Self Test

 
 

  1. 1)What is the storage mechanism for an organism’s genetic information?

  2. A)DNA

  3. B)RNA

  4. C)Amino acids

  5. D)Proteins


  1. 2)Which of these is NOT one of the forces of evolution?

  2. A)Genetic drift

  3. B)Mutation

  4. C)Fixation

  5. D)Selection


  1. 3)For a random walker with a probability of p to step forward and probability (1 - p) to step backward, what is the probability that the walker will end up 8 steps behind his starting point after 8 coin throws?

  2. A)p^8

  3. B)p^4*(1-p)^4

  4. C)(1-p)^8

  5. D)p^2*(1-p)^6


  1. 4)How does the width of a distribution of random walkers scale with time?

  2. A)Proportional to time

  3. B)Constant (doesn’t depend on time)

  4. C)Proportional to time squared

  5. D)Proportional to the square root of time


  1. 5)What can be added to the random walk formalism to deal with the case that when an entire population acquires a trait, all offspring will always have that trait?

  2. A)Fixation

  3. B)Loss

  4. C)Selection

  5. D)Adsorbing boundaries


  1. 6)What is the term for an entire population ending up without the trait being studied?

  2. A)Fixation

  3. B)Loss

  4. C)Selection

  5. D)Adsorbing boundaries


  1. 7)In the theory of natural selection, why does a given trait become more prominent in a population over time?

  2. A)Individuals with that trait are more likely to live longer

  3. B)Individuals with that trait die after they produce offspring

  4. C)Individuals with that trait are more likely to migrate and merge with another population

  5. D)Individuals with that trait are more likely to produce a larger number of offspring


  1. 8)Which of these does NOT change with time in a random walk representing evolution in a population with selection for the trait being studied?

  2. A)Width of the distribution

  3. B)Average of the distribution

  4. C)Number of peaks in the distribution

  5. D)Probability of fixation

 

Test your Knowledge

<<Previous                                                                                                                        Next>>

               Introduction        Random Walks        Genetic Drift        Mutation        Selection       


                                    Initial Conditions        Self Test        Self Test Answers