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Unit 1
Evolution
Term | Definition |
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cell | The smallest unit that can perform all life processes; cells are covered by a membrane and contain DNA and cytoplasm |
stimulus | Anything that causes a reaction or change in an organism or any part of an organism |
homeostasis | The maintenance of a constant internal state in a changing environment |
DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that is present in all living cells and that contains the information that determines the traits a living thing inherits and needs to live |
sexual reproduction | Reproduction in which the sex cells from 2 parents unite to produce offspring that share traits from both parents |
asexual reproduction | Reproduction that does not involve the union of sex cells and in which one parent produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent |
theory of evolution | The process by which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations - this leads to the rise of new species |
selective breeding | The human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired traits; also called artificial selection |
natural selection | The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than less well-adapted individuals |
variation | The occurrence of hereditary or non-hereditary differences between different individuals of a population |
mutation | A change in the nucleotide base sequence of a gene or DNA molecule |
adaptation | A characteristic that improves an individual’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment |
extinction | The death of every member of a species |
fossil | The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock |
fossil record | The history of life in the geologic past as indicated by the traces or remains of living things |