Which of the following best describes the process of natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin?

• A. Traits acquired during an organism's lifetime are inherited by its offspring.
• B. Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.
• C. All individuals in a population have an equal chance of surviving and reproducing, regardless of their traits.
• D. Natural selection causes individuals to develop new traits in response to environmental changes.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of natural selection: Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. It explains how certain traits become more common in a population over generations due to their impact on survival and reproduction.
2. Clarify the key principle: Natural selection operates on the variation in traits within a population. Individuals with traits that provide an advantage in a specific environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to their offspring.
3. Evaluate the first option: 'Traits acquired during an organism's lifetime are inherited by its offspring.' This describes Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics, not Darwin's natural selection. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
4. Evaluate the second option: 'Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.' This aligns with Darwin's theory of natural selection and is the correct description.
5. Evaluate the remaining options: 'All individuals in a population have an equal chance of surviving and reproducing, regardless of their traits' is incorrect because survival and reproduction depend on advantageous traits. 'Natural selection causes individuals to develop new traits in response to environmental changes' is also incorrect because natural selection acts on existing traits; it does not create new traits.