Evolution Objectives Flashcards
Fossil
The preserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism
Paleontologists
Scientists who study fossils
Extinction
When an entire species has died out
Relative Dating
The method of determining the age of a fossil by comparing its placement with fossils in other layers of rock
Radioactive Dating
Calculating the age of a sample based on the amount of radioactive isotopes it contains
Important patterns we see in the fossil record
As the environment changes, so do the species that inhabit the environment
Describe what primitive Earth was like
Primitive earth contained gases such as Hydrogen cyanide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide, and water, however, it was missing oxygen, the ozone layer, and organic molecules. The temperature was 200+ degrees Celsius (Hot + Dry)
Identify where energy could have come from on primitive Earth to synthesize life
The heat from the ocean, energy from the electrical storms, UV radiation from the sun
Explain what the Miller-Urey experiment proved
The conditions of primitive earth could give rise to organic molecules
Protobiont
The first version of a cell
Proteinoids
the first polypeptides/chain of amino acids that were formed on the primitive earth
Coacervates
Long strands of protein-like molecules that life may have come from
Anaerobic or aerobic
Anaerobic
Simple or complex
Simple
Autotroph or heterotroph
heterotroph
Asexual or sexual
Asexual
Eukaryotic or prokaryotic
prokaryotic
Explain the Endosymbiotic Theory
eukaryotic cells were formed when prokaryotic cells that can carry out cell respiration and photosynthesis formed a relationship with the larger host
Comparative Anatomy
the study of structural similarities and differences among living things
Homologous structures
divergent evolution
Analogous structures
convergent evolution
Vestigial structures
non-functional structures that are remnants of structures that were functional in an ancestral form (tailbone, wisdom teeth)
Malthus
Was a sociologist, all species have to struggle for their survival (limited resources)
Lyell
Geologist who came up with “uniformitarianism”: as the earth changes, so do the organisms that inhabit the earth
Hutton
Geologist who promoted the concept of “gradualism”: Observed that Earth was much older than originally thought
How would Lamarck explain giraffe neck evolution?
As Giraffes reached for high trees, their necks got longer which caused their offspring to get longer necks (use & disuse)
How would Darwin explain giraffe neck evolution?
Long-neck giraffes would survive and pass their traits for longer necks along to their offspring whereas short-necked giraffes would die and not pass their trait to shorter necks
Overproduction
most species produce more offspring than needed to maintain the population
Competition
food and territory are limited so offspring must compete with each other
Variation
all individuals within a species differ in some way from each other (mutation & sexual reproduction)
Adaption
having the traits that allow you to survive
Adaption
inherited traits that improve an individual’s chance of survival
Natural Selection
offspring that are better adapted to survive, reproduce, and pass on favorable traits to their offspring
Explain the difference between a Batesian and a Mullerian mimicry
Batesian mimicry is where a palatable and harmless organic, mimics a harmful and unpalatable organism for protection whereas Mullerian mimicry is where species mimic each other by a warning signal (yellow & black)
Artificial selection
an evolutionary process in which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms
Explain how Darwin used artificial selection in his theory of evolution
Darwin used this as an analogy to natural selection, he compared artificial to varieties, hereditary variation in nature to that in the breeding farm, he also compared the overall effectiveness of two processes
