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Question

Question: What is the relationship between mutation, natural selection, and adaptation?...

What is the relationship between mutation, natural selection, and adaptation?

Explanation

Solution

Evolution is the process by which animals evolve and adapt to their surroundings in order to survive. The theory of natural selection by Charles Darwin states that all animals need to survive and procreate, therefore all organisms adapt to survive.

Complete answer:
DNA is the basic blueprint of our body that is responsible for making everything in the body. This DNA is made up of four nucleotides that are arranged in a particular pattern. This sequence is responsible for every protein in the body.
A mutation is when the sequence of DNA gets altered, for example, a nucleotide gets removed. This mutation can change the proteins that are formed by the genes and thus it can alter the genotype of the organism. Natural selection is a theory of evolution. It states that only the animals that have adapted to be more fit will survive and thrive. Occasionally positive mutations will occur. These are mutations that help the animal to survive. The peppered moth is an example of evolution or natural selection. The typical pepper moth was a light color. However, a mutation caused some of these moths to be black-colored which became beneficial for the moths. Thus the black-colored minority became a majority.

Note:
Positive mutations that occur in organisms help them to get beneficial traits that can be used as adaptations. These adaptations lead to natural selections as the animals with positive mutations will survive longer.