Which word pair makes the following statement true?
The process of ___________________leads to the formation of new species by ___________________.
Responses
A extinction, speciationextinction, speciation
B speciation, use and disusespeciation, use and disuse
C natural selection, evolutionnatural selection, evolution
D divergent evolution, natural selection
B speciation, use and disuse
C natural selection, evolution
The word pair that makes the statement true is "Divergent evolution, natural selection."
To arrive at this conclusion, we need to understand the concepts and relationships between the given words. Let's break it down:
1. Extinction: Refers to the complete and permanent disappearance of a species or group of organisms from the Earth.
2. Speciation: The process through which new species are formed over time.
3. Natural selection: The process by which organisms with variations that are better adapted to their environment have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing.
By analyzing these definitions, we can eliminate options A and B since they do not align with the given statement.
Option C, "natural selection, evolution," is not correct because natural selection is a factor that contributes to evolution, but it is not the process itself that directly leads to the formation of new species.
The correct answer is option D, "divergent evolution, natural selection." Divergent evolution occurs when two or more related species become more different over time due to adapting to different environmental conditions. This process, along with natural selection, can lead to the formation of new species.
Therefore, option D, "divergent evolution, natural selection," is the correct pair that makes the statement true.