chap 11- human change over time

Question 1

what are the evolutionary trends from Australopithecus to Homo

Answer 1

• increasing brain case (due to increase in brain size and complexity)
• decreasing zygomatic arch (decreasing jaw muscles)
• decreasing teeth size
• box shape to parabolic shape of jaw
• flattening/shortening of face
• pelvis shortens and becomes more bowl shaped

Question 2

what is culture

Answer 2

the accumulated knowledge passed on to the next generation by verbal, written or symbolic comunication

Question 3

what are some examples of how culture was developed and passed on

Answer 3

• use of stone and bone tools.
• using fire for warmth
• treating stones with fire

Question 4

define putative

Answer 4

generally considered or reputed to be

Question 5

how is mitochondrial DNA passed on

Answer 5

through the maternal line

Question 6

why do mutations occur faster in mtDNA

Answer 6

because they do not have the same repair mechanisms

Question 7

what are some shared features of mammals

Answer 7

body covering of hair, a single jaw with specialised teeth. three bones in the middle ear, a diaphragm, and a four chambered heart, exocrine glands, mammary glands

Question 8

what are mammals further divided into

Answer 8

monotremes, marsupials and placental mammals

Question 9

what are characteristics of primates

Answer 9

-5 digit hands and feet
- flat nails
- forwards facing eyes that enable 3D vision
- colour vision
- flexible spines
- arms that can rotate in shoulder socket
- bipedal or tetrapedal
- large brains compared to body size
- enlarged cranium
- social mammals that typically live in groups

Question 10

what are hominoids

Answer 10

includes apes and humans

Question 11

what are characteristics of hominoids

Answer 11

-larger/more complex brains
-shoulder joints that rotate around shoulders
-distinctive molar teeth

Question 12

what are features that separate apes from other primates

Answer 12

-relatively long upper arms
-ribcage that creates a wide chest
- absense of tail

Question 13

what is hominins

Answer 13

classification that eperates humans from all other great apes. refers to the modern human species and the extinct close relatives that could walk bipedally in a sustained fashion

Question 14

what are characteristics of hominins

Answer 14

• central position of foramen magnum
• bicondylar angle between femur and tibia
• S-shaped spine
  -pelvis is bowl shaped and shorter
  -feet have arch

Question 15

where was the first human species believed to be from

Answer 15

Africa

Question 16

what features of humans have adapted over time and why

Answer 16

• enlarged cranium due to increased brain size and complexity (allows us to be more intelligent which has evolved over time)
• pelvis has become more bowl shaped, shorter and flatter as it allows us to walk on two feet rather than 4
• longer legs in proportion to arms
  -locking knees
  tibia and femur join at an angle (allows us to be bipedal)
• long thumb compared to other fingers so we can have a fine manipulation and precision grip