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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
2009 188 Biology Reteaching Resource
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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
2009 189 Biology Reteaching Resource
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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
2009 190 Biology Reteaching Resource
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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
2009 191 Biology Reteaching Resource
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23. primateA mammal of the order Primates and includes humans, monkeys, apes, lemursprimus=first
24. prokaryoteUnicellular organism lacking a nucleus
pro=beforekary=cell nucleus
2009 192 Biology Reteaching Resource
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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
2009 193 Biology Reteaching Resource
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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
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2009 195 Biology Reteaching Resource