Evolution

Front

What are vestigial structures?

Back

Vestigial structures are body parts that have lost their original function through evolution. Examples include the human tailbone, wisdom teeth, and appendix.

Front

How do adaptations occur in organisms?

Back

Adaptations occur through mutations that provide an advantage in an organism's environment and genetic recombination during meiosis.

Front

What is an adaptation?

Back

An adaptation is a behavioral or physical change in individuals of a species that enhances their survival in a specific environment.

Front

What are homologous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are body parts in different species that share a similar bone structure due to common ancestry, such as the human arm, whale flipper, and bat wing.

Front

What common characteristic do all animals to the right of the salamander have?

Back

All animals to the right of the salamander possess claws or nails.

Front

Define evolution.

Back

Evolution is the process through which species change over time through mechanisms such as natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift.

Front

What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Front

What role do mutations play in evolution?

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Mutations introduce genetic variation in a population, which can lead to new traits that may be beneficial for survival.

Front

What is genetic recombination?

Back

Genetic recombination is the process during meiosis where genetic material is exchanged between chromosomes, leading to new combinations of traits.

Front

What is a transitional fossil?

Back

Transitional fossils are remains of organisms that show intermediate traits between ancestral and descendant groups, providing evidence for evolution.