Common Ancestry and Diversity

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts of common ancestry and diversity from Unit 8.

Age of the Earth

Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old based on radioactive elements.

Homologous Structures

Structures in different species derived from a common ancestor, often showing similar bone structures but serving different functions.

Analogous Structures

Body parts that perform similar functions but do not have a similar structure, e.g., wings of insects and birds.

Vestigial Structures

Structures that are no longer useful for an organism, such as the hipbones of bottlenose dolphins.

Embryological Development

Similar growth patterns of cells in the same order across various vertebrates, indicating common ancestry.

Cladogram

A branching diagram that illustrates evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Derived Character

A trait that evolved in the most recent common ancestor of a group.

Photosynthesis

The process requiring oxygen and performed by organisms like cyanobacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus; the first life forms on Earth were prokaryotic.

Earth's Early Atmosphere

Characterized by little or no oxygen, primarily composed of carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen.