Chap 7/8 Flashcards
Species
A group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
Adaptation
A characteristic that improves ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment
Evolution
The process in witch inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise
Fossil
The trace or remains of an organism that lived long time ago
Fossil record
A historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layer of the earths crust
Trait
A genetically determined characteristics
Selective breeding
The human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desires traits
Natural selection
The process by witch individuals that are better adapted to to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully then less well adapted
Generation time
The period between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation
Speciation
The formation of new species as a result of evolution
Relative dating
Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger then other events or objects
Absolute dating
Any method of measuring the age of an object or event in years
Geologic time scale
The standard method used to divide the earths long natural history into manageable parts
Extinct
A species that has died out
Plate tectonics
The theory that explains how large peices of the earth outmost layer helps the earth move and change
