Fossils Flashcards – AQA GCSE Biology - Foundation (8461)

What does an evolutionary tree represent?

Lineages and their branching relationships.

What does a branch point on an evolutionary tree represent?

A common ancestor from which lineages diverged.

How does the timing of a common ancestor indicate how closely related organisms are?

Organisms sharing a more recent common ancestor are more closely related.

Does an evolutionary tree imply that one living organism is the ancestor of another living organism?

No. Its arrangement does not imply that one living organism is the ancestor of another.

What features help identify what is being compared in evolutionary charts, graphs and tables?

Headings, axes, units and keys.

How can values and patterns in evolutionary charts, graphs and tables be used?

They can be extracted to compare organisms or changes over time.

When can an evolutionary tree or graph support conclusions about timing?

Only when a time scale is provided.

What is a fossil?

The preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past.

What do fossils in rocks of different ages reveal?

Which organisms lived at different times.

What do comparisons of fossils with one another and with living organisms show about life over time?

Life has changed over time.

What can similarities between fossils and living organisms indicate about ancestry?

They are consistent with common ancestry.

What are two reasons the fossil record is incomplete?

Fossilisation occurs only in particular conditions, and geological processes can destroy fossils.

Which widely accepted theory do fossils support alongside other evidence?

The theory of evolution by natural selection.