The Concept of Evolution

Question 1

Lamarck’s Theory of Evolution

Answer 1

The hypothesis that an organism can pass on characteristics acquired during its lifetime to its offspring.

Question 2

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

Answer 2

Theory that all species of an organism arise and develop through the natural selection of small inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive and reproduce.

Question 3

Neo-Darwinian Theory of Evolution

Answer 3

Theory that all species evolve by natural selection acting on genetic variation.

Question 4

Microevolution

Answer 4

A change in gene frequency within a population over a succession of generations.

Question 5

Macroevolution

Answer 5

Major evolutionary change at or above the level of species over geological time.

Question 6

Punctuated Evolution

Answer 6

Theory of evolution in which a lot of evolutionary changes take place in short periods of time, often tied to speciation events such as environmental factors.

Question 7

Relative Age

Answer 7

An expression of the geologic age of a fossil organism, rock, geologic feature or event, relative to other organisms, rocks, features or events without expressing absolute age.

Question 8

Index Fossil

Answer 8

A distinctive abundant fossil with a wide geographic distribution over a relatively short geologic period of time.

Question 9

Isotope

Answer 9

Variations of an element that differ in the number of neutrons within their nuclei; many isotopes are radioactive forms of an element.

Question 10

Half-Life

Answer 10

The time taken for a quantity, for example the radioactivity of an isotope or a chemical, to break down to half its original value.

Question 11

Radioactive Element

Answer 11

An element that emits radiation as a result of the spontaneous degradation of its nucleus.

Question 12

Endangered Species

Answer 12

A species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.

Question 13

Extinct Species

Answer 13

A particular animal or plant species which has no more individuals of that species alive anywhere in the world.

Question 14

Mass Extinction

Answer 14

The rapid and widespread extinction of a large number of species, due to a catastrophic global event or rapid, widespread environmental change.

Question 15

Evolutionary Radiation

Answer 15

Diversification of species.

Question 16

Adaptive Radiation

Answer 16

An evolutionary process in which organisms diversify rapidly from an ancestral species into several divergent forms.

Question 17

Key Adaptation

Answer 17

A novel phenotypic trait that allows an organism to evolve and exploit a new niche or resource, resulting in the subsequent radiation and success of a taxonomic group.

Question 18

Molecular Clock

Answer 18

A technique that uses the maturation tate to deduce when two or more life forms diverged.

Question 19

Conserved Gene

Answer 19

A gene that has remained essentially unchanged throughout evolution.