Question

(What is natural selection?)

to
the best suited to the environment survive and reproduce (those that are best adapted to the environment survive and reproduce)
b
individuals change to be better suited to their environment (Individuals change to better adapt to their environment.)
c
the largest animal survives (the largest animal survives)
d
organisms mutate in response to environmental stimuli (Organisms mutate in response to environmental stimuli.)

Answer 1

Natural selection is best described by option **a**: "those that are best adapted to the environment survive and reproduce."

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution, where individuals with traits that are better suited to their environment have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing, thus passing those advantageous traits on to future generations. This process leads to the gradual adaptation of species to their environment over time.

The other options do not accurately represent the concept of natural selection:
- Option **b** implies that individuals can change during their lifetime to better fit their environment, which is a misunderstanding of how traits are inherited.
- Option **c** oversimplifies natural selection by focusing only on size and doesn't account for the importance of adaptation.
- Option **d** suggests that all mutations occur in response to environmental stimuli, which is not accurate; mutations can happen randomly and are not always beneficial.