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Evidence for Evolution Activity (1)

The document discusses evidence for evolution, focusing on three main categories: the fossil record, homologous structures, and DNA/biochemical comparisons. It provides resources and questions for deeper exploration of these topics, including the significance of transitional features and vestigial structures. Additionally, it highlights the genetic similarities among humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship.

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12 views

Evidence for Evolution Activity (1)

The document discusses evidence for evolution, focusing on three main categories: the fossil record, homologous structures, and DNA/biochemical comparisons. It provides resources and questions for deeper exploration of these topics, including the significance of transitional features and vestigial structures. Additionally, it highlights the genetic similarities among humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship.

Uploaded by

sweinman27
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Evidence for Evolution

Evolution is often a gradual, even slow, process. So how do we know it has happened? Scientists have
abundant evidence to support evolutionary theory, which can be categorized into three major lines: the
fossil record, homologous structures, and DNA/biochemical comparison. Today you will delve a bit
deeper into examples of this evidence.

CLICKABLE LINKS FOR ALL OF THESE SECTIONS CAN BE FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE
SCHOOLOGY COURSE PAGE UNDER TODAY’S SECTION.

Evidence Part 1: The fossil record


To investigate the fossil record, you will utilize a few different resources. To begin, visit LINK 1 and
read the text to answer the following questions.
(http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/lines_02 )

1. What did Nicholas Steno notice in the 17th century?

2. What else can fossils tell us about the past? List 2 examples of information we can learn from fossils.

Click "Next: Transitional features" at the bottom right.


3. What are transitional features?

4. a. What is special about the three fossils shown of the gray whale and its ancestors?

b. What have scientists learned about the evolution of horses through transitional features?
Next go to LINK 2 (Video on Whale Evolution) and watch the 7 minute video on the evolution of whales.
Answer the questions below.
5. How are whales like humans?

6. How do whales differ from humans?

7. What could paleontologists see initially in the fossil they found and how did they determine it was a
whale fossil?

8. What did they name this organism? _______________________________________________

9. What are whale flippers similar to?

10. Where is the “valley of whales”? __________________________________________________

11. When did basilosaurus live? ______________________________________________________


Evidence Part 2: Homologous Structures
Go to LINK 3 and read about homologous structures.
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/lines_04
1. What is a homology?

2. Explain the homologous structures found in plants.

Click next and read about the tetrapod skeleton.


3. Consider the basic structure of vertebrate limbs. Which bones do they all have in common? Sketch
the basic structure of the tetrapod limb and label the major bones.

Click next to read about vestigial structures, a unique type of homologous structure.
4. What is a vestigial structure? Define and list a few examples from this site.

5. Do a Google search on vestigial structures and list a few more examples (try to find a few found in
humans and describe them).
Evidence Part 3: DNA Comparison

1. Read the information in “Read This!” and consider the table above.

a. To which organism, B, C, or D, is organism A most closely related to? Explain your answer.

b. Which pair of organisms in the table is least closely related? Explain your answer.

c. Which pair of organisms most likely shares a recent common ancestor? Explain your answer.

Go to LINK 4 and read about DNA evidence for evolution.


http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics

2. Give examples from the article to explain why scientists believe humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos
are more closely related to each other than any are to gorillas.
3. Based upon DNA evidence, when do scientists believe humans and chimpanzees diverged from a
common ancestor?

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