A population of plants live in a field. The plants lose water through their leaves. Their stems store water. What will most likely happen if the environment becomes drier?

After several generations, most of the plants will have thicker stems and smaller leaves

Each plant will evolve thicker stems and smaller leaves

After 1 generation, most of the plants will have very thin stems

Plants with larger leaves will be more likely to pass on their traits to their offspring

Some organisms have colorful appearances to warn their predators (animals that would try to eat them) that they are harmful or do not taste good. If other species, that are not harmful, mimic these colors how would that help them reproduce?

The similar markings and colors will increase their chance of predators avoiding them and allow them to survive to reproduce

The bright colors would help them attract more mates and allow them to reproduce

Because they have similar colors they can mate with the harmful species to create hybrids

Bright colors help them be more visible in the dark and most mating occurs after dark

Birds in a desert climate survive on soft parts of cactus. Scientists observed that during a drought, many of the birds died. The ones that survived had a mutation which resulted in them having larger beaks and were able to crack open and eat hard seeds that would ordinarily not be used. The next generation of birds all had large beaks. How did inherited traits help some birds survive?

inherited traits helped birds change beaks which allowed them to access enough food and reproduce

all surviving birds migrated to new areas and are no longer present

inherited traits helped camouflage birds from predators allowing them to reproduce

the inherited traits changed the environment

Many animals that live in the ocean. They are often dark blue colored above and white below. Why would this color pattern be a helpful inherited trait for the ocean environment?

This color allows them to blend in and avoid being seen by prey so they get food and they can reproduce

This color pattern has no effect on reproduction it is only for variation during the seasons

Their white underbelly helps them absorb more light and heat from the sun helping them grow and reproduce

White reflects sunlight allowing the organisms to see better in the ocean

Some animals are born with a gene that causes hairlessness. Which of the following would be an example of how this is a beneficial mutation

Animals that are hairless have better tolerance for heat

Higher rates of skin cancer in hairless animals.

Animals with no hair have more skin infections than those with hair

animals with less hair are less able get food because they can't forage in cold weather

The theory of evolution by natural selection means that what is changing over time?

The inherited traits of a population.

The acquired traits of a population.

The rat snake is found in a wide array of environments. They are found in woods, along the coast, in cities, and in mountains. They eat rats, birds, mice, and squirrels. Rat snake populations in these different environments often have varied colors and markings. There are gray ones, yellow ones, black ones, and mixes of these colors, depending on where they live. Which of the following best explains the differences in colors and markings of the rat snake?

Rat snakes with coloring and markings that helped them blend into their unique environment avoided predators and survived to reproduce.

Rat snakes can choose to change their coloring to match the environment theyare in to avoid predators and catch prey more easily.

Rat snakes began eating different types of food depending on where they live.This changed their appearance over time.

The variation in the coloring and marking of rat snake populations is so that ratsnakes can recognize other rat snakes that live in the same area.

When the peppered moths' light-colored trees were covered in soot, the forest was suddenly made up of dark-colored trees. Which of the following explains what will happen to the moth population?

The dark moths will be better camouflaged from predators, so more of them will survive and pass on those traits.

The light moths that survive will not mate and have offspring because they know that their offspring would easily be seen and eaten by predators.

The light moths that survive will have dark offspring because the change in the environment will cause the parents to have offspring that would do better in the new environment.

The light moths will see that the dark moths will be less likely to be eaten by predators, so they made themselves dark as well.

Do organisms "decide" to evolve and change?

No, they change because of natural selection

Yes, they know they need to change to survive

Change over time in a population.

Negative traits are acquired in populations.

1. Study the picture to the left. A population of insects is sprayed with a new insecticide. Most of the insects are killed but a few survive. In the next generation, spraying continues, but many more of the insects are unaffected by the insecticide than the first spraying. Which of the following BEST explains these results?

A few insects in the first population were immune and passed this trait to their offspring

The insecticide caused a mutation in the species

The insecticide caused a side effect of immunity that was passed on to the next generation of insects. The insects learned to fight off the insecticide.

Which of the following statements best describes what will most likely occur to the moth populations in the image below?

The light moths will be captured by predators more easily than the dark moths, and the population of dark moths will rise.

The light moths will be captured by predators more easily than the dark moths, and the population of light moths will rise

The dark moths will be captured by predators more easily than the light moths, and the dark moths will probably go extinct.

The light moths will change their wing color to match that of the dark moths.

What is the most likely explanation of the data shown below?

The moths are living in an environment with dark trees.

There has been a drought in the area that is affecting all life forms

The population of natural predators of the moths has gotten smaller.

The moths are living in an environment with light trees.

What is the advantage of having different shaped beaks?

To be able to eat the food readily available in the environment.

To look different from other species.

To protect itself against predators.

To protect itself against prey.

Which is NOT an example of an adaptation?

A cat sleeps on the sofa to avoid the vacuum cleaner.

A bird's beak allows it to crack open hard nuts.

A zebra's stripes allow it to confuse its predators.

A frog's large hind legs allow it to jump from danger.

Modern whales developed their traits through natural selection. What occurs during the process of natural selection?

Only the fittest organisms can survive and reproduce

Organisms choose mates from other species to create new species

Breeders selectively cross organisms with desired traits

Organisms remain exactly the same over time.

SP 8th Grade Natural Selection and Adaptations

Quiz

•

Biology, Other Sciences

•

6th - 8th Grade

•

Practice Problem

•

Medium

•

NGSS

MS-LS4-4, MS-LS3-1, MS-LS1-4

+16

Standards-aligned

Used 229+ times

FREE Resource

Student preview

38 questions

Show all answers

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed on to offspring?

Because they are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Because they come from dominant alleles.

Because they come from recessive alleles.

Because the trait is an acquired phenotype.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Mutations are a change in what?

DNA

tRNA

genotype

phenotype

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

45 sec • 1 pt

Any inherited trait that gives an organism an advantage in its environment is called ___.

a mutation

an adaptation

evolution

natural selection

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Almost all adaptations started off as?

selective breeding

physiological

structural

mutation

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

45 sec • 1 pt

Frogs and many other organisms reproduce by producing very large numbers of eggs. Why do frogs and other organism produce so many eggs or offspring?

so that their babies can have friends to play with

the more offspring the more likely the offspring will survive

the more offspring the less likely offspring will survive

the more offspring the less competition

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which of the following means "genetic change over time"

natural selection

speciation

evolution

fitness

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

45 sec • 1 pt

A group of birds in an area eats many kinds of seeds. A disease kills all the plants in an area except for tall trees that produce hard seeds. Which of these traits will future generations of the birds most likely have?

Webbed feet and strong wings

Strong wings and strong beaks

Strong beaks and webbed feet

Showy feathers and Small beaks

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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SP 8th Grade Natural Selection and Adaptations

38 questions

Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed on to offspring?

Mutations are a change in what?

Any inherited trait that gives an organism an advantage in its environment is called ___.

Almost all adaptations started off as?

Frogs and many other organisms reproduce by producing very large numbers of eggs. Why do frogs and other organism produce so many eggs or offspring?

Which of the following means "genetic change over time"

A group of birds in an area eats many kinds of seeds. A disease kills all the plants in an area except for tall trees that produce hard seeds. Which of these traits will future generations of the birds most likely have?

Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed on to offspring?

A population of plants live in a field. The plants lose water through their leaves. Their stems store water. What will most likely happen if the environment becomes drier?

Which feature of a rose helps it grow without being eaten by large animals?

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