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Evolution
Biology Honors
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is evolution? | the process that changes over time by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms. |
What is a scientific theory? | Well supported, testable explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world. |
Who was Charles Darwin? | English naturalist who made a hypothesis about how life changes over time. |
What is Darwin's hypothesis now called? | Theory of Evolution |
What ship did Darwin travel on? | HMS Beagle |
Where did Darwin travel to? | Galapagos Islands |
What are fossils? | preserved remains of ancient organisms that provide evidence for how life has changed over time. |
What did James Hutton propose? | that the Earth is shaped by geological forces over extremely long periods of time, and that the Earth is very old. |
What did Thomas Malthus predict? | that the human population would grow faster than resources needed to sustain it. |
What did Jean-Baptiste Lamarck propose? | that the selective use or disuse of an organ led to change the organ that was then passed on to the offspring. |
What did Charles Lyell explain? | that the geological processes seen happening on Earth now have shaped Earth's geological features over long periods of time. |
What did Alfred Wallace do? | published his own theory of evolution by natural selection about the same time as Charles Darwin. |
What does struggle for existence mean? | the members of each species compete regularly for food and other necessary resources. |
What is fitness? | the ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in its specific environment. |
What is an adaptation? | any inherited characteristics that increase an organism's chance of survival. |
What is natural selection? | the process whereby individuals are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully. |
What did Darwin nickname natural selection? | survival of the fittest |
What was the idea that all species,living and extinct, were derived from common ancestors linked by a "tree of life"? | common descent |
What are structures that have different mature forms but develop from the same embryonic tissues? | Homologous structures |
What are homologous structures that are so reduced in size that they no longer function? | vestigial organs |
What are some examples of vestigial organs? | human appendix or legs legs in skinks |
Choosing to breed cows that produce the most milk or the fastest horses is called what? | artificial selection |
The idea that each living species has descended with changes over time from other species is called what? | descent with modification |
Charles Darwin's observations of finches and turtles on the Galapagos Islands led to what? | his Theory of Evolution |
A giraffe that stretches its neck longer by reaching for food and then passes this long-necked trait on to offspring. This is an example of what? | inheritance of acquired traits |
Dolphins, penguins, and sharks are distantly-related species that share similar characteristics which help them live in water. This is an example of what? | Convergent evolution |
Even though the Galapagos finches share a common ancestor, they have evolved to fit the ecosystems of their individual islands. this an example of what? | Divergent evolution |
another name for divergent evolution is? | adaptive radiation |
What naturalist studies fossils? | Charles Darwin |
On the Galapagos Islands, Darwin observed that the characteristics of many animals and plants what? | varied from island to island |
What statement best describes how Lamarck would explain giraffes with long necks? | Some giraffes have acquired longer necks by stretching to reach food and passed that trait on. |
What idea, proposed by Lamarck, was later found to be incorrect? | acquired characteristics can be inherited |
Proposed that Earth was shaped by geological forces that took place over millions of years. | James Hutton |
Proposed that organisms acquired or lost traits during their lifetime by selective use or disuse of organs. | Jean-Baptiste Lamarck |
Predicted that the human population will grow faster than the space and food needed to sustain it. | Thomas Malthus |
Stressed that scientists can explain past events in terms of processes occurring they can observe happening now | Charles Lyell |
Proposed a hypothesis to explain how living things change over time. | Charles Darwin |
How did Hutton's and Lyell's ideas about the formation of the Earth influence Darwin's ideas about evolution? | They helped him realize that the Earth is millions of years old. |
What do the differently shaped beaks of the birds on the Galapagos islands tell you about the eating habits of the birds on different islands? | Each bird has different eating habits and each of the birds' prey are different sizes. |
Structures that have mature forms, but develop from the same embryonic structure are called? | homologous structures |
Because of its similarities to artificial selection, Darwin referred to the "survival of the fittest" as what? | natural selection |
The idea that each living species has descended with changes from other species over time is called what? | descent with modification |
The natural differences between individuals of a species are referred to as what? | natural variation |
A human appendix, whale hipbones, and a skink's legs are examples of what? | vestigial organs |
What would best explain Darwin's explanation for giraffes with long necks? | natural variation in the population produces some longer and some shorter necked giraffes and longer necked giraffes can reach food more easily and survive to pass on their gene. |
Competition for food, space, and other resources among members of a species is called what? | struggle for existence |
What are the four kinds of evidence that support Darwin's theory of evolution? | homologous structures, fossils, embryonic mates, and geographic distribution. |