Lesson 4.2.2b

4.2.2b Evolution by natural selection and adaptation Quiz: OCR Biology, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.2.2b, Evolution by natural selection and adaptation: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Biology (H020), Unit 4: Biodiversity, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which two scientists independently contributed to the theory of evolution by natural selection?

    • Crick and Franklin
    • Lamarck and Pasteur
    • Darwin and Wallace
    • Mendel and Watson

  2. What is the ultimate source of new genetic variation in a population?

    • Genetic drift
    • Natural selection
    • Mutation
    • Stabilising selection

  3. Which feature is an example of continuous variation in humans?

    • Height
    • Biological sex
    • ABO blood group
    • Tongue rolling ability

  4. Which feature is an example of discontinuous variation in humans?

    • Body mass
    • ABO blood group
    • Height
    • Foot length

  5. What term describes variation between individuals of the same species?

    • Interspecific variation
    • Continuous variation
    • Intraspecific variation
    • Discontinuous variation

  6. Which feature is an example of an anatomical adaptation in xerophytes?

    • Producing toxic chemicals
    • Thick waxy cuticle
    • Closing stomata daily
    • Opening flowers nightly

  7. Which action is an example of a behavioural adaptation for survival?

    • Concentrated urine production
    • Producing venom
    • Thick blubber layer
    • Seasonal migration

  8. Which feature is an example of a physiological adaptation in desert mammals?

    • Concentrated urine production
    • Thick fur coat
    • Burrowing underground
    • Large body size

  9. What happens to a bacterial population exposed to continuous antibiotic selection pressure over generations?

    • Mutations stop completely
    • Susceptible proportion increases
    • Resistant proportion increases
    • Overall population perishes

  10. What happens to the frequency of dark phenotypes in populations in soot-polluted habitats?

    • Frequency increases
    • Frequency remains stable
    • Frequency decreases
    • Mutation rate doubles

  11. How does the fossil record provide evidence for evolution?

    • Tracks real-time mutations
    • Measures current DNA
    • Shows structural changes
    • Proves spontaneous generation

  12. Which molecular comparison provides evidence for close evolutionary relationships between species?

    • Similar body mass
    • Identical cell wall
    • Similar DNA sequences
    • Equal chromosome count

  13. Which medical issue directly demonstrates rapid evolution in microorganisms?

    • Antibiotic resistance
    • Vitamin deficiency
    • Type 1 diabetes
    • Viral dormancy

  14. How does pesticide resistance spread within an insect population?

    • Inducing gene mutations
    • Acquiring lifetime immunity
    • Breaking down DNA
    • Selecting resistant individuals

  15. What happens to the frequency of an advantageous allele over subsequent generations?

    • Allele frequency decreases
    • Allele frequency increases
    • Allele frequency stagnates
    • Allele becomes extinct

  16. Why does high genetic diversity help a species survive environmental change?

    • Faster cell division
    • Faster mutation rates
    • Guaranteed population immunity
    • Possessing advantageous alleles

  17. What process leads to unrelated organisms developing similar anatomical features due to similar selection pressures?

    • Convergent evolution
    • Divergent evolution
    • Adaptive radiation
    • Stabilising selection

  18. Why does pesticide resistance spread quickly within a pest population?

    • Pesticides cause adaptation
    • Resistant individuals reproduce
    • Pesticides mutate alleles
    • Pests become immune

  19. What key feature within a population is essential for natural selection to occur?

    • Genetic variation
    • Asexual reproduction
    • Environmental stability
    • Clonal stability

  20. What term describes organisms with advantageous traits producing more offspring than others?

    • Differential reproductive success
    • Directional gene flow
    • Adaptive radiation
    • Genetic drift

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