Phyletic gradualism

Phyletic gradualism is a theory in evolution that suggests that changes in species occur slowly and gradually over a long period of time.

Imagine you have a toy car that slowly changes its color over time, from red to pink to purple. This is kind of like how phyletic gradualism works!

So, let's pretend that the toy car is actually a type of animal, like a dinosaur. Over millions of years, the dinosaur's features and characteristics might slowly change, but it happens gradually and over a long period of time.

This is different from another theory, called punctuated equilibrium, which suggests that changes in species happen quickly and suddenly, rather than gradually.

So, phyletic gradualism is all about slow and steady change over time, while punctuated equilibrium is about quick, sudden changes.