Why is Earth the only planet in the solar system that can support life?
A special planet: the habitable Earth What makes the Earth habitable? It is the right distance from the Sun, it is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and carbon.
What does the evolution of the Earth cause?
Earth and its atmosphere are continuously altered. Plate tectonics shift the continents, raise mountains and move the ocean floor while processes not fully understood alter the climate. Such constant change has characterized Earth since its beginning some 4.5 billion years ago.
How long has life existed on Earth?
approximately 3.5 billion years old
The oldest known fossils are approximately 3.5 billion years old, but some scientists have discovered chemical evidence suggesting that life may have begun even earlier, nearly 4 billion years ago.
What is the relationship between evolution and diversity?
Evolution and diversity result from the interactions between organisms and their environments and the consequences of these interactions over long periods of time. Organisms continually adapt to their environments, and the diversity of environments that exists promotes a diversity of organisms adapted to them.
What are the different forms of new species formation?
Formation of New Species 1 The Biological Species Concept. A species is defined as a group of individuals that, in nature, are able to mate and produce viable, fertile offspring. 2 Reproductive Isolation. 3 Speciation. 4 Allopatric Speciation. 5 Sympatric Speciation.
What did James Hutton believe about the formation of the Earth?
Along with Charles Lyell, James Hutton developed the concept of uniformitarianism. He believed Earth’s landscapes like mountains and oceans formed over long period of time through gradual processes. study of living things. theory that sudden, violent events have formed the shape of the Earth.
What is the punctuated equilibrium model of evolution?
Evolutionary relationships between organisms are determined by molecular evidence, anatomical homologies, and fossil records. The punctuated equilibrium model of evolution suggests that new species appear suddenly after long periods of time with little to no change.