Natural Selection Flashcards
what is adaption
A characteristic that improves an individual’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment
what are Species
a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
What are Homo sapiens?
the species of hominids that includes modern humans and their closest ancestor and that first appeared about 100,000 to 150,000 years ago
What is Generation time
the period between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation
What is Relative Dating
any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects
What is Selective Breeding
the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired characteristics
What is the Geologic Time Scale
the standard method used to divide the earth’s long natural history into manageable parts
What is a Fossil
the remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes
What is Plate Tectonics
the theory that explains how large pieces of the earth’s outermost layer, called tectonic plates, move and change shapes
What is a Trait
a genetically determined characteristic
What is a Hominid
a type of primate characterized by bipedalism, relatively long lower limbs, and lack of a tail; example include humans and their ancetors
What is an Evolution
the process in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise
What is a primate
a type of mammal characterized by opposing thumbs and binocular vision
What is Absolute Dating
any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years
What is a Natural Selection
the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment.
