Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which statement about evolution by natural selection is FALSE?
A
Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
B
Natural selection acts on existing variation within a population.
C
Natural selection causes individuals to evolve new traits during their lifetime.
D
Over time, natural selection can lead to changes in the frequency of traits in a population.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the concept of evolution by natural selection. Natural selection is a process where individuals with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation.
Step 2: Analyze the first statement: 'Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.' This is true because advantageous traits increase an organism's fitness, allowing it to survive and reproduce more effectively.
Step 3: Examine the second statement: 'Natural selection acts on existing variation within a population.' This is also true because natural selection does not create new traits; it acts on the genetic variation already present in the population.
Step 4: Evaluate the third statement: 'Natural selection causes individuals to evolve new traits during their lifetime.' This is false because evolution occurs at the population level over generations, not within an individual's lifetime. Traits are inherited, not developed through natural selection during an individual's life.
Step 5: Review the fourth statement: 'Over time, natural selection can lead to changes in the frequency of traits in a population.' This is true because advantageous traits become more common in the population over generations as individuals with those traits reproduce more successfully.