Chapter 14 Vocabulary - Evidence for Evolution Flashcards

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1
Q

Evolution

A

the cumulative genetic change in a population of organisms from generation to generation; leads to differences among populations and explains the origin of all of the organisms that exist today or have ever existed

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2
Q

Macroevolution

A

evolutionary patterns and trends on a larger scale than microevolution; e.g., adaptive radiation, coevolution

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3
Q

Microevolution

A

changes in allele frequencies that occur within a population over successive generations

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4
Q

Fossil

A

the physical evidence of an organism that lived in the ancient past

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5
Q

Gradualism

A

in biology, the idea that evolutionary change of a species is because of a slow, steady accumulation of changes over time; in geology, the principle that geologic changes result from slow processes rather than sudden events

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6
Q

Half-life

A

the characteristic time it takes for half of a quantity of a radioisotope to decay

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7
Q

Index Fossil

A

a fossil that dates the layers where it is found because it came from an organism that is abundantly preserved in rocks, was widespread geographically, and existed as a species or genus for only a relatively short time

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8
Q

Radiometric Dating

A

a method of estimating the age of a rock or fossil by measuring the content and proportions of a radioisotope and its daughter elements

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9
Q

Trace Fossil

A

the physical evidence from the ancient past of an organism’s activities

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10
Q

Uniformitarianism

A

a geologic principle that states geologic processes operate consistently throughout time

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11
Q

Analogous structure

A

a body structure that is similar in function or appearance to another in a different lineage but not similar in origin or development

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12
Q

Homologous structure

A

a body structure similar to another in a different lineage because the structure evolved in a common ancestor

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13
Q

Vestigial structure

A

an evolutionary remnant of a formerly functional structure

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