Which of the following best describes the process of natural selection as it relates to evolution?

• A. Natural selection causes individuals to acquire new traits during their lifetime and pass them on to offspring.
• B. Evolution occurs only when individuals intentionally change their traits to adapt to the environment.
• C. All individuals in a population have an equal chance of surviving and reproducing, regardless of their traits.
• D. Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the concept of natural selection. Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution where individuals with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation.
2. Step 2: Clarify the misconception that natural selection causes individuals to acquire new traits during their lifetime. Traits are determined by genetic inheritance and mutations, not by intentional changes or environmental influence during an individual's life.
3. Step 3: Address the idea that evolution occurs only when individuals intentionally change their traits. Evolution is a gradual process driven by genetic variation, mutation, and selection pressures, not intentional changes.
4. Step 4: Explain why not all individuals in a population have an equal chance of surviving and reproducing. Survival and reproduction depend on the traits an individual possesses and how well those traits fit the environment.
5. Step 5: Conclude by emphasizing the correct description: Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation. This process leads to the gradual change in the population's genetic makeup over time, which is evolution.