Science Assessment ~ Items ~ EN026002

A population is a group of individuals of the same species. Could a population living today differ from their ancestors from many generations ago? Why or why not?

Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can cause individuals in each generation to try to change some of their inherited traits to ones that are better suited to the new environment.
Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can affect which inherited traits are most helpful, and therefore which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can cause individuals to use some of their inherited traits more than before and pass down better versions of those traits to their offspring.
No, they could not differ after many generations because all members of a population are the same species and therefore have the same set of inherited traits.

Details
Performance
NGSS

Topic
Correct Answer: B
Misconceptions

Distribution of Responses

Chart showing distrubtion of responses for Item 026002

Students Responding Correctly

Group	Correct	Total	Percent
Overall	558	1584	35%
Grades
6–8	272	941	29%
9–12	286	643	44%
Gender
Male	272	768	35%
Female	276	781	35%
Primary Language
English	500	1420	35%
Other	45	120	38%

View data table

Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS4.C Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.

Science Assessment

Item EN026002: A population can differ from its ancestors because an environmental change can affect which inherited traits are most helpful and, therefore, which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce.