Evolution Concepts

Front

What does the law of superposition state about the age of fossils in rock layers?

Back

The law of superposition states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest fossils are found near the bottom of the rock layers.

Front

What is a paleontologist?

Back

A paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils.

Front

What are analogous structures?

Back

Analogous structures are structures that are similar in appearance but not in structure, indicating different evolutionary origins.

Front

What is required for a fossil to be considered an index fossil?

Back

An index fossil must have lived for a relatively short period of time and be widely distributed.

Front

How do fossils provide evidence for evolution?

Back

Fossils provide evidence for evolution by showing how life forms present today are different from those in the past.

Front

What are homologous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry, even if they have different functions.

Front

What is the significance of vestigial structures?

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Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor but are no longer functional in the current organism.

Front

What does extinction mean in the context of evolution?

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Extinction refers to the dying out of a species, indicating that it no longer exists on Earth.

Front

What is natural selection?

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

Front

What is the difference between relative dating and absolute dating of fossils?

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Relative dating determines the age of fossils based on their position in rock layers, while absolute dating provides a specific age using methods like radiometric dating.