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Chapter 6
Adaptations over time
15
Science
7th Grade
01/10/2008

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Term
adaptation
Definition
Any variation that makes an organism better suited to its environment.
Term
embryology
Definition
The study of embryos and their development.
Term
evolution
Definition
Change in inherited characteristics over time.
Term
gradualism
Definition
Model describing evolution as a slow proces by which one species changes into a new species through a continuing series of mutations and variations over time.
Term
homonid
Definition
humanlike primate that appeared 4 to 6 million years ago, ate both plants and animals, and walked upright on two legs.
Term
homo sapiens
Definition
Early humans that likely evolved from Cro-Magnons.
Term
homologous
Definition
body structures that are similar in structure and origin and can be similar in function.
Term

natural selection

Definition
A process by which organisms with traits best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Term
primate
Definition
Group of mammals including humans, monkeys, and apes that share characteristics such as opposable thumbs, binocular vision, and flexible shoulders.
Term
punctuated equilibrium
Definition
model describing the rapid evolution that occurs when mutation of a few genes results in a species suddenly changing into a new species.
Term
radioactive element
Definition

Element that gives off a steady amount of radiation as it slowlwy changes to a nonradioactive element.

Term
sedimentary rock
Definition
A type of rock, such as limestone, that is most likely to contain fossils and is formed when layers of sand, silt, clay, or mud are cemented and compacted together or when minerals are depositedfrom a solution.
Term
species
Definition
Group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can reproduce among themselves.
Term
variation
Definition

Inherited trait that makes an individual different from other members of the same species and results from a mutation in the organism's genes.

Term
vestigial structure
Definition
Structure, such as the human appendix, that doesn't seem to have a function and may once have functioned in the body of an ancestor.
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