Evoloution Flashcards
Define species
A group of organisms that can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring.
Define evolution.
Evolution is the process of in which populations gradually change over time.
What are fossils?
Fossils are the remains or imprints of once living organisms.fossils show that organisms that lived in the past are very different to the ones alive today .the fossil record organizes Ossis by their estimated age.
What evidence can scientists use to prove that evolution has occurred in organisms?
They can first look at similarities in early development , similarities in DNA, similarities in bone structure and fossils.
What are homologous structures?
Similar bone structures in organisms are called homologous structures .
The more similar the DNA is ….
The more closely the species are.
How do new species form?
A new species can form when a group of individuals remain isolated from the rest of its species long enough to evolve different traits.
Ex: kaibab and abert’s squirrels of the Grand Canyon - two populations separated by the Colorado River .
What is a branching tree?
A diagram that scientists use to show how they think different groups of organisms are related.
What is adaptation ?
Adaptation -a characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.
