Evolution

Question 1

what is the theory of evolution

Answer 1

the theory of evolution states that all species share a common ancestor and gradually change over time due to the process of natural selection.

Question 2

define evolution

Answer 2

evolution is defined as the permanent change in the frequency of alleles in a population due to natural selection

Question 3

what are the two types of evelution

Answer 3

convergent and divergent

Question 4

what is divergent evolutuon

Answer 4

A single species evolves into two or more different species through speciation.

Question 5

what is convergent evolution

Answer 5

Two or more different species are exposed to similar selection pressures.
They develop different structures to perform a similar task. These are known as analogous structures.

Question 6

what are homologous structures

Answer 6

the different species from divergent retain some characteristics of their common ancestor. These are known as homologous structures.

Question 7

what are the four pieces of evidence that supports the theory of evolution

Answer 7

Fossil record
Embryology
Comparative anatomy
DNA and protein similarities

Question 8

how does fossil records support the theory of evolution

Answer 8

Fossils are the remains or traces of organisms from a past geological age.
Fossils allowed scientists to develop an understanding of extinct species.
Through the use of carbon dating the age of fossils can be determined.

Question 9

how does embryology support the theory of evolution

Answer 9

Embryology is the study of how an embryo develops.
Vertebrates become wildly different as they age, but during the early stages of development they are quite similar.
These similarities suggest that these organisms all had a common ancestor.

Question 10

how does comparative anatomy support the theory of evolution

Answer 10

Homologous structures
- Similar structures in different
organisms
- Evidence that the organisms
diverged from a common ancestor
Vestigial structures
- Functionless structures found in
organisms, which help provide
evidence of evolution, as these
structures were once useful to the
organism
- 90% of humans have wisdom teeth
which never come through the gum
– evidence of herbivorous ancestry
- Whales still have the remnants of
hind legs which is evidence that
their ancestors walked on land

Question 11

how does DNA and protein similarities support the theory of evolution

Answer 11

Mutations cause gradual change to DNA and protein structure over time.
The more similar the DNA and protein structures, the more closely related the species are.
humans and chimps