Phylogenetic Trees
Biology ⇒ Evolution and Diversity
Phylogenetic Trees starts at 10 and continues till grade 12.
QuestionsToday has an evolving set of questions to continuously challenge students so that their knowledge grows in Phylogenetic Trees.
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See sample questions for grade 10
A phylogenetic tree shows that species X and Y share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with species Z. What does this indicate about their evolutionary relationship?
A scientist is comparing DNA sequences of four species to construct a phylogenetic tree. Species A and B have the most similar sequences, while C and D are more different. Which two species are likely to be most closely related?
Describe how an outgroup is chosen for a phylogenetic analysis.
Describe the difference between homologous and analogous traits in the context of phylogenetic trees.
A phylogenetic tree shows that species X and Y share a more recent common ancestor with each other than with species Z. What does this indicate about their evolutionary relationship?
A scientist is comparing DNA sequences of four species to construct a phylogenetic tree. Species A and B have the most similar sequences, while C and D are more different. Which two species are likely to be most closely related?
A researcher is constructing a phylogenetic tree using both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences from five different species. Explain why using multiple types of genetic data can improve the accuracy of the resulting phylogenetic tree.
A student claims that the order of the branches on a phylogenetic tree always represents the chronological order in which species evolved. Is this statement true or false? Explain your answer.
Which of the following best describes a molecular clock? (1) A device for measuring time in the lab (2) A method for estimating the time of evolutionary divergence based on DNA mutations (3) A way to count the number of species (4) A tool for measuring physical traits
Which of the following best describes the root of a phylogenetic tree? (1) The most recent common ancestor of all taxa in the tree (2) The most distantly related species (3) The species with the most branches (4) The species with the least branches
Which of the following is a paraphyletic group? (1) A group that includes an ancestor and all its descendants (2) A group that includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants (3) A group with no common ancestor (4) A group with only extinct species
Which of the following is a reason why phylogenetic trees may be revised? (1) Discovery of new fossils (2) New genetic data (3) Improved analytical methods (4) All of the above
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a diagram that shows evolutionary relationships among organisms.
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all its descendants.
Fill in the blank: In a phylogenetic tree, a _______ is a branch that leads to a single species or group.
Fill in the blank: In a phylogenetic tree, the point where two branches split is called a _______.
True or False: A monophyletic group contains all the descendants of a common ancestor.
True or False: A phylogenetic tree can be used to predict characteristics of extinct ancestors.
True or False: All branches in a phylogenetic tree are of equal length.
True or False: All phylogenetic trees for the same group of organisms will always look the same.
