Question

Consider a baby whale born during the time the ancestors of modern bowhead whales were evolving thicker skulls. When this whale grows up, how will its skull compare to the skulls of its parents? a. When the baby whale grows up, its skull will probably be slightly thicker than the skullsof its parents. b. Skull development is affected by many factors, so we cannot predict how this whale’s skull will grow. c. When the baby whale grows up, its skull will probably be slightly thinner than the skulls of its parents. d. When the baby whale grows up, its skull will probably be similar to its parents.

Answer 1

The growing baby bowhead whale's skull would likely be similar to its parents. Changes at a species level, like evolving thicker skulls, typically happen over many generations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The skull of a baby bowhead whale as it grows will probably be similar to that of its parents. This is due to the concept of heredity, which states that offspring inherit traits from their parents. In this scenrio, if the thicker skull is a recently evolved trait, and hasn't yet established itself fully in the gene pool, there could be variations. But typically, any changes at the species level, like a consistent increase in skull thickness over generations of bowhead whales, occur due to gradual genetic changes over long periods of time, not within a single generation. So, while the baby whale's skull might not be exactly the same as its parents, it most likely would be very similar.

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