Natural Selection

Front

What can studying the development of ____ provide scientists with evidence that certain species are related?

Back

embryos

Front

What did the discovery of DNA and genes prove?

Back

Mutations create variations and come from genes.

Front

What is the study of the similarity and differences in body structures between species called?

Back

Comparative anatomy.

Front

When an organism of a species is born with a variation in a trait that gives it an advantage in its environment, what do we call that trait?

Back

An adaptation.

Front

What structures are believed to indicate that organisms are closely related?

Back

Homologous structures.

Front

What is natural selection?

Back

A process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Front

What is an example of an adaptation in animals?

Back

The thick fur of polar bears helps them survive in cold environments.

Front

What is the significance of vestigial structures?

Back

They are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor.

Front

What role do mutations play in evolution?

Back

Mutations introduce genetic variations that can lead to new traits.

Front

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are similar due to shared ancestry, while analogous structures are similar due to convergent evolution.