Assume it is possible to remove continuous cores of rock from Earth that are 3,000 feet long and contain fossils. What would the theory of evolution by natural selection predict about the fossils found in such cores as they are examined from top to bottom?
A) Fossil forms are arranged in random patterns.
B) The number of fossils decreases from top to bottom, but the number of species increases.
C) Higher fossils are more similar to living species than to lower fossils.
D) Lower fossils are more similar to living species than to higher fossils.
E) Fossil species remain constant from top to bottom.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The theory of evolution by natural selection predicts that as you move from older to newer layers (from bottom to top in a core), the fossils should become more similar to current living species. This is because evolution is a gradual process where species change over time, with newer forms often descending from older ones.

Assume It Is Possible to Remove Continuous Cores of Rock