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Scientists use fossils as evidence for human evolution - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 2
Question 3
Scientists use fossils as evidence for human evolution. The brain volume of some extinct primates has been estimated from their fossils and have been compared to the... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Scientists use fossils as evidence for human evolution - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 2
Step 1
Apart from fossil evidence, give TWO other types of evidence for human evolution.
Answer
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Genetic evidence, including mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome studies, which show the evolutionary relationships between species.
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Cultural evidence, such as the development of tools and social structures that indicate cognitive advancement.
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Give evidence in the table that suggests that:
Answer
(a) Homo habilis and Homo erectus may have existed at the same time.
- Both species have overlapping periods of existence: Homo habilis (2.2 to 1.6 million years ago) and Homo erectus (2 to 0.4 million years ago).
(b) Ardipithecus was the most primitive of all the primate genera.
- Ardipithecus ramidus has the smallest brain volume listed in the table (400 cm³) and existed the earliest (5.8 to 4.4 million years ago).
Step 6
Draw a bar graph to show the average brain volume of EACH of the species of the genus Homo.
Answer
To draw the bar graph:
- Title the graph 'Average Brain Volume for Various Homo Species'.
- Label the X-axis with 'Homo Species' and the Y-axis with 'Average Brain Volume (cm³)'.
- Determine the appropriate scale for the Y-axis (e.g., increments of 100 cm³).
- Draw bars to represent the average brain volumes:
- Homo habilis: 750 cm³
- Homo erectus: 1000 cm³
- Homo neanderthalensis: 1400 cm³
- Homo sapiens: 1400 cm³.