Variations

Question 1

What is variation?

Answer 1

Variation refers to the differences among organisms, such as a cow, dandelion, human, and tree because they are different species. These differences occur because their genes are different.

Question 2

What is continuous variation?

Answer 2

Continuous variation includes traits that can take on a range of values, such as height, weight, skin color, and intelligence.

Question 3

What is discontinuous variation?

Answer 3

Discontinuous variation includes traits that have distinct categories, such as a person’s blood group.

Example: The color of a flower can vary across a range of shades.

Question 4

What is natural selection?

Answer 4

Natural selection is the process where organisms with characteristics that make them better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Question 5

How do organisms compete for resources?

Answer 5

Organisms must compete for the resources they need in order to survive and reproduce.

Example: A red squirrel must compete with other red squirrels and grey squirrels for food.