Theories of Evolution

Law, Theory, and

Hypothesis
 Scientific Law
 statement of fact meant to explain, in concise
terms, an action or set of actions
 generally accepted to be true and universal
 Scientific Theory
 Broad statement of what is believed to be true
 supported by considerable experimental
evidence
 Hypothesis
 Educated statement based upon observation
 Rational explanation of a single event or
phenomenon based upon what is observed, but
has not been proved
 Theory of Evolution
 Orderly succession
of changes
 Change of
populations of
organisms over
time
 As an agent of
Natural Selection
Those organisms
best suited to
environment will
reproduce more
 Scientists of Evolution
 Charles Darwin
 One of three scientists to hypothesis
species evolve
 Alfred Wallace
 Jean Baptiste de Lamarck
 Proposed change was due to Natural
Selection
 Survival of the Fittest
 Collection of Darwin’s
Data
Collected fossils of marine
organisms found 14,100ft about
sea level
Recorded observations about
community and ecosystem
changes
Began relating ecosystem
changes/variables to adaptations
made by organisms
 Analysis of Darwin’s Data
Use of Scientific Method to draw conclusions
 Problem  Thousands of
 Hypothesis specimens collected
from many different
 Experiment
areas
 Observation  Noted similar structures
 Analysis between organisms
living in different
 Conclusion
geographic locations
 Review & Retest  Noted similar species
with slightly different
structures