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Natural Selection Practice Tests

These Grade 7 Science practice tests build understanding of variation, adaptation, natural selection, evolution, population change, and evidence from fossils, anatomy, DNA, and ecological observations.

Skills covered

  • Explaining how inherited variation and environmental pressures affect survival and reproduction
  • Distinguishing adaptations, acquired traits, natural selection, artificial selection, and genetic drift
  • Using evidence from fossils, homologous structures, DNA, and geographic isolation
  • Connecting selection pressures to population changes across generations
  • Applying natural selection concepts to resistance, camouflage, climate, and biodiversity examples

How to use these practice tests

For each question, identify the population variation first. Then decide whether the trait is inherited, how the environment affects success, and what population-level change is expected over generations.

For more Grade 7 Science practice, return to the Grade 7 Science category.

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Grade 7 Natural Selection Practice Tests

Practice Grade 7 Science natural selection questions about variation, adaptation, selection pressures, evolution, and population change.

Choose the best answer for each question. Review the explanation after submitting your answers.

10 Questions
0/10 Questions0 %
Correct 0
Incorrect 0
Unanswered 10
1. QuestionMultiple choice

What are homologous structures?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is Structures with similar underlying anatomy because of shared ancestry.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Homologous structures can have different functions but share an underlying pattern inherited from a common ancestor.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Homologous structures can have different functions but share an underlying pattern inherited from a common ancestor.

2. QuestionMultiple choice

What are analogous structures?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Structures with similar functions that evolved independently.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Analogous structures perform similar functions but arose separately rather than from the same inherited structure.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Analogous structures perform similar functions but arose separately rather than from the same inherited structure.

3. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a vestigial structure?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is A reduced structure inherited from ancestors that has little or no current function.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Vestigial structures can remain as reduced evidence of features that were more useful in ancestral organisms.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Vestigial structures can remain as reduced evidence of features that were more useful in ancestral organisms.

4. QuestionMultiple choice

Which fossil pattern best supports gradual evolutionary change?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is A sequence of related forms with small changes across successive rock layers.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Ordered fossil sequences can show changes in related forms over geological time.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Ordered fossil sequences can show changes in related forms over geological time.

5. QuestionMultiple choice

Why can comparing DNA sequences provide evidence of common ancestry?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is More similar DNA sequences can indicate that organisms inherited genes from a more recent common ancestor..

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Shared DNA similarities are evidence of inherited relationships, especially when many genes show corresponding patterns.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Shared DNA similarities are evidence of inherited relationships, especially when many genes show corresponding patterns.

6. QuestionMultiple choice

What is geographic isolation?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is When physical barriers separate populations and reduce their interbreeding.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Mountains, rivers, islands, or distance can separate populations and limit gene flow between them.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Mountains, rivers, islands, or distance can separate populations and limit gene flow between them.

7. QuestionMultiple choice

What is reproductive isolation?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is A condition in which separated groups can no longer successfully produce fertile offspring together.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Reproductive isolation prevents gene flow and can allow separate populations to diverge into different species.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Reproductive isolation prevents gene flow and can allow separate populations to diverge into different species.

8. QuestionMultiple choice

What is speciation?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is The formation of a new species from an existing population.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Speciation can occur when populations become isolated and accumulate enough differences to remain reproductively separate.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Speciation can occur when populations become isolated and accumulate enough differences to remain reproductively separate.

9. QuestionMultiple choice

What can a phylogenetic tree show?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is Hypothesized evolutionary relationships among organisms.

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Phylogenetic trees use evidence to represent branching patterns of relatedness and common ancestry.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Phylogenetic trees use evidence to represent branching patterns of relatedness and common ancestry.

10. QuestionMultiple choice

Why might two populations become increasingly different after living on separate islands?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Different environments and limited gene flow can favor different traits over generations..

  1. Identify the variation: Determine which inherited difference, environmental condition, or population pattern the question describes.
  2. Connect the variation to selection: Isolation reduces gene flow, while local selection pressures and random changes can cause populations to diverge.
  3. Check the population outcome: Natural selection changes how common inherited traits are across generations when those traits affect survival or reproduction.

Isolation reduces gene flow, while local selection pressures and random changes can cause populations to diverge.

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