adaptations + inheritance

• variation: a change or difference between organism

  • how something behaves
  • how something looks
• variation caused by genetics (DNA): something inherited from parents
• variation caused by environment: something after birth
• adaptation: a characteristic or behaviour that living organism have that makes them more likely to survive in a particular habitat
• horns, sharp claws or spikes (adaptation)

  • this means that so predators cant eat them OR defend themselves
• fins and tails (adaptation)

  • this means that it helps it swim
  • this means that it can catch prey OR avoid predators
• thick fur (adaptation)

  • this means that it stays insulated and so it stays warm
• large ears (adaptation)

  • this means they can hear predators or prey
  • this means that they can increase surface area to lose heat
• colour and camouflage (adaptation)

  • this mean that it can hide and avoid being eaten by predators
• gene: section of DNA, codes for characteristics
• allele: a different version of a gene
• mutations:

  • small changes in DNA
  • most are small
  • it is natural
  • it is random
  • most do not have an effect
  • some are harmful
• natural selection: a process that leads to evolution
• mutation -> variation -> adaptation -> survival -> reproduction -> pass mutation on