Natural Selection- 8th grade 2025

What is natural selection?

• A process where organisms choose their traits

• A process where humans select traits in animals

• A process where individuals with beneficial traits survive and reproduce

• A random change in an organism’s DNA

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Which of the following is not required for natural selection to occur?

• Variation in traits

• Selective environmental pressure(s)

• A large population size

• Traits being passed to offspring

What is the main source of variation in a population?

• The environment

• Random mutations in DNA

• The need for a trait

• All individuals developing the same characteristics

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A species of birds has different beak shapes. Birds with long, thin beaks get more food in certain areas. Over time, what is most likely to happen?

• Birds with long beaks will be more common in that area 

• Beak size will stop being inherited

• Birds with short beaks will force long-beaked birds out

• All birds will eventually have the same beak shape

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What is an example of artificial selection?

• Wolves evolving into different subspecies

• Farmers breeding cows that produce more milk

• Birds developing stronger beaks to eat harder seeds

• A mutation causing a new coat color in rabbits

Which of the following best describes genetic drift?

• Traits randomly change in a population due to chance 

• The environment selects for specific traits

• Mutations always benefit an organism

• Organisms choose their own traits

Which of the following is an example of a selective pressure?

• A sudden mutation in an individual

• A predator that hunts a certain type of prey

• An organism choosing its own traits

• A random increase in genetic diversity

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Which of these is not an example of natural selection?

• Bacteria developing antibiotic resistance

• A giraffe being born with a longer neck and passing it on

• A human choosing which dogs to breed for size

• A fish with better camouflage surviving and reproducing

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

A population of beetles contains both green and brown individuals. Over time, the green ones become rare due to predators. This is an example of:

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Artificial selection

• Mutation

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What is fitness in terms of biological evolution?

• The ability to run fast

• The ability to survive and reproduce

• The number of offspring produced in a lifetime

• The ability to avoid predators

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