Question

choose 1 answer:
a through natural selection, individuals gain traits that will help them adapt to any environment they may encounter.
b natural selection determines which traits organisms need to be successful in their environment and increases the frequency of those traits in the population.
c due to natural selection, individuals with adaptive traits have higher rates of survival and reproduction, and as a result, these traits become more common in the population.

Explanation:

• Option A: Natural selection does not give individuals traits to adapt to "any" environment; adaptations are specific to their current environment. So A is incorrect.
• Option B: Natural selection does not "determine which traits organisms need"; traits are already present (via variation), and natural selection acts on existing traits. So B is incorrect.
• Option C: Natural selection works such that individuals with traits that help them survive and reproduce (adaptive traits) pass those traits on, making them more common in the population. This matches the concept of natural selection.

Answer:

C. Due to natural selection, individuals with adaptive traits have higher rates of survival and reproduction, and as a result, these traits become more common in the population.