Other Evidence for Change Over Time

Front

What are vestigial structures?

Back

Vestigial structures are body parts that have lost their original function through evolution. They were useful in some ancestor of the species but are not useful in the current organism.

Front

Why are vestigial structures evidence for change over time?

Back

They are not useful in the organism today but they were useful in some ancestor of that species.

Front

Which animal is more closely related to humans: Mouse, Chicken, Dog, or Frog?

Back

Dog.

Front

What do transitional fossils show?

Back

Transitional fossils show the changes between species.

Front

What are homologous body parts?

Back

Homologous body parts are structures in different species that share a common ancestry, but may have different functions.

Front

Do homologous body parts always have similar functions?

Back

No, homologous body parts do not always have similar functions.

Front

What is the significance of fossil layers in geology?

Back

Fossil layers help determine the relative ages of fossils, with deeper layers generally being older.

Front

What can scientists infer from the age of fossils in different rock layers?

Back

Scientists can infer the chronological order of species and their evolutionary history.

Front

What does it mean if a fossil is found in a lower rock layer?

Back

It generally means that the fossil is older than those found in higher layers.

Front

What is the relationship between evolution and natural selection?

Back

Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.