Evolution Of Humans Flashcards
We can estimate the size of the brain by finding the volume inside the skull, known as?
Cranial capacity
Two of the most important changes that happened as humans evolved were?
Bipedalism
Increase in brain size
One way to find the cranial capacity is to:
Tip the skull upside down
Pour dry sand into the foramen magnum
When skull is full, sand carefully tipped out into a measuring cylinder
Volume collected is an estimate of the volume of brain that was inside the skull
How can we tell if a fossil animal was bipedal?
Foramen magnum is underneath the skull Small muscles attached to the skull low down Short, broad hipbone Basin-shaped pelvis Straight thigh bone Knees directly underneath the pelvis S-shaped backbone Arched foot, big toe parallel to others
How can we tell what food we ate?
Teeth
Teeth are hard so are often
Preserved
Teeth with thick enamel are adapted for eating what?
Teeth with thinner enamel is associated with?
Hard foods (hard seeds/dry nuts) Softer diet (fruit)
Teeth can be examined under the microscope for scratches called?
Microwear
Hard touch dry sources, like dry nuts and tough roots would leave?
More scratches than a softer diet
Animals with large jaws and bony crests on skulls would have had?
Strong jaws with powerful muscles to move them (could eat tough, fibrous food)
Hominids have smaller canines than apes, this meant that the jaw could develop?
More side to side grinding movements (useful for chewing)
Ape jaws are U-shaped but human jaws are more?
Parabolic in shape
Parabolic means a?
Plane curve
