Evidence for Evolution (Fossils and Antibiotic Resistance) Flashcards

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What is a fossil?

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a dead organism that lived a long time ago, usually found in rocks.

Describe how a fossil of an animal's bone can form.

When the animal dies, its body may be quickly buried by sediment, such as mud. The soft parts decay, but the bone is replaced by minerals over time, turning it into rock.

What is meant by the "fossil record"?

The fossil record is the collection of all known fossils, arranged in order of age, that shows how life has changed on Earth.

How does the fossil record give evidence that species have changed over time?

Older rocks contain fossils of simpler organisms, and younger rocks contain fossils more like modern species. This pattern shows gradual change in species over millions of years.

What do fossils show us about extinct species?

Fossils show that many species that once lived on Earth no longer exist today, so they must have become extinct.

Give some reasons why the fossil record is incomplete.

Many organisms had soft bodies that did not fossilise well. Some fossils have been destroyed by rock movement, and many fossils are still buried and not yet found.

What is an antibiotic?

An antibiotic is a medicine that kills bacteria or stops them growing, and is used to treat bacterial infections.

What is meant by "antibiotic resistance" in bacteria?

Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria are no longer killed by an antibiotic that used to destroy them, so the drug no longer works well.

Describe how a population of bacteria can become resistant to an antibiotic.

Random mutations can make some bacteria less affected by an antibiotic. When the antibiotic is used, most non-resistant bacteria die, but resistant ones survive and reproduce, so the resistant type becomes common.

Why does antibiotic resistance in bacteria provide evidence for evolution by natural selection?

We can see bacteria populations change over a short time. Resistant bacteria survive, pass on their resistance, and the whole population becomes better adapted, which is evolution by natural selection.