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Variation and evolution key terms

Study Variation and evolution with curriculum-aligned Key Terms resources, practice links, and exam-focused support.

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key terms

Resource type

Topic

Variation and evolution

AqaGcseBiologyInheritance, variation and evolution

Key terms

  • environment

    environment is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe how the genome and interaction with the environment influence phenotype..

  • genome

    In Variation, genome means genome is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe how the genome and interaction with the environment influence phenotype. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to describe how the genome and interaction with the environment influence phenotype. Use genome only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • population

    population is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Define variation as differences in characteristics between individuals in a population..

  • variation

    In Variation, variation means variation is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Define variation as differences in characteristics between individuals in a population. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to define variation as differences in characteristics between individuals in a population. Use variation only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • variation

    variation is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by inherited genes..

  • Explain

    In Variation, Explain means explain is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by inherited genes. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that variation may be caused by inherited genes. Use Explain only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • environment

    environment is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by environmental conditions during development..

  • variation

    In Variation, variation means variation is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by environmental conditions during development. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that variation may be caused by environmental conditions during development. Use variation only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • environment

    environment is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by a combination of genes and environment..

  • variation

    In Variation, variation means variation is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that variation may be caused by a combination of genes and environment. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that variation may be caused by a combination of genes and environment. Use variation only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • population

    population is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: State that there is usually extensive genetic variation within a population of a species..

  • species

    In Variation, species means species is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: State that there is usually extensive genetic variation within a population of a species. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to state that there is usually extensive genetic variation within a population of a species. Use species only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • mutations

    mutations is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Recall that all variants arise from mutations..

  • variants

    In Variation, variants means variants is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Recall that all variants arise from mutations. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to recall that all variants arise from mutations. Use variants only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • mutations

    mutations is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe that most mutations have no effect on phenotype, some influence phenotype, and very few determine phenotype..

  • phenotype

    In Variation, phenotype means phenotype is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe that most mutations have no effect on phenotype, some influence phenotype, and very few determine phenotype. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to describe that most mutations have no effect on phenotype, some influence phenotype, and very few determine phenotype. Use phenotype only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • new phenotype

    new phenotype is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain how a rare mutation producing a suitable new phenotype can lead to a relatively rapid change in a species..

  • phenotype

    In Variation, phenotype means phenotype is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain how a rare mutation producing a suitable new phenotype can lead to a relatively rapid change in a species. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain how a rare mutation producing a suitable new phenotype can lead to a relatively rapid change in a species. Use phenotype only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • evolution

    evolution is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe evolution as a change in inherited characteristics of a population over time..

  • inherited characteristics

    In Evolution, inherited characteristics means inherited characteristics is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Describe evolution as a change in inherited characteristics of a population over time. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to describe evolution as a change in inherited characteristics of a population over time. Use inherited characteristics only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • evolution

    evolution is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that evolution occurs through natural selection..

  • natural selection

    In Evolution, natural selection means natural selection is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that evolution occurs through natural selection. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that evolution occurs through natural selection. Use natural selection only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • natural selection

    natural selection is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that natural selection may result in the formation of a new species..

  • species

    In Evolution, species means species is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that natural selection may result in the formation of a new species. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that natural selection may result in the formation of a new species. Use species only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • species

    species is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: State that living species evolved from simple life forms that first developed more than three billion years ago..

  • State

    In Evolution, State means state is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: State that living species evolved from simple life forms that first developed more than three billion years ago. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to state that living species evolved from simple life forms that first developed more than three billion years ago. Use State only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • phenotype

    phenotype is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain how variants with phenotypes best suited to an environment are selected..

  • variants

    In Evolution, variants means variants is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain how variants with phenotypes best suited to an environment are selected. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain how variants with phenotypes best suited to an environment are selected. Use variants only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.

  • individuals

    individuals is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that selected individuals are more likely to survive, breed and pass on characteristics..

  • likely

    In Evolution, likely means likely is a curriculum-aligned term linked to the learning objective: Explain that selected individuals are more likely to survive, breed and pass on characteristics. This matters in Variation and evolution because it supports the learning objective to explain that selected individuals are more likely to survive, breed and pass on characteristics. Use likely only in this subtopic-relevant sense so the definition stays concise, curriculum-specific, and useful for AQA GCSE Biology revision. Students should use this term accurately when they explain the biology, identify symptoms, or justify an answer in GCSE Biology questions.