Topic 5.1 Evidence for Evolution

Question 1

Evolution

Answer 1

Change over time. In living organisms this change refers to the heritable characteristics of a species

Question 2

Heritable Characteristics

Answer 2

Encoded for by genes and may be transferred between generations as alleles

Question 3

Biological Evolution

Answer 3

A change in the allele frequency of a population’s gene pool over successive generations

Question 4

Comparative Anatomy

Answer 4

Comparative anatomy of groups of organisms may show certain structural features that are similar, implying common ancestry

Question 5

Factors causing speciation

Answer 5

Genetic variation

Different geographical and ecological conditions

Question 6

Speciation

Answer 6

The evolutionary process by which two related populations diverge into separate species is called speciation

Question 7

Genetic divergence is caused by…

Answer 7

geographically separated species that will experience greater divergence the longer they are separated.

In addition, species will diverge to the point where they will no longer be able to interbreed even when put back in the same environment.

eg. jaguars, cheetahs, lions, tigers etc all come from a common large cat ancestor

Question 8

Radioactive Dating

Answer 8

This method involves comparing the ratio of radioactive isotopes in the fossil to that found in the atmosphere today