Evolution and Natural Selection Quiz

What is the primary principle of evolution by natural selection?

• Species adapt to their environment

• Genetic mutation

• Survival of the fittest

• Individuals can change their genes

Which concept explains the phenomenon where certain traits increase an individual's survival rate, leading to changes in the genetic composition of a population over generations?

• Adaptive radiation

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Genetic recombination

Who was the naturalist that sailed on the H.M.S. Beagle for a scientific research expedition?

• Isaac Newton

• Charles Darwin

• Albert Einstein

• Nikola Tesla

What observation did Charles Darwin make about the tortoises on the Galapagos Islands that contributed to his theory of natural selection?

• Variations in shell shape and size

• Variations in leg length

• Variations in eye color

• Variations in mating behavior

Which type of selection favors individuals with extreme phenotypes rather than those with average phenotypes?

• Stabilizing selection

• Directional selection

• Disruptive selection

• Sexual selection

According to Darwin's theory, what is the primary cause of the survival of the fittest?

• Natural disasters

• Genetic mutations

• Competition for resources and survival

• Geographical isolation

What is the process called where traits that improve an individual's chances of reproduction are passed on to the next generation?

• Genetic drift

• Artificial selection

• Natural selection

• Sexual selection

What is the method called where humans have been deliberately choosing specific traits of plants and animals for reproduction over many years?

• Natural selection

• Genetic engineering

• Artificial selection

• Evolutionary adaptation

What does disruptive selection primarily favor?

• Favors traits in the middle of the spectrum

• Favors extreme traits at both ends of the spectrum

• Favors a favored trait at one extreme end of the range of traits

• Selects against extreme phenotypes

What is the type of selection that favors individuals with traits that increase their chance of survival?

• Sexual selection

• Directional selection

• Stabilizing selection

• Disruptive selection