Fossils and the Fossil Record

<p>It provides a baseline to see if evolutionary changes are occurring in a population. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It increases genetic diversity by favoring individuals with extreme traits over those with intermediate traits. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It is biased because not all organisms fossilize equally, and many are destroyed by geological processes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>In undisturbed rock sequences, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest at the top. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It has a combination of reptilian and avian features, displaying the transition between dinosaurs and birds. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A sharp decline in the number of species and loss of much of the Earth's biodiversity. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Primarily methane, ammonia, water vapor, and hydrogen. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>An ancestral structure that has lost most or all of its original function. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The allele frequencies within the population are not changing. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>By demonstrating common ancestry through shared structures that have evolved into different forms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Homologous structures share a common ancestry, while analogous structures do not. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The preserved remains or traces of a once-living organism. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Convection currents in the Earth's mantle. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The normal rate of species disappearance over time. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Adaptation driven by natural selection. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Structures that serve similar functions but have different origins. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It enhances their reproductive success by securing more resources. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Adaptive radiation. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The allele frequencies of the population remain constant across generations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It promotes the average phenotype within the population by selecting against extreme traits. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A preserved remains or trace of an ancient organism, often found in sedimentary rock.

It refers to the incomplete representation of past life in the fossil record due to factors like incomplete fossilization, erosion, and the rarity of preservation.

This law states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layers are found at the bottom, while the youngest layers are at the top.

Index fossils are fossils of organisms that existed for a relatively short period but were geographically widespread. They are used to identify and correlate rock layers of similar age.

It involves examining the radioactive decay of certain elements within a fossil or rock to determine its age.

The process by which Earth's outermost layer (the lithosphere) is divided into plates that move and interact with each other.

It is the gradual disappearance of species over long periods due to natural factors like competition, predation, or climate change.

It is a significant and rapid loss of biodiversity, often resulting in a large number of species going extinct within a relatively short period.

It is considered the missing link between dinosaurs and birds, having features of both, and is a key piece of evidence for bird evolution.

Proposes that eukaryotic cells evolved from a symbiotic relationship between different prokaryotic cells.

He was an English naturalist who developed the theory of natural selection, which explains how organisms evolve over time.

These are structures with similar underlying anatomy but different functions, suggesting a common ancestry.

These are structures with similar functions but different underlying anatomy, indicating convergent evolution.

They are structures that have lost their function over time but still exist in organisms. Example: appendix in humans.

Structures with similar underlying anatomy but different functions, suggesting a common ancestry.

Structures with similar functions but different underlying anatomy, indicating convergent evolution.

Structures that have lost their function over time but still exist in organisms. Example: appendix in humans.

The environmental requirements for natural selection are: 1. Variation in traits: Individuals within a population have different characteristics. 2. Inheritance: Traits can be passed down from parents to offspring. 3. Differential survival and reproduction: Individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.