Natural Selection and Adaptations Worksheet
Explore the principles of natural selection and adaptations with this Grade 8 science worksheet.
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Natural Selection and Adaptations
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will test your understanding of natural selection and adaptations.
1. Which of the following is NOT a principle of natural selection?
Overproduction of offspring
Variation among individuals
Inheritance of acquired traits
Differential survival and reproduction
2. An adaptation is a trait that helps an organism:
Change its genetic code during its lifetime
Survive and reproduce in its environment
Become a different species
Develop new organs
3. Natural selection is often described as 'survival of the '.
4. The process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring is called .
5. A physical characteristic that helps an animal survive in its environment, such as camouflage, is an example of a adaptation.
6. Explain the role of variation within a population in the process of natural selection.
7. Individuals can choose to adapt to their environment during their lifetime.
True
False
8. Adaptations are always beneficial to an organism.
True
False
Match the term on the left with its definition on the right.
9. Natural Selection
a. A change in a population's genetic makeup over time.
10. Adaptation
b. The process where organisms better suited to their environment survive and reproduce.
11. Evolution
c. A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce.
12. Describe an example of an animal adaptation and explain how it helps the animal survive in its specific environment. Be sure to explain how this adaptation might have arisen through natural selection.