Biology: Genetics Unit Vocabulary · Web viewWord. Definition. Root. Visual/Mnemonic Related Words. 1. absolute dating. The process of determining a specific date/age of a fossil

TR.VOCAB.4AEVOLUTION UNIT VOCABULARY CHART

WordDefinitionRootVisual/Mnemonic Related Words1. absolute datingThe process of determining a specific date/age of a fossil using radioactive materials

2. adaptationInherited characteristic that increases an organism’s survival

adaptare=to fit to

3. analogous structure2009 183 Biology Reteaching Resource


Parts of animals that have the same function, but different structure, ex. the wings of a bee and hummingbirdanalogos= proportionate

4. ancestorRelative from which you descended

antecessor=predecessor

5. artificial selectionWhen a human selects which organisms breed in order to develop desired traits, ex. improved milk production in cows or disease resistant strains of plants

artes=something made

2009 184 Biology Reteaching Resource


6. coevolutionProcess by which two species evolve in response to changes in each other and evolve to fit together better co=with, together

7. convergent evolutionWhen distantly related organisms live in similar environments and independently start to develop similar (analogous) structures, ex. the dolphin and shark, have similar finsconvergere=together

8. DarwinDeveloped the theory of natural selection which says that the most fit organisms are more likely to survive and reproduce



9. embryoOrganism in its early stages of development, similar embryos indicate a common ancestor

10. eukaryoteOrganism that is made up of cells that contains a nuclei

eu=truekary=cell nucleus



11. evolutiongenetic changes in a species over time; slow process of change from one form to another

evolvere=change

12. evolutionary treeFamily or phylogenetic tree which represents organisms who share a common ancestor and shows evolutionary relationships

13. extinction2009 187 Biology Reteaching Resource


Disappearance of a species

ex=out, away

14. fossilPreserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism

fossilis=dug up

15. Galapagos IslandsWhere Darwin studied bird populations and developed his theory of natural selection



16. gene poolCombined genetic information of all members of a particular population

17. genetic recombinationThe process by which a strand of DNA is broken and then joined to a different DNA molecule (crossing over)

re=again,combine=mix



18. half-lifeLength 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 classificationWay to organize all living things using the following taxonomic categories in order: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species



20. homologous structureLimbs that function differently and look differently on the outside yet have similar internal bone structure, indicates a common ancestor homo=same

21. LamarckSaid 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 selectionProcess by which individuals better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest



23. primateA mammal of the order Primates and includes humans, monkeys, apes, lemursprimus=first

24. prokaryoteUnicellular organism lacking a nucleus

pro=beforekary=cell nucleus



25. radioactive datingTechnique in which scientists calculate the age of a sample based on the amount of remaining radioactive material it contains

26. relative datingMethod of determining the age of a fossil by comparing its placement with that of fossils in other layers of rock



27. transitional formsIn-between species that link old versions of a species to new, indicates a common ancestor

28. variationdifferences that exist between individuals of the same speciesvary=different

29. vestigial structureStructures in an organism that are no longer used; evidence of a common ancestor; ex- human appendix, whale pelvisvestigium=footprint




Documents

Biology: Genetics Unit Vocabulary · Web viewWord. Definition. Root. Visual/Mnemonic Related Words. 1. absolute dating. The process of determining a specific date/age of a fossil