Evolution and Natural Selection

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What is evolution?

Back

The theory that populations change over long periods of time.

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What can we assume about two organisms that share more similarities in DNA?

Back

The more related they are.

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What is a vestigial structure?

Back

Structures that seemed to once have a purpose but no longer serve a role, even though we are still born with that structure.

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Who believed that all simple organisms eventually evolved into more complex organisms?

Back

Lamarck.

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What is natural selection?

Back

The theory that organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing down their traits to future offspring.

Front

What is fitness in the context of evolution?

Back

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

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What are homologous structures?

Back

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

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What is the significance of fossil records in evolution?

Back

Fossil records provide evidence of how species have changed over time.

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What is adaptation?

Back

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

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What is the difference between artificial selection and natural selection?

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Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed organisms for desired traits, while natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.