Antibiotic Resistance Unit 2: Flashcard 2

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What is natural selection?

Back

Natural selection is the process where organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more than those that are less suited.

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What is evolution?

Back

Evolution is the gradual change in the characteristics of a species over several generations, often driven by natural selection.

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What is antibiotic resistance?

Back

Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic that once killed them or inhibited their growth.

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What is a main cause of antibiotic resistance?

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Overuse of antibiotics is a main cause of the antibiotic resistance crisis.

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How many antibiotics can a resistant bacteria be resistant to?

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A resistant bacteria can be resistant to multiple antibiotics, sometimes all available options.

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What is adaptation in the context of natural selection?

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Adaptation is the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment through changes in traits over time.

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What is genetic drift?

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Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population.

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What role do mutations play in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in DNA that can lead to new traits, which may be beneficial, harmful, or neutral, and can contribute to evolution.

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What is the difference between extinction and natural selection?

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Extinction is the end of an organism or species, while natural selection is a process that can lead to the survival of certain organisms over others.

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What is the significance of the phrase 'survival of the fittest'?

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'Survival of the fittest' refers to the idea that only those organisms best adapted to their environment will survive and reproduce.