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Natural Selection

Total questions: 29

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

According to natural selection, organisms more suited to their environment are better able to

a)

Sleep

b)

Survive

c)

Perish

d)

Migrate

2.

The process of passing down favorable traits to one's offspring is called

a)

Artificial Selection

b)

Mutations

c)

Evolution

d)

Inheritance

3.

Natural selection happens when an individual's genes ______________ from the genes of other members of its species.

a)

Become different

b)

Stay the same

c)

Become separated

4.

Mutations can be inherited or be

a)

Chosen by the individual organism

b)

Caused by environmental factors

c)

Refused at any time

5.
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

6.
These moths are all the same species. The differences between their wings is an example of ________________
a)

Natural Selection

b)

Variation

c)

Homeostasis

d)

Extinction

7.

This makes an organism more suited to its environment

a)

species

b)

lifespan

c)

adaptation

d)

mutation

8.
Where the better adapted organisms survive to pass traits along to offspring.
a)

Evolution

b)

Natural Selection

c)

Extinction

d)

Artifical Selection

9.

How does waterproof feathers help penguins survive in the Antarctic. (Choose all that apply)

a)

Helps keep them warm and dry

b)

Helps them blend in

c)

Helps them swim in cold waters

d)

Helps them see further in cold weather

10.
Who was the naturalist that traveled the world to study plants and animals?
a)
Albert Einstein
b)
Charles Darwin
c)
Charles Barkley
d)
Isaac Newton
11.

According to natural selection, light colored tree trunks would favor

a)

light colored moths

b)

dark colored moths

c)

red colored moths

d)

red and light colored moths

12.

A fox with thicker fur than average would have a survival advantage over other foxes if:

a)

There is more competition for food in the fox population.

b)

The air temperature significantly decreases in winter.

c)

A drought occurs, limiting the amount of water available.

d)

A new disease appears that infects the foxes.

13.

What is the advantage of having different shaped beaks?

a)

To look different from other species.

b)

To protect itself against predators.

c)

To protect itself against prey

d)

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

14.

Variations are caused by . . .

a)

Kaleidoscopes

b)

Variety Shows

c)

Mutations

d)

A change in phenotypic expression

15.
Drawn observed several different types of finches.  Why are there so many different types?
a)
Finches live in different places, but eat the same food.
b)
Finches live in the same place, but eat different types of food.
c)
Finches live in different habitats and eat different types of food.
d)
Finches are found all over the world.
16.
The differences among a species, like different bird beaks, are called
a)
genes.
b)
variations.
c)
traits.
d)
theories.
17.
Organisms with the most beneficial traits will survive.  This is commonly known as
a)
theory of evolution.
b)
variations.
c)
survival of the fittest.
d)
ecosystems.
18.
What are the most studied animals in the galapagos?
a)
Finches
b)
Tortoises
c)
Turtles
d)
Lizards
19.

A population of rabbits grows rapidly from one year to the next. Then one year, a disease strikes approximately one fourth of the adult rabbits. The disease remains with the population in the years that follow.

As explained by Darwin’s theory, which of these conditions allows the rabbit population to evolve by natural selection?

a)

The disease affects adult and juvenile rabbits equally.

b)

The disease reduces the ability of the rabbits to reproduce.

c)

Some rabbits are resistant to the disease, and they pass the resistance to their offspring.

d)

No rabbits are resistant to the disease, and all die when the disease strikes them.

20.

Which of the following is a situation that could cause evolutionary change that is NOT due to natural selection?

a)

A volcano erupts and kills many individuals in a population.

b)

A mutation produces sea stars that are less visible to predators.

c)

An insecticide is sprayed in a community to combat mosquitoes.

d)

Cattle are treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of infections.

21.

Before the invention of the light bulb, Americans burned oil in lamps for light. Whale oil was popular bio-fuel for these

lamps. Ship crews would hunt whales for their oil. They searched for the largest whales they could find so that they could obtain as much whale oil as possible. How mighty decades of whale hunting possibly affect the natural selection of the species?

a)

The whales lost their legs.

b)

The whales became slower.

c)

The whales became smaller.

d)

The whales changed their calls.

22.

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

a)

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

b)

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

c)

The moths are living in an environment with light trees.

d)

The moths are living in an environment with dark trees.

23.

Suppose a certain species of insect lives in the lush green canopy of the rain forest. Some of the insects are bright green in color, and some are bright yellow. Assume there is a natural predator of the insect in the area. What do you expect to happen to the populations of the green and the yellow insects over time?

a)

The green insect population will increase and the yellow insect population will decrease.

b)

The green insect population will decrease and the yellow insect population will increase.

c)

Both insect populations will remain constant over time.

d)

Both insect populations will increase over time.

24.
When an organism has a trait that allows it to blend in with its environment, we call that ____.
a)
mimicry
b)
camouflage
c)
lucky
d)
sonic hedgehog gene
25.

What is the best claim for this image?

a)

The grey wolves are best adapted to the Arctic

b)

The brown rabbits are best adapted to the Arctic.

c)

The white rabbits are best adapted to the Arctic.

26.

Which of the following is NOT an adaptation?

a)

Quills

b)

Speed

c)

Camouflage

d)

Fish

27.

What does 'fitness' mean in natural selection?

a)

How fast an animal can run

b)

How much you work out

c)

How well adapted the animal is to their environment

d)

How strong an animal is

28.

TRUE or FALSE: Natural selection will still occur if individuals are exactly the same.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

29.
Which organisms are most likely to survive?
a)
the best adapted
b)
the fastest
c)
the strongest
d)
the most domesticated (tamed)