Explain the relationship between natural selection and evolution.

• A. Evolution is an explanation for how natural selection happens.
• B. Evolution and natural selection explain the same phenomena but use different timescales.
• C. Evolution explains how life begins, while natural selection explains how life changes.
• D. Natural selection is an explanation for how evolution happens.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that evolution refers to the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
2. Recognize that natural selection is a mechanism by which evolution occurs. It is the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
3. Identify that natural selection acts on the variation within a population. This variation is often due to mutations, genetic recombination, and other sources of genetic diversity.
4. Acknowledge that over time, natural selection can lead to adaptations that enhance survival and reproduction, contributing to evolutionary change.
5. Conclude that natural selection is a key driver of evolution, explaining how species adapt and evolve over time in response to environmental pressures.