test 1 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What are key vocabulary terms related to the Nature & Limits of Science?
- Science
- Hypothesis
- Theory
- Law
- Creationism
- Methodological atheism
What does the Theory of Evolution (TOE) state?
It explains the mechanisms of biological evolution.
Name two historic figures influential to Darwin’s theory.
- Aristotle
- Lamarck
What is natural selection?
A mechanism of evolution where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.
What type of evidence supports biological evolution?
- Fossil record
- Living organisms
- DNA comparisons
- Embryonic development
What is a transition fossil?
Fossils that show intermediate forms between different species.
What are the assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
- No mutations
- Random mating
- No natural selection
- Extremely large population size
- No gene flow
What is microevolution?
Small-scale evolution, such as changes in allele frequencies within a population.
Define ‘species’ in biological terms.
A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
What are prezygotic barriers to reproduction?
Barriers that occur before fertilization, preventing mating or fertilization.
What is the significance of the Cambrian Explosion?
It marks a period of rapid diversification of life forms.
What is the Law of Superposition?
In sedimentary rock layers, older layers are found below younger layers.
What is the Urey-Miller experiment known for?
Demonstrating that organic compounds could be formed from inorganic precursors under conditions thought to resemble those of early Earth.
Fill in the blank: The ultimate source of new alleles is _______.
mutation
What is the Founder Effect?
A phenomenon where a small group from a larger population establishes a new population, leading to reduced genetic diversity.
What are vestigial structures?
Anatomical features that have lost most or all of their original function through evolution.
True or False: The Theory of Evolution contradicts religious beliefs.
False
What is a clade in phylogenetics?
A group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all its descendants.
What is meant by homologous structures?
Structures that are similar due to shared ancestry.
What is the significance of sexual selection?
It drives the evolution of traits based on mate choice.
What does ‘phylogeny’ refer to?
The evolutionary history and relationships among a species or group of species.
What is a phylogenetic tree?
A branching diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among various biological species.
Fill in the blank: The first multicellular organisms appeared around _______ years ago.
1.0 billion
What is the significance of the outgroup in a phylogenetic analysis?
It serves as a reference group to help determine the evolutionary relationships of the ingroup.
