Question

which statement best illustrates how an organism maintains homeostasis?
○ parents pass their traits to their offspring.
○ female barn swallows mate with long - tailed males.
○ desert pack rats are active at night to conserve water.
○ young hawks have different kinds of feathers than adult hawks.

Explanation:

To determine which statement illustrates homeostasis, we analyze each option:

• "Parents pass their traits to their offspring" describes heredity, not homeostasis.
• "Female barn swallows mate with long - tailed males" is about mate selection (sexual selection), not homeostasis.
• "Desert pack rats are active at night to conserve water" shows how the rats adjust their behavior (being active at night) to maintain a stable internal water balance, which is homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability of an organism to maintain internal stability.
• "Young hawks have different kinds of feathers than adult hawks" is about growth and development, not homeostasis.

Answer:

The statement "Desert pack rats are active at night to conserve water" (the option with this text) best illustrates how an organism maintains homeostasis.