Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
The most convincing evidence to trace evolutionary relationships between humans and different groups of animals come from the basic similarities seen at the molecular level. Study the table given below that depicts the number of amino acid differences between the haemoglobin polypeptide of a few animals with that of humans and answer the questions that follow.
S.No. Animal No. of amino acid differences in haemoglobin with that of humans 1. Macaque 08 2. Dog 32 3. Bird 45 4. Frog 67 5. Lamprey 125
(a) To which category of evolution (Divergent or Convergent) do the following evolutionary relationships belong to:
(i) Humans and Macaque
(ii) Humans and Frog
(b) What do the biochemical similarities in haemoglobin suggest about the evolutionary relationship between humans, frog, and lamprey?
(c) (i) Which one of the two – lampreys’ or macaques’ evolution is more closely related to humans and why?
OR
(c) (ii) Which one of the two – frogs’ or dogs’ evolution is more closely related to humans and why?
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
The most convincing evidence to trace evolutionary relationships between humans and different groups of animals come from the basic similarities seen at the molecular level. Study the table given below that depicts the number of amino acid differences between the haemoglobin polypeptide of a few animals with that of humans and answer the questions that follow.
| S.No. | Animal | No. of amino acid differences in haemoglobin with that of humans |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Macaque | 08 |
| 2. | Dog | 32 |
| 3. | Bird | 45 |
| 4. | Frog | 67 |
| 5. | Lamprey | 125 |
(a) To which category of evolution (Divergent or Convergent) do the following evolutionary relationships belong to:
(i) Humans and Macaque
(ii) Humans and Frog
(b) What do the biochemical similarities in haemoglobin suggest about the evolutionary relationship between humans, frog, and lamprey?
(c) (i) Which one of the two – lampreys’ or macaques’ evolution is more closely related to humans and why?
OR
(c) (ii) Which one of the two – frogs’ or dogs’ evolution is more closely related to humans and why?
Show Hint
Solution and Explanation
- [(i)] Humans and Macaque: Divergent evolution – both share a common ancestor and have evolved differently.
- [(ii)] Humans and Frog: Divergent evolution – indicates a common ancestry but more distantly related due to higher differences.
- [(i)] Macaques’ evolution is more closely related to humans because they have only 8 amino acid differences, whereas lampreys have 125 differences.
- [(ii)] Dogs’ evolution is more closely related to humans than frogs because dogs have 32 amino acid differences, while frogs have 67 differences.
Top Questions on evolution
- How does the process of Natural Selection affect Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? Explain with the help of graphs.
- (a) “The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starts from a point and literally radiates to other geographical areas.” Explain it with an example.
(b) Cite an example where more than one adaptive radiation has occurred in an isolated geographical area. Name the type of evolution your example depicts. - (a) "The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starts from a point and literally radiates to other geographical areas." Explain it with an example.
(b) Cite an example where more than one adaptive radiation has occurred in an isolated geographical area. Name the type of evolution your example depicts. - A few stages and their respective time period in the evolutionary history of human beings are mentioned in the flowchart given below:
- 15 mya — Primates walking like gorillas and chimpanzees existed.
- 3–4 mya — Man-like primates walked in Eastern Africa. Fossils of their bones were discovered.
- 2 mya — This ancestor lived in the East African grasslands and ate fruits.
- 1.5 mya — This hominid had a brain size of 900 cc and probably ate meat.
- [(a)] Name one primate about 15 mya.
- [(b)] Name one place where fossils of primates were discovered in Eastern Africa.
- [(c)] Name the ancestor that lived in the East African grasslands about 2 mya.
- [(d)] Name the hominid that was found around 1.5 mya.
The given graph shows the range of variation among population members, for a trait determined by multiple genes. If this population is subjected to disruptive selection for several generations, which of the following distributions is most likely to result?
Questions Asked in CBSE CLASS XII exam
- If $P(A) = \frac{1}{7}$, $P(B) = \frac{5}{7}$ and $P(A \cap B) = \frac{4}{7}$, then $P(A | B)$ is:
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Probability
- State any three characteristics of electromagnetic waves.
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Electromagnetic waves
- ‘What I want should not be confused.’ What clarification does Pablo Neruda give to his readers? (Keeping Quiet)
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Literature
- Find the point on the line \( \frac{x-1}{3} = \frac{y+1}{2} = \frac{z-4}{3} \) at a distance of \( \sqrt{2} \) units from the point \( (-1, -1, 2) \).
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Distance between point and line
- You are Radha/Rahul Batheja, a Class XII student and a member of the school magazine editorial board. Write a comprehensive report detailing the activities undertaken by students as part of Environment Awareness Week, including description of the event, participation details, and overall impact of these activities on the school community.
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Report Writing