Adaptions

Adaptation is a genetic trait that make organisms more likely to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Click on this link to play a fun and quick game about animal adaptations! 

http://www.ecokids.ca/PUB/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm

Variations

Within the same species, individual organisms can look very different. When two individuals from the same species reproduce, the offspring is always different in appearance from the two parent individuals.Not even ‘identical’ twins are exactly alike.

Diversity

Species diversity is the variety of species in a given region or area. The degree of species diversity in any area can be determined by counting the number of species present in any area. Species diversity is important in that it prevents inbreeding.

Extinction

Extinction is the end of an organism or a group of orgainisms, also know as a precies. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species.

Here's a fun little game to further your knowlegde on extinction!

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/endangered_animals/endangered_game.htm

relative dating and radioactive dating.

  • With relative dating, scientists rely on stratigraphy to determine the age of a discovery. Stratigraphy says lower layers of earth are older than the ones above them

  • Relative dating allows scientists to fit a discovery into the larger chronology of the Earth. For example, a fossil may be determined to be more recent than another discovery based on this method of dating.
  • Radioactive elements change over time. For example, uranium sheds atoms on a set schedule until it changes into a different element.
  • With radioactive dating, which is also referred to as absolute dating, scientists can determine a more specific age for the discovery.
  • Researchers trust radioactive dating for two reasons. First, the half-life of radioactive elements is well-established and recorded. Second, the half-life of these elements does not change because of environmental effects.