Unit Review: History of Life on Earth (MS-LS4-1, MS-LS4-2)

Front

What are homologous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are physical features in different organisms that share a similar structure or position but may have different functions, arising from a common ancestor.

Front

Give an example of homologous structures.

Back

Flippers of a dolphin and hands of a human are examples of homologous structures.

Front

What are vestigial structures?

Back

Vestigial structures are remnants of features that served a function in the organism's ancestors but no longer serve a significant purpose in the current organism.

Front

What is natural selection?

Back

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

Front

How did life evolve according to the fossil record?

Back

Life started in the ocean and evolved through natural selection to life on land, with fish evolving first, followed by reptiles, mammals, and finally birds.

Front

What can we conclude about the evolution of horses?

Back

The evolution of horses shows that they grew larger and lost their toes over time.

Front

What do similar skeletal structures in different species suggest?

Back

Similar skeletal structures with different functions suggest that the species share a common ancestor.

Front

What is the significance of the fossil record?

Back

The fossil record provides evidence of the history of life on Earth and shows how species have changed over time.

Front

What is an adaptation?

Back

An adaptation is a trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

Front

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Back

Homologous structures share a common ancestry but may have different functions, while analogous structures have similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.