Study of

Heridity &
Evolution
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am bestowed with the singular honor of acknowledging my indebtness

and deep sense of veneration towards my esteemed Teacher Dr.

Madunuala Purohit, Head of Department of Chemistry “Alok Sr. Sec.
School”, Udaipur. Under whose supervision and expert guidance I have been
able to complete this work.

I express my gratitude to My Chairman Sir “Shri Shyam Lal

Kumawat”, My Director Sir “Dr. Pradeep Kumawat” and My Vice

Principal “Mr. Suresh Gupta” for their constant encouragement at all times
and in every way.
 Certificate

This is to certify that Bhumika Vageriya of XII Standard Science has

carried out his dissertation “Heridity & Evolution” under by Personal

guidance and supervision. All the work related to this project was done by the
candidate and his approach to subject was sincere and scientific.

Mr. Suresh Gupta Dr. Madunbala

Vice Principal Head of Department
 Chemistry

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Origin of Life

3. Evidences of Evolution

4. Origin of Evolution in Man

5. Rules for inheritance of traits.

 INTRODUCTION
The origin of life is considered a unique event in the history of
universe. The universe is vast. Relatively speaking the earth it self is
only a speck. The universe is very old-almost 20 billion years old
huge clusters of galaxies comprise the universe. Galaxies contain
stars and clouds of gas and dust. Considering the size of universe,
earth is indeed a speck. The BIGBANG theory attempts to explain to
us the origin of universe. It talks of a singular huge explosion
unimaginable in physical terms. The universe expanded and hence,
the temperature came down. Hydrogen and Helium formed
sometimes later. The gases condensed under gravitation and formed
the galaxy of the present day universe. In the solar system of the
milky way galaxy, earth was supposed to have been formed about
4.5 billion years back. There was no atmosphere on early earth.
Water vapour, methane, CO2 and ammonia released from molten
mass covered the surface. The UV rays from the sun broke up water
into Hydrogen and Oxygen and the lighter H 2, CO2, and others. The
ozone layer was formed. As it cooled, the water vapor fell as rain, to
fill as rain to fill all the formation of earth, i.e. almost four billion years
back.
Oparin of Russia and Haldane of England proposed that the
first form of life could have come from pre-existing non-living organic
molecules and that formation of life was preceded by chemical
evolution i.e. formation of diverse organic molecules from inorganic
constituents. The conditions on earth were-high temperature, volcanic
storms, reducing atmosphere containing CH 4, NH3, etc. In 1953, S.L.
Miller, an American scientist created similar conditions in a laboratory
scale. He created electric discharge in a closed flask containing CH 4,
H2, NH3 and water vapaur at 8000C. They would have been giant
molecules (RNA, Protein, Polysaccharides, etc.). These capsules
reproduced their molecules perhaps. The first cellular from of life did
not possibly originate till about 2000 million years ago. These were
probably single-cells. All life forms were in water environment only.
This version of a biogenesis, i.e. the first forms of life arose slowly
through evolutionary forces from non-living molecules to accepted by
majority. However, once formed, how the first cellular forms of life
could have evolved into the complex biodiversity of today is the
fascinating story that will be discussed below.
Evidences for Evolution
a. Homologous Sinologue :
Comparative anatomy and morphology shows similarities and
difference among organisms of today and those that existed years
ago. Such similarities can be interpreted to understand whether
common ancestors were shared or not. For example whales, bats,
cheetah and human share similarities in the patten of bones of
forelimbs. Though these forelimbs perform different functions in these
animals, they have similar anatomical structure- all of them have
humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges in their
forelimbs. Hence, in these animals, the same structure developed
along different directions due to adaptions to different needs. This is
divergent evolution and these structures are homologous. Homology
indicates common ancestry. Other examples are vertebrate hearts or
brains. In plants also, the thorn and tendrils of Bougainvillea and
Cucurbita represent homology. Homology is based on divergent
evolution whereas analogy refers to a situation exactly opposite.
Wings of butterfly and of birds look alike. They are not anatomically
similar structures though they perform similar functions. Hence,
analogous structures are a result of convergent evoluation- different
structures evolving for the same function and hence having similarity,
other octopus and of mammals or the flippers of Penguins and
Dolphins. One can say that it is the similar habitat that has resulted in
selection of similar adaptive features in different groups of organisms
but toward the same function: Sweet potato (root modification) and
potato (stem modification) is another example for analogy.
b. Adaptive Radiation
During his journey Darwin went to Galapagos Islands.
There he observed an amazing diversity of creatures. Of particular
interest, small balck birds later called Darwin’s Finches amazed him.
He realized that there were many varieties of finches in the same
island. All the varieties, he conjectured, evolued on the island itself.
From the original seed- eating features, many other forms with
altered beaks arose, enabling them to become insectivorous and
vegetarian finches. This process of evolution of different species in a
given geographical area starting form a point and literally radiating to
other areas of other areas of geography (habitats) is called adaptive
radiation. Darwin’s finches represent one of the best examples of this
phenomenon. Another example is Australian marsupials. A number of
marsupials, each different from the other evolved from an ancestral
stock, but all within the Australian island continent. When more than
one adaptive radiation appeared to have occurred in an isolated
geographical area, one can call this convergent evolution.
c. Biological Evolution
The essence of Darwinian theory about evolution is
natural selection. The rate of appearance of new forms is linked to
the life cycle or the life span. Microbes that divide fast have the ability
to multiply and become millions have the ability to multiply and
become millions of individuals within hours. A colony of bacteria
growing on a given medium has built-in variation in terms of ability to
utilize a feed composition. A change in the medium composition
would bring out only that part of the population that can survive under
the new condition. In due course of time this apperars as new
species. This would happen within days. For the same thing to
happen in a fish or fowl would take million of years as life say that
fitness of B is better than that of A under the new conditions. Nature
selects for fitness one must remember that the so-called fitness is
based on characteristics which are inherited. Hence, there must be a
genetic basis for getting selected and to evolve. Another way of
saying the same thing is that some organisms are better adapted to
survive in an otherwise hostile environment, Adaptive ability is
inherited. It has a genetic basis. Fitness is the end results of the
ability to adapt and get selected by nature.
Branching descent and natural selection are the two key
concepts of Darwinian Theory of Evolution.
3. Origin and Evolution of Man
About 15 mya, primates called Dryopithecus and
Ramapithecus were existing. They were hairy and walked like
gorillas and chimpanzees. Ramapithecus was more man-like while
dryopithecus was more ape-like. Few fossils of man-like bones have
been discovered in Ethiopta and Tanzania. These revealed hominid
features leading to the belief that about 3-4 mya, man-like primates
walked in eastern Africa. Australopithecines probably lived in East
African grasslands. Evidence shows they hunted with stone weapons
but essentially ate fruit. Some of the bones among the bones
discovered were different. This creature was called the first human
like being the hominid and was called Homo hobilis. The brain
capacities were between 650-800cc. They probably did not eat meat.
Fossils discovered in Java in 1891 revealed the next stage, i.e. Homo
Erectus about 1.5 mya, Homo erectus had a large brain around
900cc. Homo erectus probably ate meat. The Neanderthal man with a
brain size of 1400 cc lived in near east and central Asia between
1,00,000-40,000 years back. They used hides to protect their body
and buried their dead. Homo sapiens arose in Africa and moved
across continents and developed into distinct races. During ice age
between 75,000-10,000 years back and human settlements started.
The rest of what happened is part of human history of growth and
decline of civilizations.

4. Monohybrid Contribution
B. Dihybrid Cross-
Bibliography

1. Pradeep’s of eiology for class XII

2. A textbook of eiology for class XII