Evidence Of Evolution

Question 1

Fossil record

Answer 1

Fossils found in young layers of rock are much more similar to species alive today than fossils found in deeper, older layers of rock.
-fossils appear in chronological order
-not all organisms appear in the fossil record at the same time, this reinforces the idea of organisms evolving from ancestral organisms

Question 2

Transitional fossils

Answer 2

Fossils that show intermediary links between groups of organisms

Question 3

Biogeography

Answer 3

Study of the past and present geographical distribution of organisms
-geographically close environments are likely to be populated by related species
-animals found on islands closely resemble animals found on the closest continent
-fossils of same species can be found on the coastline of neighbouring continents
- closely related species are almost never found exactly in the same location or habitat

Question 4

Anatomy

Answer 4

Study of the structure of organisms and their parts

Question 5

Homologous structures

Answer 5

Those that have similar structural elements but may have a different function

Eg. forelimbs of humans, frogs, bats, and dolphins

Question 6

Analogous structure

Answer 6

Those that perfrom similar functions bust have different ancestors

Eg. wing of a bird and wing of a butterfly

Question 7

Which structures of organisms are most closely related

Answer 7

Organisms with homologous structures are more closely related than those with analogous structures.

Question 8

Molecular biology

Answer 8

If two species have similar patterns in portions of their DNA this similarity indicates that these portions of their DNA were most likely inherited from a common ancestor