TR.VOCAB.4A
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Word
1. absolute dating
Definition
The process of determining a specific date/age of
a fossil using radioactive materials
Root
2. adaptation
Inherited characteristic that increases an
organism’s survival
adaptare=to fit to
3. analogous
structure
Parts of animals that have the same function, but
different structure, ex. the wings of a bee and
hummingbird
analogos=
proportionate
4. ancestor
Relative from which you descended
antecessor=
predecessor
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Visual/Mnemonic Related Words
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5. artificial
selection
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
When a human selects which organisms breed in artes=something
order to develop desired traits, ex. improved
made
milk production in cows or disease resistant
strains of plants
6. coevolution
Process by which two species evolve in response
to changes in each other and evolve to fit together
better
co=with, together
7. convergent
evolution
When distantly related organisms live in similar
environments and independently start to develop
similar (analogous) structures, ex. the dolphin
and shark, have similar fins
convergere=together
8. Darwin
Developed the theory of natural selection which
says that the most fit organisms are more likely
to survive and reproduce
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9. embryo
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Organism in its early stages of development,
similar embryos indicate a common ancestor
10. eukaryote
Organism that is made up of cells that contains a
nuclei
11. evolution
genetic changes in a species over time; slow
process of change from one form to another
2009
eu=true
kary=cell nucleus
evolvere=change
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12. evolutionary
tree
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Family or phylogenetic tree which represents
organisms who share a common ancestor and
shows evolutionary relationships
13. extinction
Disappearance of a species
ex=out, away
14. fossil
Preserved remains or evidence of an ancient
organism
fossilis=dug up
15. Galapagos
Islands
Where Darwin studied bird populations and
developed his theory of natural selection
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16. gene pool
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Combined genetic information of all members of
a particular population
17. genetic
recombination
The process by which a strand of DNA is broken
and then joined to a different DNA molecule
(crossing over)
18. half-life
Length of time required for half of the
radioactive atoms in a sample to decay, how
scientists absolutely measure the age of a fossil
19. hierarchy of
classification
Way to organize all living things using the
following taxonomic categories in order:
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus,
Species
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re=again,
combine=mix
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20. homologous
structure
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Limbs that function differently and look
homo=same
differently on the outside yet have similar internal
bone structure, indicates a common ancestor
21. Lamarck
Said that organisms evolve in one generation by
“will” and these changes are passed on to
offspring, ex. giraffes stretched their necks to
reach food and then their babies were born with
long necks
22. natural
selection
Process by which individuals better suited to
their environment survive and reproduce most
successfully; also called survival of the fittest
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23. primate
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
A mammal of the order Primates and includes
primus=first
humans, monkeys, apes, lemurs
24. prokaryote
Unicellular organism lacking a nucleus
25. radioactive
dating
Technique in which scientists calculate the age
of a sample based on the amount of remaining
radioactive material it contains
2009
pro=before
kary=cell nucleus
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26. relative dating
EVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART
Method of determining the age of a fossil by
comparing its placement with that of fossils in
other layers of rock
27. transitional
forms
In-between species that link old versions of a
species to new, indicates a common ancestor
28. variation
differences that exist between individuals of the
same species
vary=different
29. vestigial
structure
Structures in an organism that are no longer used;
evidence of a common ancestor; ex- human
appendix, whale pelvis
vestigium=
footprint
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