Genetics
What is the process by which a single cell divides into two identical single daughter cells?
Mitosis
What's another word for a specific form of a gene?
Allele
What process describes organisms with better traits surviving and reproducing more?
Natural selection
What is artificial selection?
Humans choosing which organisms reproduce based on desired traits.
What are fossils?
Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.
What is a trait that increases an organism's chance of survival and reproduction in its environment called?
An adaptation
What's the difference between your genotype and phenotype?
Genotype is your gene combination; phenotype is how those genes show up (your traits)
What is genetic drift?
Random changes in gene frequencies within a population
Give an example of artificial selection in agriculture.
Breeding cows for more milk, growing bigger tomatoes, etc.
This law states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layers are on the bottom and the youngest on top.
The law of superposition
How many chromosomes are in a human body cell after mitosis?
46
What tool helps predict the probability of traits in offspring?
Punnett Square
What is a mutation?
A change in an organism's DNA.
What is cloning?
Making a genetically identical copy of an organism.
This process, often involving minerals replacing the original metrical, turns the remains of ancient organisms into fossils.
Fossilization
Give an example of an adaptation that helps a plant survive in a desert environment.
Deep roots, thick stems, spines, waxy leaves, etc
If you have two identical alleles for a trait, are you homozygous or heterozygous?
Homozygous
Give an example of a physical adaptation helping an animal survive.
Camouflage, claws, sharp teeth, etc.
What is one benefit of genetically modified foods?
Increased crops yield, pest resistance, improved nutrition. (Accept reasonable answers).
How can fossils help determine a rock layer's age?
By identifying the fossils within the layer and comparing them to known fossil ages.
Explain how the process of natural selection can lead to the extinction of a species.
If a species lacks adaptations to cope with changes in its environment, individuals won't survive and reproduce, leading to a decline in population size until extinction.
If one allele masks another, which one is dominant?
The dominant allele
How can animals moving to a new area change the genes of a population?
Migration introduces or removes genes, changing genetic diversity.
What are some concerns about genetically modifying organisms?
Potential unforeseen consequences, safety for consumers, fairness of access. (Accept reasonable answers).
How do fossils support the idea of evolution?
Fossils show changes in life forms over millions of years.