Natural Selection Flashcards
relative dating
any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects
absolute dating
any method of measuring the age of an object or event in years
geologic time scale
the stranded method used to divide the earths long natural history into manageable
extinct
describes a species that has died out completely
fossil
the remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geologic processes
plate tectonics
the theory that explains how large pieces of the earths outermost layer called tectonic plates move and change shape
primate
a type of mammal characterized by opposable thumbs and binocular vision
hominid
a type of primitive characterized by bipedalism relatively long lower limbs and lack of tail
homo sapiens
the species of hominids that includes modern humans and their closest ancestors and that first appeared about 100,000 to 160,000
adaptation
a characteristic that improves an individuals ability to survive and reproduce in a particulier environment
species
a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
evolution
the process in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise
fossil record
historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layers of the earths crust
trait
a genetically determined characteristic
selective breeding
the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired characteristic
