Biological and Fossil Evidence for Evolution

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What is a vestigial structure?

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A vestigial structure is a body part that has lost its original function through the course of evolution, such as a whale's pelvis.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

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What are trace fossils?

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Trace fossils are preserved evidence of the activity of an organism, such as footprints, burrows, or feces.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

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Define evolution.

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Evolution is the change over time in populations of related organisms, driven by processes such as natural selection and genetic drift.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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What is the significance of index fossils?

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Index fossils are used to determine the age of rock layers and help correlate the age of different geological formations.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

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What is a homologous structure?

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A homologous structure is an anatomical feature that is similar in different species due to shared ancestry, such as a bird's wing and a human forearm.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

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What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

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Homologous structures arise from a common ancestor, while analogous structures serve similar functions but do not share a common evolutionary origin.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

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What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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What is a fossil record?

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The fossil record is the collection of all known fossils and their placement in the geological time scale, providing evidence for the history of life on Earth.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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What is the role of mutations in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in DNA that can lead to new traits in organisms, providing the raw material for evolution.

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NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Front

What is adaptive radiation?

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Adaptive radiation is the process by which a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into a wide variety of forms to adapt to different environments.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4