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Change Over Time
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Species | Group that breeds to produce fertile offspring. |
| Evolution | Change in inherited traits over many generations. |
| Fossil | Preserved remains or traces of ancient life. |
| Adaptation | Trait helping an organism survive and reproduce. |
| Scientific theory | Proven explanation supported by massive evidence sets. |
| Natural selection | Survival and reproduction of the best-adapted individuals |
| Competition | Organisms fighting for the same limited resources. |
| Sexual selection | Choosing mates based on specific physical traits. |
| Coevolution | Two species evolving in response to each other. |
| Fossil record | Total collection of all discovered prehistoric remains. |
| Embryo | Organism in its earliest stage of development. |
| Homologous structures | Similar body parts inherited from common ancestors. |
| Extinct | When every member of a species dies. |
| Vestigial organs | Body parts that lost their original function. |
| Molecular clock | Using DNA mutations to measure evolutionary time. |
| Relative dating | Determining age based on surrounding rock layers. |
| Absolute dating | Finding a fossil’s exact age in years. |