Evolution

- Process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have

developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the
earth.

Evidence that Support Common Ancestry and Biological Evolution

- Fossil Record
- Structural and Anatomical Evidence
- Comparative Embryology
- Molecular Evidence from DNA Sequence

Fossil Record
Fossils
- preserved remains or traces of an organism that is no longer living
- preserved remains of a dead organism from millions of years ago
- commonly found in sedimentary rocks
- hard parts of the organisms like woody stem, bones or teeth

Paleontologist
- scientist who studies fossils
- identify organisms that live in different location to find out if those
organisms are related

Geologic Time Scale

 - Typically, in vertical form, from oldest in the bottom and newest in the
top.

Two Types of Fossil Dating

Relative Dating
- comparing them with rocks in the other layer
- determining the age of fossils in accordance with what rock layer it
belongs

Absolute Dating
- finding a numeric age of rocks or fossils using radiometric dating
- radioactive decay happens when unstable isotopes/ elements decompose
spontaneously

Radiometric Dating
- method of determining the age of rocks/ fossils utilizing the decay of
radioactive isotopes present in rocks/fossils
Isotopes
- atoms from the same element (same number of protons) but different
number of neutrons
 Half-life
- time taken for 50% of isotope to decay
ex. Carbon14 – 5 730 years

Comparative Anatomy
- study of the similarities and differences in the structures of different
species

Homologous Structures
- body parts of organisms that may perform different functions but are of
the same origin

Divergent Evolution
- splitting of an ancestral population into two or more sub-populations
that are geographically isolated from one another.

Analogous Structures
- body parts of organisms that may perform same function but are of
different origin
Convergent Evolution
- analogous structures of unrelated organisms from different ancestors
that developed the similar function

Embryonic Development/ Comparative Embryology

Embryo
- early stage of development in organisms
Molecular Evidence
- evidence for evolution
- supports the idea that related organisms have more similarities in their
DNA and proteins

Amino Acid Sequencing

- method used to compare proteins
- Greater similarities in amino acid sequence, the closer the relationship
of organisms.
- Organisms similar in structure and possess a similarity at the
biochemical level could probably have a common ancestor.

Theories of Evolution

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Theory of Need
- Organisms change in response to environment
Ex. According to Lamarck, the giraffes before have short necks but overtime
due to the reason they eat leaves from trees, they have grown their necks taller
so it will be more easier to eat.

Theory of Use and Disuse

- Organs not in use will disappear while organs in use will develop
Theory of Acquired Characteristics
- Acquired characteristics are believed to be inherited by their offspring
and propagated by the next generation of organisms

Charles Darwin
Theory of Natural Selection
- Individuals within a population with the most favorable traits for an
environment survive and pass on those traits