Unit 3 Flashcards
___ processes are all of the processes that happen to an organism after its death.
Taphonomic
___ is thought to be the largest primate to have ever lived.
Gigantopithecus
All of the following are relative dating methods except:
A. Dendrochronology
B. Biostratigraphy
C. Stratigraphic correlation
D. Cultural dating
A
Early Miocene apes were called “dental apes” because their dentition was similar to that of modern apes, however, their postcranial anatomy (everything below the skull) was most similar to that of a(n):
Monkey
Strata are:
A. Layers of rock and sediment
B. Index fossils
C. Petrified remains of organisms
D. None of these
A
The rafting hypothesis…
A. Is the idea that Orangutans populated the islands of Indonesia by building rafts.
B. Is one explanation of how platyrrhines arrived in the Americas.
C. Only applies to great apes
D. Suggests that our primate ancestors may have been extremely skilled tool users.
B
Which of the following correctly describes the changes to radioactive carbon atoms that occur during decay?
A. Carbon-14 atoms lose two neutrons to become Carbon-12 atoms
B. Carbon-12 atoms gain two neutrons to become Carbon-14 atoms.
C. A Carbon-14 neutron decays into a proton to become Nitrogen-14.
D. Carbon-12 atoms do not decay.
E. Carbon-13 atoms lose a neutron to become Carbon-12 atoms.
C
A(n) ___ is the remains of organisms that have been transformed into rock through chemical replacement.
Fossil
Bones and teeth make up 99% of the fossil record because bones are _% mineral and teeth are _% mineral.
65; 95
___ is the study of fossils.
Paleontology
Name two reasons why it is important to study fossils.
- Chronological order allows for an understanding of biological change over time
- We can understand factors that have shaped evolution in the past
___ is the proccess of what happens to an organism’s remains.
Taphonomy
Name the four factors of an ideal burial environment for fossilization.
- Remains covered soon after death
- Protection from scavengers
- Oxygen-free (anoxic) environment limits decomposition
- Avoid acidic groundwater/soils that dissolve bone/teeth
Where are most fossils formed?
Sedimentary rock
Name the 3 main forms of fossil evidence.
- Volcanic ash (footprints)
- Chemical composition of bone or teeth (shows diet)
- DNA preservation if tissue is not fully fossilized
The ___ says that we can assume that fossils look similar because they share genes.
Morphological species concept
___ is the study of the change in proportion of various parts of an organism as a consequence of growth.
Allometry
Name 3 risks of defining paleospecies.
- Allometry: Fossils may appear to be different species when they are really the same species at different stages of growth
- Sexual dimorphism: Morphologically different fossils may be male and female examples of the same species
- Interspecies Variation: Interbreeding-capable individuals may look very different
___ is Darwin’s theory that species are constantly and slowly changing, and that these changes eventually “add up” to a new species
Gradualism
___ is Gould’s theory that species are usually not changing very much. They rapidly evolve into new species in short periods of time.
Punctuated Equilibrium
___ dating is the form of dating that determines the order of fossils by dating based on the relationship with fossils or other artifacts.
Relative
___ dating determines the approximate age of a fossil and does not require other fossils.
Absolute
___ says that the lower the layer of rock, the earlier in time it was deposited.
Steno’s Law of Superposition
Name the four exceptions to the Law of Superposition
- Original Horizontality
- Tilting
- Folding
- Faulting