EvolutionNEET MCQs with solutions
Evolution is a concept-heavy and high-scoring chapter for NEET. It covers the origin of life, theories of evolution (Lamarck vs Darwin), evidences for evolution (homology, analogy, fossils), adaptive radiation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and human evolution. NEET frequently tests the Hardy-Weinberg factors and the distinction between homologous and analogous organs.
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- 12 Biology
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- 24 questions
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- 642 questions
- ELITE questions
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- NCERT topics
- 12
Practise 24 questions
Tap an option to check it. Questions from every NCERT topic in this chapter, from easy to hard.
Q1Important PYQ Mixed Concepts
Genetic drift is expected to have the strongest effect in which population?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Genetic drift is a random change in allele frequency and is strongest in small, isolated populations because chance sampling can substantially alter allele frequencies. Large populations buffer random fluctuations, making option A incorrect. Options C and D describe conditions that actually oppose allelic change.
Q2Important PYQ Mixed Concepts
Which pair represents homologous structures and therefore provides evidence of divergent evolution?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Human, bat and whale forelimbs share the same basic pentadactyl structural plan but perform different functions, indicating common ancestry and divergent evolution. Butterfly-bird wings and penguin-dolphin flippers perform similar functions from different origins and are analogous, representing convergent evolution. Octopus and mammal eyes are also analogous structures.
Q3Origin of Life
Which hypothesis states that life originated from non-living organic molecules formed under primitive Earth conditions?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Chemical evolution hypothesis proposes that organic molecules arose abiotically from inorganic substances in the primitive reducing atmosphere. Biogenesis (C) states life comes only from existing life — the opposite. Panspermia (B) invokes extraterrestrial origin, not Earth-based chemical synthesis.
Q4Origin of Life
The early Earth atmosphere during origin of life lacked which gas, according to NCERT?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Primitive Earth had a reducing atmosphere — free oxygen (O₂) was absent, which was essential for abiotic synthesis of organic molecules. Ozone (A) is derived from O₂, so it was also absent, but the primary NCERT emphasis is on free oxygen. Nitrogen and CO₂ were present.
Q5Biological Evolution (Natural Selection & Fitness)
Which type of natural selection favors individuals with intermediate phenotypes and eliminates extremes?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Stabilizing selection favors average phenotypes and reduces variation at extremes.
Q6Biological Evolution (Natural Selection & Fitness)
Which type of natural selection shifts the population phenotype toward one extreme of trait distribution?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Directional selection occurs when environmental pressure favors one extreme phenotype.
Q7Evolution of Life Forms – Theory of Evolution
Which observation during the voyage of HMS Beagle most influenced Darwin's thinking about evolution?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Darwin observed distinct beak shapes among Galapagos finches, each adapted to different food sources, suggesting populations change over time through environment-driven selection. Identical species on all islands (C) would have suggested no adaptive change, not supported the theory.
Q8Evolution of Life Forms – Theory of Evolution
Darwin proposed that evolution occurs primarily through:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Darwin's core mechanism is natural selection acting on pre-existing heritable variation, gradually increasing frequency of favourable traits. Option D describes Lamarck's theory, a common trap; random mutation alone (C) lacks the selective filter Darwin emphasised.
Q9Grand Test
The sweet potato and potato both function as food-storage organs, but the former is a modified root and the latter a modified stem. This is an example of:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Same function with different structural origins indicates analogy. Sweet potato is a root modification whereas potato is a stem modification — they have no common structural plan. Such similarity in function despite different structural origins is produced by convergent evolution.
Q10Grand Test
A scientist finds two organisms with similar functional structures but concludes that their structural origins are different. Which evolutionary inference is most appropriate?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Similar function with different structural origin is the defining criterion for analogy. Analogous structures arise independently through convergent evolution under similar selective pressures. Homology requires a shared structural origin from a common ancestor, which is absent here.
Q11Evidences for Evolution
Which type of organs share the same basic structural plan but perform different functions in different organisms?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Homologous organs share structural similarity due to common ancestry but are adapted to different functions in different organisms — the hallmark of divergent evolution. Analogous organs (B) share function but differ in structure and origin.
Q12Evidences for Evolution
The forelimbs of humans, whales, bats, and horses are considered homologous because they:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Homologous organs are defined by common structural plan (same bones: humerus, radius, ulna, carpals) inherited from a common ancestor, regardless of functional divergence. Option D is the trap — bone number can vary; it is the organisational pattern that is conserved.
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Get RankUp on Google PlayQ13Mixed Revision
Which observation is most appropriately explained by convergent evolution?
Not quite — the answer is D.
Dolphins and sharks belong to unrelated lineages but independently evolved similar streamlined body forms due to comparable aquatic environments. This is convergent evolution producing analogous structures. Option A illustrates divergent evolution; Option B illustrates adaptive radiation; Option C describes genetic drift.
Q14Mixed Revision
Which is a necessary condition for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Random mating is one of the five conditions required for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Migration introduces alleles from outside, mutation creates new alleles, and directional selection changes allele frequencies — all of these disturb equilibrium.
Q15Human Evolution
The scientific study of human evolutionary history using fossil evidence and comparative anatomy is called:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Paleoanthropology specifically studies human origins and evolution through fossil analysis and skeletal comparison. Primatology studies living primates; ethology studies animal behaviour; taxonomy deals with classification.
Q16Human Evolution
According to fossil and genetic evidence, the earliest hominins evolved on which continent?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Africa is established as the cradle of hominin evolution — oldest hominin fossils (Australopithecus, Homo habilis) are found there, and mitochondrial DNA studies confirm African origin of modern humans.
Q17Hardy–Weinberg Principle
The Hardy–Weinberg principle describes the relationship between allele and genotype frequencies in a population under which condition?
Not quite — the answer is A.
H–W equilibrium holds only when all five evolutionary forces (mutation, selection, gene flow, genetic drift, non-random mating) are absent. Directional selection and isolation both disturb equilibrium. Genetic equilibrium means allele frequencies remain constant across generations.
Q18Hardy–Weinberg Principle
In Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, the sum of frequencies of all alleles at a locus equals:
Not quite — the answer is B.
p + q = 1 because allele frequencies represent proportions of a whole and must sum to 1. This is the foundational equation from which genotype frequencies are derived. A sum of zero or two is mathematically impossible for frequency values.
Q19Speciation
The evolutionary process by which new species arise from existing populations is called:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Speciation is the process by which reproductively isolated populations diverge genetically to form distinct species. It is distinct from mutation (which generates variation) and adaptation (which is the outcome of selection).
Q20Speciation
Speciation most commonly begins when populations become:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Reproductive isolation prevents gene flow, allowing populations to accumulate independent genetic changes and diverge. Genetic identity and phenotypic uniformity are the opposite of what drives speciation.
Q21Adaptive Radiation
Which of the following BEST distinguishes adaptive radiation from ordinary microevolution?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Adaptive radiation is a macroevolutionary event producing species-level divergence into multiple niches; microevolution (allele frequency shifts) operates within a single species and does not produce niche diversification.
Q22Adaptive Radiation
Geographic isolation promotes adaptive radiation primarily because:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Without gene flow, isolated subpopulations accumulate different adaptations in response to local conditions. Isolation is the prerequisite; niche diversity then drives divergence into distinct species.
Q23Factors Affecting Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium
Disruptive selection differs from stabilising selection in that it:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Disruptive selection favours both extreme phenotypes and eliminates intermediates, potentially splitting one population into two — this can drive sympatric speciation. Stabilising selection does the opposite, favouring the mean and reducing variance. Only disruptive selection can increase phenotypic bimodality.
Q24Factors Affecting Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium
Sexual selection is best classified as:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Sexual selection is a mechanism of natural selection where certain traits increase mating success rather than survival. It can drive rapid allele frequency change — sometimes in directions opposing survival advantage — making it a potent disruptor of H–W equilibrium distinct from ecological selection.
ELITE question · AIR under 50 level
This chapter has 324 ELITE questions for students aiming at the very top. They are only in the app.
Unlock ELITE questions in the appKey Evolutionary Concepts
Quick revision: most questions in this chapter test these facts.
| Concept | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| Origin of life | Oparin-Haldane hypothesis → chemical evolution; Miller-Urey experiment produced amino acids |
| Homologous organs | Same origin, different function (e.g. forelimbs of whale, bat, human) — divergent evolution |
| Analogous organs | Different origin, same function (e.g. wings of butterfly and bird) — convergent evolution |
| Hardy-Weinberg | p² + 2pq + q² = 1; disrupted by mutation, selection, drift, migration, non-random mating |
| Adaptive radiation | Darwin's finches (Galapagos); Australian marsupials — one ancestor, many forms |
| Human evolution | Dryopithecus → Ramapithecus → Australopithecus → Homo habilis → H. erectus → H. sapiens |
What the app covers in this chapter
642 questions in total, each with a detailed explanation.
| Important PYQ Mixed Concepts | 100 |
| Origin of Life | 81 |
| Biological Evolution (Natural Selection & Fitness) | 62 |
| Evolution of Life Forms – Theory of Evolution | 60 |
| Grand Test | 60 |
| Evidences for Evolution | 58 |
| Mixed Revision | 58 |
| Human Evolution | 42 |
| Hardy–Weinberg Principle | 40 |
| Speciation | 40 |
| Adaptive Radiation | 21 |
| Factors Affecting Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium | 20 |
Questions students ask
Is Evolution important for NEET?
Yes — it carries significant weightage. Questions on Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, evidences for evolution, adaptive radiation and human evolution appear regularly.
Which topics should I revise first?
Start with Hardy-Weinberg principle and the five factors that disturb it, then homologous vs analogous organs, Darwin's theory of natural selection, adaptive radiation examples, and the human evolution timeline.
How many questions from this chapter are on RankUp?
The RankUp app has 642 questions on Evolution, including 324 ELITE questions written for students aiming at AIR under 50. Every question has a detailed explanation.
