Natural Selection Flashcards
DNA
a molecule that is present in all living cells and that contains the information that determines the traits that a living thing inherits and needs to live
Nucleotide
In a nucleic-acid chain, a subunit that consists of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base
Chargaff’s Rules
Erwin Chargaff found the amount of adenine in DNA always equals the amount of thymine, the amount of guanine always equals the amount of cytosine
Watson and Crick
they concluded that DNA must look like a long twisted ladder, They were then able to build a model of DNA by using simple materials from their lab
Rosalind Franklin
She used X-ray diffraction to make images of DNA that helped reveal the structure of DNA
Mutations
a change in the nucleotide-base sequence of a gene or DNA molecule
Adaption
a characteristic that improves an individual’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment
Species
a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
Evolution
the process in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise
Fossils
the remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geological process
Fossil Record
a historical sequence of life indicated be fossils found in layers of the Earth’s crust
Charles Darwin
he found out that animals and plants in different countries or islands don’t look the same
Trait
a genetically determined characteristic
Selective breeding
the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired characteristics
natural selection
the process when individuals are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce better than less well adapted individuals do
