Cells and Heredity: Chapter Five
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Created by:
lopsided98 on April 9, 2012
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21 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Species | A group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce fertile offspring. |
| Adaptation | A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce. |
| Evolution | The process of organisms gradually changing and becoming better adapted to their living conditions. |
| Scientific theory | A well-tested concept explaining a wide variety of observations. |
| Natural selection | Process of individuals becoming more likely to survive and reproduce in their environment because of adaptations. |
| Variation | Any difference between individuals in the same species. |
| Fossil | A piece of a dead organism buried in sedimentary rock. |
| Sedimentary rock | Layers of rock and soil. |
| Petrified fossil | A fossil formed when minerals replace the organism in the fossil. |
| Mold | Type of fossil formed when a hard part of the organism dissolves, creating an empty space. |
| Cast | Type of fossil formed when a mold is filled with minerals that then harden. |
| Relative dating | Technique determining the older of 2 fossils. |
| Absolute dating | Technique determining the exact age of a fossil. |
| Radioactive element | Unstable particle that breaks down into a different element. |
| Half-life | Time it takes for the atoms in a radioactive element to break down. |
| Fossil record | Millions of fossils that scientists have collected. |
| Extinct | No members of the species are alive. |
| Gradualism | Theory that evolution happens slowly over time. |
| Punctuated equilibria | Theory that evolution happens in rapid changes over short periods of time. |
| Homologous structure | Similar body structures from related species essentially stemming from common ancestors. |
| Branching tree | A tree that tracks how closely related different organisms are. |
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