Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Concepts of Biology

Critical Thinking Questions

Concepts of BiologyCritical Thinking Questions

Critical Thinking Questions

13.

How does a phylogenetic tree indicate major evolutionary events within a lineage?

14.

List the different levels of the taxonomic classification system.

15.

Dolphins and fish have similar body shapes. Is this feature more likely a homologous or analogous trait?

16.

Describe maximum parsimony.

17.

How does a biologist determine the polarity of a character change?

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/concepts-biology/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/concepts-biology/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

© Apr 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.