Evolution Vocabulary

What is descent with modification?

• inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

• a physical structure present in multiple species, that is similar in function

• principal that each living thing has descended, with changes, from other species over time

• study of embryos and their development

What is artificial selection?

• People, not nature, select which organisms get to reproduce (dog breeding)

• a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge

• change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information

• well tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

What is mutation?

• a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

• a belief based on insufficient evidence to produce certainty

• a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience

• change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information

What is fitness?

• group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

• ability to survive and reproduce

• study of embryos and their development

• study of the distribution of organisms around the world

What is species?

• a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

• a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge

• information obtained through one or more of the 5 senses

• well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

What is adaptation?

• the gradual change in a species over time

• ability to survive and reproduce

• inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

• a known truth based from direct observations

What is a homologous structure?

• a known truth based from direct observations

• ability to survive and reproduce

• study of embryos and their development

• a physical characteristic in different organisms that is similar because it was inherited from a common ancestor

What is population?

• group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

• a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience

• the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution

• well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

What is a theory?

• remnants of an organ or structure that functioned in an earlier ancestor

• group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

• a belief based on insufficient evidence to produce certainty

• well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

What is an example of a vestigial structure?

• human appendix and human tail bone

• horse legs and wasp legs

• human, whale, bats and cats bone structures in their forelimbs

• shark fins and dolphin flippers