Fossil Evidence of Evolution
It is made up of all the fossils ever discovered on Earth and documents the existence, diversity, extinction, and changes of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth.
What is embryology?
the science of the development of embryos from fertilization to birth.
what are 5 ways a fossil can form?
mineralization, carbonization, molds and casts, trace fossils, and original material.
what do scientists look for in DNA sequences to compare how closely related two species area?
The more closely related two species are, the more similar their DNA and ancestors are.
what do transitional fossils represent?
adaptations
what four topics have scientists studied to understand the relatedness among living and extinct species?
Fossils, comparative anatomy, embryology, and molecular biology.
what is a transitional fossil?
what is comparative anatomy?
the study of similarities and differences among structures of living and fossil species.
contrast relative-age dating and absolute-age dating.
Relative age dating: scientists determine the order in which rock layers / fossils were deposited. helps scientists determine the relative order in which species have appeared on Earth over time. Absolute age dating: more precise, tells the exact age of a fossil / rock (in years), scientists use radio-active decay (where unstable isotopes change into stable isotopes over time)
what are homologous, analogous, and vestigial structures?
homologous: body parts or structures that were inherited by two or more species from a common ancestor. analogous: body parts that perform a similar function but differ in structure (different ancestor). vestigial: body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.