Lesson Worksheet: Variation Biology

In this worksheet, we will practice recalling examples of genetic and environmental variation and distinguishing between characteristics that show continuous or discontinuous variation.

Q1:

The graph shows the percentage of a population of plants with a given number of flowers. What type of variation is the number of flowers?

  • AContinuous
  • BDiscontinuous

Q2:

A group of scientists want to investigate the effect of different soil conditions on plant growth. They cloned a plant to get a total of 7 plants and grew them in different nitrate concentrations for 14 days. They then repeated this with a different species of plant. The table given shows their results.

Nitrate Concentration (ppm)Overall Plant Growth (mm) Species 1Overall Plant Growth (mm) Species 2
51624
101828
152031
202236
252639
302842
353044

The scientists cloned the plants so they were genetically identical. Which of the following best explains why this was important?

  • ABecause the plants would all grow the same amount
  • BBecause any changes in growth would be due to environmental variation alone
  • CBecause any changes in growth would be due to genetic variation alone
  • DBecause the plants all looked the same

Which of the following conclusions is correct, based on the data given?

  • APlant growth is due to genetic and environmental factors.
  • BPlant growth is due to environmental factors alone.
  • CPlants of the same species will grow the same amount, no matter where they are grown.
  • DPlant growth is due to genetic factors alone.

Is plant growth an example of continuous or discontinuous variation?

  • ADiscontinuous
  • BContinuous

Q3:

What is the correct key term for the variation that is caused by where an organism lives and what it interacts with?

  • AEnvironmental variation
  • BGenetic variation
  • CEpidemic variation
  • DExternal variation

Q4:

Give the correct key term for the differences in the characteristics of organisms.

  • AVariation
  • BPhenotypes
  • CGenotypes
  • DSymptoms
  • EDifferentiation

Q5:

Give the correct key term for the variation that is caused by differences in alleles that are inherited or caused by mutations.

  • AGenetic variation
  • BGeneric variation
  • CEnvironmental variation
  • DMutagenic variation

Q6:

Give the correct key term for the physical characteristics of an organism.

  • AGenotype
  • BGenome
  • CVariation
  • DMorphology
  • EPhenotype

Q7:

The graph given shows the frequency of different stem lengths in a population of plants.

What type of variation does this graph show?

  • AContinuous
  • BDiscontinuous

Which of the following best explains how this graph shows a normal distribution?

  • AThe mean is the same as the median and the mode.
  • BThe mean, median, and mode are all different values.
  • CThe mean is larger than the median.
  • DThe mode is smaller than the median.

Variations in the stem length can be caused by mutations. Which of the following correctly defines mutations?

  • AChanges in the sugar–phosphate backbone of DNA
  • BChanges in the phenotype
  • CA section of DNA that codes for a protein
  • DChanges in the DNA base sequence

Q8:

Variation can be grouped into two types: continuous and discontinuous. For the following statements, choose the correct type of variation to fill the gap.

variation is when the data can only take a limited set of values.

  • AContinuous
  • BDiscontinuous

variation is when the data can be any value within a given range.

  • ADiscontinuous
  • BContinuous

variation is controlled by genetic and environmental factors.

  • ADiscontinuous
  • BContinuous

variation is usually controlled by genetic factors alone.

  • ADiscontinuous
  • BContinuous

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