Natural Selection Vocab Flashcards
(20 cards)
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that is present in all living cells and determines what the thing needs to live.
Nucleotide
A subunit that consists of sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base.
Chargaff’s Rules
Person who found out that the amount of adenine in DNA always equals the thymine.
Watson And Crick
People who concluded that DNA looks like a twisted ladder.
Rosalind Franklin
Person who used X-ray diffraction to make images 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 as that new species sometimes arise.
Fossils
The remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes.
Fossil Record
A historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layers of the Earth’s crust.
Charles Darwin
Person who discovered several series of finches, leading to his theory of natural selection.
Trait
A genetically determined characteristic.
Selective Breeding
The human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired characteristics.
Natural Selection
The process by which stronger and more adapted species will survive and weaker ones will not.
Generation Time
The period between the birth of one generation and the next.
Speciation
The formation of new species as the result of evolution.
Primates
A type of mammal characterized by having opposable thumbs and binocular vision.
Hominid
A type of primate characterized by bipedalism, long lowe limbs, and lack of a tail.
Homo Sapiens
The closest species to humans that appeared around 100,000 to 150,000 years ago.
