Evolution Terms

Front

What is an adaptation?

Back

A trait that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Front

How do fossils support the theory of evolution?

Back

Fossils provide evidence of relatedness through similar structures and their age and location in the layers of earth.

Front

What is an example of a homologous structure?

Back

The wing of a bird and the wing of a bat.

Front

What is an example of an analogous structure?

Back

The shell of a crab and the shell of a turtle.

Front

What does it imply if an animal species is found in just one place on earth?

Back

It likely evolved after the ancient plates separated.

Front

Define homologous structures.

Back

Structures in different species that are similar due to shared ancestry.

Front

Define analogous structures.

Back

Structures in different species that serve similar functions but evolved independently.

Front

What is the significance of natural selection in evolution?

Back

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

Front

What is the role of genetic variation in evolution?

Back

Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon.

Front

What is speciation?

Back

The process by which new species arise from existing species.