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#	Question	Answer
1	What theory explains the origin of the universe?	The Big Bang Theory.
2	Which gases were released from the molten mass of early Earth?	Water vapour, methane, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.
3	What is the Panspermia theory?	The idea that life came to Earth from outer space as spores.
4	According to Oparin and Haldane, life originated from what?	Pre-existing non-living organic molecules.
5	When did the first non-cellular forms of life originate?	About 3 billion years ago.
6	What were the first cellular forms of life probably like?	Single-celled organisms.
7	What does the theory of Special Creation say about biodiversity?	Diversity has remained the same since creation and will remain unchanged.
8	What process explains gradual changes in life forms over time?	Evolution.
9	Which naturalist independently reached conclusions similar to Darwin?	Alfred Wallace.
10	What do sedimentary rock layers indicate?	Different geological periods and life forms existing at that time.
11	What embryological feature is common in vertebrate embryos?	Vestigial gill slits behind the head.
12	What do similarities among organisms help scientists determine?	Whether organisms share common ancestors.
13	What is divergent evolution?	Evolution in which the same structure develops differently due to different adaptations.
14	Why are butterfly wings and bird wings called analogous organs?	They perform similar functions but differ anatomically.
15	What kind of evidence do biochemical similarities provide?	Evidence for shared ancestry.
16	Before industrialisation, which moths were more common?	White-winged moths.
17	What are lichens used as indicators of?	Industrial pollution.
18	What are examples of evolution caused by human activities called?	Evolution by anthropogenic action.
19	What is adaptive radiation?	Evolution of different species from a common ancestor in a geographical area into different habitats.
20	Which mammals in Australia also show adaptive radiation?	Placental mammals.
21	What is linked to the rate of appearance of new forms?	Life cycle or life span.
22	Why does evolution take much longer in fish or fowl?	Their life spans are longer.
23	What are the two key concepts of Darwinian theory?	Branching descent and natural selection.
24	What exists within a bacterial colony growing on a medium?	Built-in variation in ability to utilise feed components.
25	What does Darwinian fitness mean?	Better survival and reproductive success under given conditions.
26	What are the two key concepts of Darwinian evolution?	Branching descent and natural selection.
27	How are population sizes generally maintained in nature?	They remain stable except for seasonal fluctuations.
28	Which organisms survive and reproduce more successfully?	Organisms with heritable variations better suited to the habitat.
29	How are mutations described by de Vries?	Random and directionless.
30	What can be determined in a population regarding a gene?	Frequency of occurrence of alleles of a gene or locus.
31	Which symbols commonly represent allele frequencies?	p and q.
32	What does disturbance in genetic equilibrium result in?	Evolution.
33	What is genetic drift?	Random change in allele frequencies by chance.
34	What is natural selection?	Process in which heritable variations enabling better survival reproduce more successfully.
35	What is disruptive natural selection?	Selection in which more individuals acquire extreme character values at both ends.
36	Which modern process resembles the oxygen-releasing reaction of early cells?	Light reaction of photosynthesis.
37	Which plants existed around 320 mya?	Seaweeds and a few plants.
38	Which living fossil fish was discovered in South Africa in 1938?	Coelacanth.
39	What adaptation in reptiles prevented eggs from drying?	Thick-shelled eggs.
40	Which reptiles dominated the Earth for nearly 200 million years?	Dinosaurs.
41	What are some suggested reasons for dinosaur extinction?	Climatic changes or evolution into birds.
42	Which geological process affected mammalian distribution between South and North America?	Continental drift.
43	What physical feature characterized Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus?	They were hairy and walked like gorillas and chimpanzees.
44	Around when did man-like primates walk in eastern Africa?	About 3–4 mya.
45	What was the primary diet of Australopithecines?	Fruits.
46	When did Homo erectus exist?	About 1.5 mya.
47	When did Neanderthal man live?	Between 100,000–40,000 years ago.
48	During which period did modern Homo sapiens arise?	Ice age (75,000–10,000 years ago).
49	What must be understood to explain the origin of life on Earth?	The origin of the universe, especially Earth.
50	What is the significance of homology in evolution?	It supports the idea of branching descent.
51	What is the role of genetic drift in evolution?	It accentuates variations leading to evolution.
52	What does the summary identify as the accepted explanation for the first cellular life?	Biomolecules formed through chemical evolution before cellular life appeared.