of octopus and mammals
D) Cactus and euphorbia
62.
Convergent evolution example —
A) Whale and fish ✅
B) Man and ape
C) Horse and zebra
D) Bat and man
63.
Gene frequency change in a population is known as —
A) Evolution ✅
B) Mutation
C) Selection
D) Speciation
64.
Sudden drastic reduction in population size is —
A) Bottleneck effect ✅
B) Founder effect
C) Mutation
D) Selection
65.
Genetic equilibrium means —
A) No change in gene frequency ✅
B) Mutation occurs
C) Random mating
D) None
66.
Which of these supports evolution?
A) Homologous organs ✅
B) Analogous organs
C) Vestigial organs ✅
D) Both A and C
67.
Fossil study provides evidence of —
A) Extinction and evolution ✅
B) Mutation
C) Chromosomes
D) Isolation
68.
The similarity between human hand and whale flipper is due to —
A) Homology ✅
B) Analogy
C) Mutation
D) Drift
69.
The evolution of Australian marsupials is —
A) Adaptive radiation ✅
B) Convergent
C) Divergent
D) None
70.
The first hominid to make tools —
A) Homo habilis ✅
B) Homo erectus
C) Neanderthal
D) Ramapithecus
🟢 SECTION D: Human Evolution
& Summary (71–100)
71.
The closest relative of modern man —
A) Gorilla
B) Chimpanzee ✅
C) Orangutan
D) Gibbon
72.
“Handy man” refers to —
A) Homo habilis ✅
B) Homo erectus
C) Australopithecus
D) Neanderthal
73.
Homo erectus used —
A) Fire ✅
B) Metal
C) Agriculture
D) Writing
74.
Australopithecus was —
A) Ape
B) Early man ✅
C) Modern man
D) Reptile
75.
“Cro-Magnon man” represents —
A) Modern Homo sapiens ✅
B) Neanderthal
C) Homo erectus
D) Australopithecus
76.
Neanderthal man buried their dead — True ✅
77.
Homo sapiens appeared about —
A) 2 mya
B) 0.2 mya ✅
C) 1 mya
D) 10 mya
78.
The first hominid found in Africa —
A) Australopithecus ✅
B) Homo habilis
C) Homo erectus
D) Neanderthal
79.
Dryopithecus lived —
A) In trees ✅
B) On ground
C) In caves
D) In deserts
80.
Ramapithecus was —
A) More human-like ✅
B) Ape-like
C) Reptile
D) None
81.
Evolutionary trend in man —
A) Increased brain size ✅
B) Decrease in cranial capacity
C) Quadrupedalism
D) Longer arms
82.
Earliest member of genus Homo —
A) Homo habilis ✅
B) Homo erectus
C) Homo sapiens
D) Neanderthal
83.
Which evolved first?
A) Fish ✅
B) Amphibia
C) Birds
D) Mammals
84.
Mammals appeared —
A) 65 million years ago ✅
B) 150 mya
C) 300 mya
D) 500 mya
85.
Reptiles dominated which era?
A) Mesozoic ✅
B) Paleozoic
C) Cenozoic
D) Cambrian
86.
First amphibians evolved from —
A) Fish ✅
B) Reptiles
C) Insects
D) Birds
87.
Man belongs to family —
A) Hominidae ✅
B) Pongidae
C) Primates
D) Mammalia
88.
Evolution of horse shows —
A) Progressive evolution ✅
B) Convergent
C) Parallel
D) Sudden mutation
89.
Fossils of man found in Africa indicate —
A) African origin ✅
B) Asian origin
C) European origin
D) None
90.
Modern humans evolved in —
A) Africa ✅
B) Europe
C) Asia
D) America
91.
Which event happened last?
A) Appearance of mammals
B) Appearance of humans ✅
C) Appearance of reptiles
D) Appearance of fishes
92.
Common ancestor of humans and apes lived about —
A) 15 mya ✅
B) 5 mya
C) 2 mya
D) 50 mya
93.
Evolution of life shows —
A) Direction towards complexity ✅
B) Simplicity
C) Randomness
D) None
94.
Evolution occurs due to —
A) Mutation
B) Natural selection
C) Genetic drift
D) All of these ✅
95.
Darwin’s finches show —
A) Adaptive radiation ✅
B) Convergent evolution
C) Mutation
D) Co-evolution
96.
The earliest fossils are of —
A) Bacteria ✅
B) Algae
C) Fungi
D) Sponges
97.
The sequence of evolution of man is —
A) Dryopithecus → Ramapithecus → Australopithecus → Homo habilis → Homo erectus
→ Neanderthal → Homo sapiens ✅
98.
“Descent with modification” means —
A) Evolution ✅
B) Mutation
C) Hybridization
D) Cloning
99.
Evolution in small steps is called —
A) Gradualism ✅
B) Saltation
C) Mutation
D) Speciation
100.
The process by which new species are formed —
A) Speciation ✅
B) Natural selection
C) Genetic drift
D) Adaptation
