Evidence of evolution

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What are homologous structures?

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Features in different organisms that share a common ancestor but have different functions.

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What is a vestigial structure?

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A structure that has lost most or all of its original function in the course of evolution.

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What is the best form of evidence for evolutionary relationships?

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Molecular evidence, specifically DNA.

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What does 'common ancestor' refer to?

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An ancestor that two or more species share, indicating a point of divergence in evolution.

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What is the relationship between closely related organisms?

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They have very similar DNA sequences.

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What are analogous structures?

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Features in different organisms that have similar functions but do not share a common ancestor.

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What is the significance of fossils in evolution?

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Fossils provide evidence of past life forms and their evolutionary changes over time.

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How do embryological similarities support evolution?

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Similarities in embryonic development among different species suggest a common ancestry.

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What role does natural selection play in evolution?

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

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What is genetic drift?

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A mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population.