Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Natural and Artificial Selection

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 33mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Where the better adapted organisms survive to pass traits along to offspring.
a)
Evolution
b)
Natural Selection
c)
Extinction
d)
Artifical Selection
2.
Process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called natural selection.
a)
Survival of the Fittest
b)
Extinction
c)
Derived trait
d)
Artificial Selection
3.

A giraffe has a long neck in order to better reach leaves to eat. This is an example of _____.

a)

an adaptation

b)

environment

c)

response

d)

stimulus

4.
An example of a behavioral adaptation is
a)
The long neck of a giraffe
b)
Penguins huddling together for warmth
c)
A camel's hump used to store water
d)
A polar bear's white fur used for camouflage
5.
An example of a physical adaptation is...
a)
a turtle hiding inside its shell
b)
The spikes on a porcupine fish
c)
a rabbit burrowing underground
d)
a viper biting when threatened
6.
A trait is :
a)
a removal
b)
a characteristic
c)
 a change
d)
a sequence
7.
To inherit means:
a)
To receive
b)
To change
c)
To create
d)
To give
8.

part of DNA that codes for a specific trait

a)

gene

b)

chromosome

9.
When every organism of a species has died.
a)
Evolution
b)
Natural Selection
c)
Extinction
d)
Artificial Selection
10.
Survival of the Fittest and Evolution were proposed by what scientist?
a)
Charles Darwin
b)
Albert Einstein
c)
Steven Hawking
d)
Isaac Newton
11.
The trees these moths used to live on were white, but have been covered in soot from coal factories. Which moth will be more successful in this environment?
a)
Dark moth
b)
Light moth
c)
Both will be equally successful
d)
Neither will be successful
12.
Why is the mouse population changing over time?
a)
The light mice can reproduce more successfully than the dark mice
b)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because the dark mice taste better
c)
The hawks eat more light mice than dark mice because they can see the light mice more easily
d)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because they can see the dark mice more easily
13.
Dogs such as Chihuahuas are examples of....
a)
Artificial Selection 
b)
Natural Selection 
c)
Mutations 
14.

What is an example of artificial selection?

a)

Letting dogs choose their own mate

b)

Letting plants pollinate on their own

c)

Crossing a labrador and a poodle to create a labradoodle

15.

1. Artificial selection has been a big factor in the evolution of:

a)

Dogs

b)

Panda bears

c)

Snakes

d)

Jellyfish

16.
A characteristic or feature that increases an organism's ability to survive within a changing environment.
a)
adaptation
b)
hibernation
c)
migration
d)
Natural Selection
17.

Natural Selection is driven by a change in the environment and survival of the

a)

Earth

b)

Fastest

c)

Fittest

d)

Biggest

18.
Coloring or another physical characteristic that help an organism blend in with its environment
a)
mimicry
b)
camouflage
c)
hibernation
d)
migration
19.

A grizzly bear survives because he is well-adapted to his environment. When he reproduces he passes on those traits to his offspring. this process is called

a)

Natural Selection

b)

Selective Breeding

c)

Random mutations

d)

Variations in a species

20.

Plants with spines and waxy leaves are well suited for life in which environment?

a)

Desert

b)

Temperate forest

c)

Grassland

d)

Tropical Rainfroest

21.

The coral snakes that were able to survive the summer drought reproduced. Their offspring will likely be able to tolerate drought.


Natural selection [or] Selective breeding?

a)

Natural selection

b)

Selective breeding

22.

Mating a male pig (boar) with excellent muscle mass to a female pig (sow) with a wide body.


Natural selection [or] Selective breeding?

a)

Natural selection

b)

Selective breeding

23.

Cross-pollination of cucumber plants to increase overall length and disease resistance.


Natural selection [or] Selective breeding?

a)

Natural selection

b)

Selective breeding

24.

The vampire bats that were able to survive a disease in the population reproduced. Their offspring will likely be resistant to the disease.


Natural selection [or] Selective breeding?

a)

Natural selection

b)

Selective breeding

25.
The purpose of selective breeding is to 
a)
get bigger animals
b)
get smaller animals
c)
create animals with desirable traits
d)
create animals with bad traits
26.

What is most likely to happen to moth populations in the picture shown?

a)

Light moths--hunted easily, dark moths--population increase

b)

Dark moths--hunted easily, dark moths--population increase

c)

Light moths--hunted easily, light moths--population increase

d)

Lights moths will change their color to match dark moths.

27.

A yellow morph and green morph of an insect lives in the rainforest canopy. You would expect:

a)

the green population to increase and the yellow to decrease

b)

the green population to decrease and the yellow to increase

c)

both populations should stay the same

d)

both populations will increase

28.

Small changes over time that add up to big changes are referred to as:

a)

morphs

b)

extinction

c)

evolution

d)

artificial selection

29.
Survival of the Fittest and Evolution were proposed by what scientist?
a)
Charles Darwin
b)
Albert Einstein
c)
Steven Hawking
d)
Isaac Newton
30.

Selective breeding is another term for

a)

Natural selection

b)

Artificial selection

c)

Random selection

d)

Special selection

31.

When there are not enough resources for all the offspring to survive...

a)

The offspring will all die

b)

The offspring will have to compete

c)

The offspring will all reproduce

d)

The offspring will give up

32.

Organisms increase the chances of some of their offspring surviving by

a)

having more than could possibly survive

b)

having less offspring

c)

not reproducing

d)

having identical offspring

33.

1. The process of choosing parent organisms for desired characteristics is called

a)

natural selection

b)

Artificial selection

c)

random selection

d)

genetic manipulation

34.

Artificial Selection decreases diversity which is bad because

a)

organisms with same traits will refuse to reproduce with each other

b)

organisms with all the same traits are susceptible to extinction.

c)

organisms with the same traits will be very aggressive

d)

organisms with same traits collectively get smarter and will some day rule the world

35.

Which statement is true comparing natural selection and artificial selection?

a)

In natural selection, traits benefit humans and in artificial selection, the traits benefit the species

b)

In natural selection, traits benefit the species and in artificial selection, the traits benefit humans

c)

In natural and artificial selection, the process takes hundreds of years to occur

d)

In natural and artificial selection, nature determines what traits will be passed down to offspring.

36.

Natural selection or Artificial/Selective Breeding?

a)

Natural Selection

b)

Artificial/Selective Breeding

37.

Natural selection is

a)

nature decides changes over time.

b)

a person selecting what will breed for a desired trait.

38.

Natural selection or Artificial/Selective Breeding?

a)

Natural Selection

b)

Artificial/Selective Breeding

39.

The primary difference natural and artificial selection is

a)

In nature selection the “pressure” comes from the environment; In artificial selection the “pressure” comes from humans (or another species).

b)

In artificial selection the “pressure” comes from the environment; In natural selection the “pressure” comes from humans (or another species).

c)

Natural selections is when humans breed the animal; Artificial selection is when humans direct genes directly.

d)

They are different terms for the same concept.

40.

These cause variations.

a)

mutations

b)

adaptations

c)

a desire to change

d)

breeding

41.
The purpose of selective breeding is to 
a)
Get bigger animals
b)
get smaller animals
c)
create animals with desirable traits
d)
create animals with bad traits
42.

What is a good argument for genetically modifying animals?

a)

Produce more meat

b)

Figure out how to make Spiderman

c)

Modifying your kids to make them more awesome

d)

New genes are needed to create new species

43.

A physical feature or behavior that helps an organism survive in its habitat.

a)

adaptation

b)

natural selection

c)

selective breeding

d)

artificial selection

44.

Actions that an organism does that help it survive

a)

external adaptation

b)

behavioral adaptation

c)

internal adaptation

d)

structural adaptation

45.

This process describes how individuals that have the best traits for their environment survive and reproduce, while individuals that are not fit for their environment die out.

a)

adaptations

b)

artificial selection

c)

natural selection

46.

The rancher selects the fastest horses and has them reproduce. This is...

a)

natural selection

b)

selective breeding

47.

Farmers choose seeds from the best plants to grow. This is...

a)

selective breeding

b)

natural selection

48.

A salmon swims upstream to safer waters to breed. This is a _______ adaptation.

a)

structural

b)

behavioral

49.

A fish has gills for breathing underwater. This is a _____ adaptation.

a)

behavioral

b)

structural

50.

what's an environment?

a)

characteristics that are passed to you from your parents

b)

a body part, feature, or behavior that helps a living thing survive and function better in its environment

c)

an individual animal, plant or single celled life form

d)

the surrounding or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives