variation & evolution

Cards (23)

  • What can lead to huge variation between individuals?
    Differences in genes and environment
  • What is the process called that can lead to the evolution of new species?
    Natural selection
  • What term describes the observable characteristics of an individual?
    Phenotype
  • What do genes code for?
    Proteins
  • What two factors determine an individual's phenotype?
    Genes and environment
  • What is a genome?
    All of an individual's genes combined
  • Who has a unique genome apart from identical twins?
    Everyone in the world
  • What influences most of our traits?
    Multiple genes and environmental factors
  • How can identical twins differ in height?
    Due to differences in diet and sleep
  • What causes genetic variation?
    Mutations
  • What is a mutation?
    A change in the DNA code
  • What happens to most mutations?
    They don't affect the phenotype
  • What can beneficial mutations do?
    Make individuals more resistant to diseases
  • What did Charles Darwin notice about certain traits?
    They were passed on from parent to child
  • What term did Darwin use to describe the survival of the fittest?
    Natural selection
  • What does evolution describe according to Darwin?
    Inheritance of characteristics over generations
  • What does the theory of evolution imply about all living species?
    They evolved from simple life forms
  • How long ago did simple life forms first develop?
    More than 3 billion years ago
  • What occurs through natural selection over time?
    Genetic changes leading to better-suited phenotypes
  • What evidence supports Darwin's theory of evolution?
    Development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
  • What happens when two populations become so different?
    They can no longer interbreed
  • What signifies the formation of a new species?
    Inability to produce fertile offspring
  • What is the summary of evolution through natural selection?
    • Evolution occurs through natural selection
    • Genetic changes give rise to advantageous phenotypes
    • Over time, populations may diverge significantly
    • New species can form when interbreeding is no longer possible