Oh, the Humanity!: Evolutionary BIology - Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity - Middle School

Want to be an expert on evolution? Review these terms and learn all about the evidence of common ancestry and diversity. This list covers fossils, comparative anatomy, embryology, and much more.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. amino acid
    organic compounds containing an amino group and acid group
  2. anatomy
    the study of the structure of animals
  3. ancestry
    inherited properties shared with others of your bloodline
  4. atavism
    a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
  5. biochemical
    involving chemical processes in living organisms
  6. biodiversity
    the variety of plant and animal life in a habitat
  7. biogeography
    the study of the distribution of animals and plants
  8. comparative anatomy
    the study of anatomical features of animals of different species
  9. development
    a process in which something passes to a different stage
  10. diversity
    noticeable variety
  11. DNA
    material that carries genetic information in a cell
  12. embryo
    an animal organism in the early stages of growth
  13. evolution
    sequence of events involved in the development of a species
  14. evolutionary
    relating to the development of a species
  15. extinct
    no longer in existence
  16. extinction
    the state of being no longer in existence
  17. fossil
    the remains of a plant or animal from a past geological age
  18. fossilization
    the process by which an organism is preserved in rock
  19. gene
    part of DNA controlling physical characteristics and growth
  20. genetic
    relating to the study of heredity and variation in organisms
  21. geologic time
    the time of the physical formation and development of the earth (especially prior to human history)
  22. homologous
    having the same evolutionary origin
  23. microfossil
    a very tiny impression left by an organism from a past geological age
  24. morphology
    the study of the structure of animals and plants
  25. natural selection
    a process in which organisms evolve to adapt to environment
  26. organism
    a living thing that can act or function independently
  27. plate tectonics
    the movement or study of the movement of Earth's crust
  28. radioactive dating
    measurement of the amount of radioactive material (usually carbon 14) that an object contains; can be used to estimate the age of the object
  29. reconstruction
    an interpretation from piecing together bits of evidence
  30. sequence
    serial arrangement in which things follow in logical order
  31. speciation
    the evolution of a biological species
  32. species
    taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
  33. vestigial
    not fully developed in mature animals
Created on Mon Feb 06 15:27:28 EST 2017 (updated Tue Apr 04 10:49:38 EDT 2017)

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