Question

natural selection is an evolutionary mechanism by which ______.
a. advantageous traits are eliminated in a population
b. advantageous traits become more common in a population
c. inherited traits pass consistently through generations
d. organisms choose which traits to look for in their offspring

please select the best answer from the choices provided

a
b
c
d

Explanation:

⚡ Using what you learned: mechanisms of evolution and natural selection

Step 1: Define Natural Selection

Natural selection is the process where organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Step 2: Analyze the Options

• a. advantageous traits are eliminated in a population: Incorrect. Advantageous (helpful) traits are preserved and passed on, not eliminated.
• b. advantageous traits become more common in a population: Correct. Because individuals with helpful traits survive and reproduce more successfully, those traits increase in frequency over generations.
• c. inherited traits pass consistently through generations: Incorrect. While inheritance is part of the process, this statement describes general heredity rather than the selective mechanism of natural selection.
• d. organisms choose which traits to look for in their offspring: Incorrect. Natural selection is an environmental process, not a conscious choice by individual organisms.

Answer:

B