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The diagrams below show the upper jaws of some fossils - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2018 - Paper 2
Question 3
The diagrams below show the upper jaws of some fossils. These diagrams are drawn to scale. Chimpanzee Australopithecus afarensis Homo sapiens 3.1.1 Describe ON... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The diagrams below show the upper jaws of some fossils - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2018 - Paper 2
Step 1
3.1.1 Describe ONE visible difference between the jaw of a chimpanzee and that of Homo sapiens which shows trends in human evolution.
Answer
The jaw is large in the chimpanzee and small in Homo sapiens. This difference indicates a change in diet and adaptation towards a more varied diet in modern humans.
Step 2
3.1.2 Based on the differences in dentition, what conclusion can be made about the change in diet from Australopithecus afarensis to Homo sapiens?
Answer
The conclusion is that the diet changed from eating raw food in Australopithecus to a diet that included cooked food in Homo sapiens, reflecting advancements in food preparation and consumption.
Step 3
Step 4
3.1.3 (b) Use ONE visible feature of the jaw to explain why A. afarensis may be described as a transitional species.
Answer
The jaw of Australopithecus afarensis is smaller than that of the chimpanzee but larger than that of Homo sapiens, indicating a gradual transition in jaw size and dental structure as humans evolved.