Random 1
an organism produced as a result of reproduction
offspring
T/F: Natural selection happens because some traits help an organism survive better than others.
True
a trait that makes it more likely that an individual will survive in a specific environment
Adaptive trait
A mutation causes a snake to be born without venom. In a habitat where venom is needed to catch prey, what is most likely to happen?
A. The snake will survive just as well as others
B. The mutation will become common quickly
C. The mutation will help the snake make new types of venom
D. The snake may struggle to survive and not pass on the trait
D. The snake may struggle to survive and not pass on the trait
. Why don’t all mutations lead to changes in a population?
A. Some mutations don’t affect survival or reproduction
B. Mutations are always harmful and get removed
C. Only mutations in adults matter
D. All individuals mutate the same way
A. Some mutations don’t affect survival or reproduction
T/F: An organism can choose to develop a mutation if it needs to adapt.
FALSE
T/F: An adaptation is a trait that an organism chooses to develop when it needs to survive.
False
(Organisms can’t choose adaptations; they’re inherited traits.)
any difference in traits between individual organisms
Variation
A mutation in a population of frogs causes some to have brighter skin colors. If these bright frogs are eaten more often by predators, what might happen over time?
A. The bright color mutation will spread quickly
B. All frogs will turn bright eventually
C. The bright frogs may die off, and the mutation may disappear
D. The predators will become less interested in frogs
C. The bright frogs may die off, and the mutation may disappear
A single bird is born with a longer beak due to a mutation. If this helps it get food from deep flowers better than others, what is most likely to happen if this continues over generations?
A. Birds with longer beaks will survive and pass on the trait
B. All birds will instantly grow longer beaks
C. The bird with the longer beak will go extinct
D. The flowers will stop growing deep
A. Birds with longer beaks will survive and pass on the trait
a graph that uses bars to show how characteristics or values are distributed within a group
Histogram
T/F: Traits that are helpful in one environment may not be helpful in a different environment.
True
the process by which the distribution of traits in a population changes over many generations
(If your group doesn't get this right, the whole class loses all their points)
Natural Selection
Why is genetic variation within a population important for natural selection?
A. It increases the population size quickly
B. It allows some individuals to survive when the environment changes
C. It prevents mutations from happening
D. It ensures that all organisms look the same
B. It allows some individuals to survive when the environment changes
Which scenario best shows how a neutral mutation might spread through a population?
A. A gene mutation causes a frog to grow wings and fly
B. A mutation has no effect on survival but is still passed to offspring
C. A mutation causes a disease and is quickly removed from the gene pool
D. A mutation makes an animal more visible to predators
B. A mutation has no effect on survival but is still passed to offspring
T/F: Mutations are the only source of variation in a population.
False
A population of lizards lives on an island where most of the rocks are dark. Some lizards are light-colored, and some are dark-colored. Over several generations, almost all lizards are dark.
Explain why this change likely happened.
Natural selection favoring the dark-colored lizards because they were better camouflaged from predators
Tell me what a non-adaptive trait is
non-adaptive trait: a trait that makes it less likely that an individual will survive in a specific environment
Which of the following situations is least likely to lead to natural selection?
A. All individuals in a population are genetically identical
B. A mutation gives an animal better night vision
C. A predator prefers one color of insect over another
D. A drought causes food sources to become limited
Correct Answer:A
(No variation = nothing for natural selection to act on.)
A scientist notices that bacteria exposed to antibiotics change over time and become resistant. What is the best explanation for this observation?
A. The antibiotics caused the bacteria to develop new DNA
B. All bacteria mutate their DNA to survive the medicine
C. Some bacteria already had a helpful mutation and survived to reproduce
D. The bacteria learned to avoid the antibiotics
Correct Answer: C
(This is classic natural selection in action with bacteria.)
Match the following terms:
A. Mutation
B. Natural Selection
C. Adaptation
D. Trait
E. Population
F. Evolution
G. Environment
1. A change in DNA that can lead to a new trait
2. All organisms eventually change traits on purpose
3. Trait that becomes common due to helping survival
4. Any feature passed from parent to offspring
5. Process where helpful traits become more common
6. Random change in trait that always causes harm
7. The surroundings that affect an organism’s survival
8. Group of organisms of the same species in an area
A → 1
B → 5
C → 3
D → 4
E → 8
F → No match (tricked ya!)
G → 7
What caused this newt population to become more poisonous and why?
Predator: the common garter snake
Was able to detect which newts had low/high levels of poison, all the low level ones were being eaten by the snakes which left the high level newts alive and able to reproduce
What does CER stand for and explain each letter
Claim: a statement/main idea
Evidence: facts/observations/data to support your claim
Reasoning: explaining why your evidence supports your claim
A population of insects splits into two groups, each on a different island. Over thousands of years, their traits begin to differ. What is this long-term process called?
A. Mutation
B. Natural selection
C. Adaptation
D. Evolution
Correct Answer: D
(Evolution is the change in traits of a population over generations.)
Label this CER:
Rabbits with white fur blend in with the snow, while darker rabbits are easier for predators to see.
Rabbits that are harder to see are less likely to be eaten. They survive and reproduce, passing on the white fur trait to the next generation. Over time, white fur becomes more common in the population due to natural selection.
Most rabbits in a snowy environment have white fur because it helps them survive.
Claim: Most rabbits in a snowy environment have white fur because it helps them survive.
Evidence: Rabbits with white fur blend in with the snow, while darker rabbits are easier for predators to see.
Reasoning: Rabbits that are harder to see are less likely to be eaten. They survive and reproduce, passing on the white fur trait to the next generation. Over time, white fur becomes more common in the population due to natural selection.