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Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes how artificial selection works?
A
Environmental pressures cause only the fittest organisms to survive and reproduce.
B
Random mutations in DNA lead to new traits that may be passed on to offspring.
C
Humans selectively breed organisms with desirable traits to increase the frequency of those traits in future generations.
D
Organisms adapt to their environment by changing their traits during their lifetime.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of artificial selection. Artificial selection is a process where humans intentionally select and breed organisms with desirable traits to enhance or increase the frequency of those traits in future generations.
Step 2: Compare artificial selection to natural selection. Unlike natural selection, which is driven by environmental pressures and survival of the fittest, artificial selection is guided by human intervention and choice.
Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options. For example, the option stating 'Environmental pressures cause only the fittest organisms to survive and reproduce' describes natural selection, not artificial selection. Similarly, 'Random mutations in DNA lead to new traits that may be passed on to offspring' refers to genetic variation, not the intentional process of artificial selection.
Step 4: Focus on the correct description. The correct answer is: 'Humans selectively breed organisms with desirable traits to increase the frequency of those traits in future generations.' This aligns with the definition of artificial selection.
Step 5: Clarify misconceptions. The option 'Organisms adapt to their environment by changing their traits during their lifetime' is incorrect because traits acquired during an organism's lifetime are not passed on genetically; this idea is associated with Lamarckian inheritance, which has been disproven.