Chapter 4 - Natural Selection

A population can be described by:

• the traits present

• the number of individuals who have each trait

• the different species of organisms in it

• abiotic factors

Answer explanation

A population only has ONE kind of organism (species). Each organism of that population can have different traits. For example, a population of betta fish can have many different colors (traits).

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The number of individuals with each trait in

a population ________________ over time.

• can change

• stays the same

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Over many generations, individuals with _______________ become more common in

a population, while individuals with _________________ become less common.

• adaptive traits ; non-adaptive traits

• non-adaptive traits ; adaptive traits

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The traits that __________________ in a population determine which traits can become more common over many generations.

• exist

• an organism wants

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Whether or not a trait is adaptive depends on the _______________________.

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Biologists analyze data about __________________________ (the causes) to explain changes in ______________________________ (the effects).

• environmental conditions ; the distribution of traits in populations

• the distribution of traits in populations ; environmental conditions

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What caused this newt population to become more poisonous?

*Your answer will automatically be marked correct. Therefore, you MUST read the answer explanation to ensure that your answer is correct.

Answer explanation

The newt population became more poisonous because the snakes in this environment caused poison to be an adaptive trait. When snakes became part of the environment, the newts with high-poison level were more likely to survive. Over time, newts with a high poison level became more common in the population because they were more likely to survive after the environment changed.

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Instructions for making protein molecules

• nucleus

• chromosomes

• DNA

• genes

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Protein molecules determine an

organism's _________________.

• DNA

• chromosomes

• traits

• environment

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An organism's genetic information

• genotype

• phenotype

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