New classification system

Question 1

what is molecular phylogeny

Answer 1

using the sequence of RNA or DNA bases, sequence of amino acids in a protein or other information about molecular structures to analyse evolutionary relationships and group organisms together based on shared features

Question 2

what is a phylogenetic tree

Answer 2

a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationship between organisms based on molecular differences. they show where species shared and branched off from common ancestors

Question 3

what is the three domain system of classification

Answer 3

Archaea
Prokaryotes (bacteria)
Eukaryotes

Question 4

how was the three domain system created (Carl Woese)

Answer 4

he sequenced the RNA of bacteria and constructed a phylogenetic tree based on molecular phylogeny

Question 5

what were the differences discovered between bacteria and methanogens

Answer 5

different RNA base sequences
methanogens had no peptidoglycans in their walls
methanogens had different membrane lipids
(this is why methanogens are in a different group called archaea)

Question 6

what is the process of critical evaluation

Answer 6

scientists communicate their research to the scientific community:
by publishing their work in scientific journals
through scientific conferences
peer review - scientists can evaluate their experimental methods and data before publication (repeating other scientists experiments to check reliability and validity)