natrual selection science quiz

Key vocabulary:


Adaptation

Fitness

Gene

Genotype

Natural selection

Selective breeding

Trait

Phenotype

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

Evolution

Allele

Cladogram

Mutation

DNA



Guiding questions:


  1. How do new traits arise in a population? What determines whether those traits become dominant in the population?
    New traits arise in a population by a mutation then getting bred onto new generations. 

  2. How are humans able to impact the genes of other species?
    They can selectively breed which animals have children so the ones with the “good genes” get passed on

  3. Explain why some rock pocket mice populations became dark in color while others remained light, using as many vocabulary terms above as possible.

  4. Why aren’t the strongest individuals in a population always the most fit?

  5. How is natural selection related to evolution?

  6. Can evolution occur in a species without any variation between individuals?

  7. How can cladograms be used to determine the relationship between species?

  8. Draw a cladogram using the following information:


Dogs

Cats

Horses

Turtles

Backbone

x

x

x

x

Warm-blooded

x

x

x

Carnivorous

x

x


  1. Given the information above and the cladogram you drew, which two species are most closely related?