Inquiry into Life
Inquiry into Life
15th Edition
ISBN: 9781259426162
Author: Sylvia S. Mader Dr., Michael Windelspecht
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
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Chapter 32, Problem S27.6BYB
Summary Introduction

To justify:

How fossil records are helpful in evolution and how the phylogenic trees help in finding out the relationship between the organism?

Introduction:

Fossils give information about the evolution, the lifestyle, and the diet that the animal had. They can be obtained by digging. The information is obtained through remains, impressions or traces of animals.

Through these remains, we can even identify the age of the animals and the time when they were alive, etc. From fossils, the remains of bones, shells, exoskeletons, hair, petrified wood, oil, coal and DNA are obtained. The study of fossils is known as Paleontology and scientists who study is known as Paleontologist.

The phylogenetic tree can be defined as the evolutionary tree, which is made up of branching diagrams. It shows the relationship between the organisms.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Explanation of Solution

Fossils provide a snapshot of the past as they help to study the animal structure and their behavior millions of years ago. They give us a clear picture of, how life evolved at that time? and what are the changes that life undergoes?

Many fossils records are unnoticed, and they were considered to be wrong before analysis. Fossils also give us the information about the growth patterns, the food they might have consumed and the kind of food they ate. The shape of teeth was determined by investigating any bite marks on any of the rocks. Because of the fossils and radiocarbon dating, the age of the animals can also be determined.

The phylogenetic trees show the evolutionary relationship between two or more organisms. The phylogenetic trees are very helpful in finding out the recent common ancestor and the period of the evolution of the organism.

Conclusion

Thus, fossil records help us to study the ancient history and evolution.

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Fossils & Evidence For Evolution | Evolution | Biology | FuseSchool; Author: FuseSchool - Global Education;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYr3sYS9e0w;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY
Dig In To Paleontology; Author: SciShow Kids;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FjyKmpmQzc;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY