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Evolution Key Terms
Chapter 6
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| species | a group of related organisms that can mate and produce offspring |
| fossil | the preserved remains of organisms that have lived in the past |
| adaptation | a trait that helps a species survive and reproduce |
| evolution | the gradual change in a species over time |
| natural selection | process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce |
| variation | differences between members of the same species |
| homologous structures | similar structures that related species have inherited from a common ancestor |
| relative dating | a way of determining which of two fossils are older |
| radioactive dating | a way of determining the actual age of fossils based on the amount of radioactive element it contains |
| extinct | no members of a species are still alive |
| gradualism | the theory that evolution occurs slowly but steadily |
| radioactive elements | elements that are unstable and decay, or break down into other elements |
| punctuated equilibria | theory that evolution occurs by species evolving during short periods of rapid change |