Evolution Flashcards

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Evolution

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The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

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Fossils

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Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms that provide evidence for how life has changed over time.

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Prokaryotic Life Forms

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Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus, such as bacteria.

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Common Ancestry

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The idea that all living organisms share a common ancestor.

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Comparative Anatomy

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The study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species.

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Comparative Embryology

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The study of the similarities and differences in the embryos of different species.

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Adaptations

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Traits that improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

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Jean Baptiste Lamarck

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An early proponent of the idea that evolution occurs and proceeds in accordance with natural laws.

He thought organisms developed traits as they were needed.

He thought organisms passed on traits they acquired during their lifetimes.

He was proven wrong.

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Charles Darwin

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Naturalist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection.

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Variation

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Differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs.