Answer:
1.The purpose of the experiment was to observe the effects of natural selection on the populations of different types of moths in simulated environments.
2.The independent variable was the type of moth (color) and the environment (birch tree or flower). The dependent variable was the number of moths after each test. The control variables were the initial number of moths and the duration of the tests.
3.Hypothesis: The populations of moths will change over time based on their ability to blend in with their environment and avoid predators.
4.The tools used to collect data were a counting sheet and a calculator.
5.The procedure followed to conduct the experiment included setting up two simulated environments (birch tree and flower) and releasing equal numbers of each type of moth (pink and yellow, blue and white, white with black spots, and black with white spots) into each environment. The number of moths was counted after each test and recorded on the counting sheet.
6.The observations recorded were the initial number of moths and the number of moths after each test in each environment.
7.The conclusion that can be drawn from the experiment is that natural selection leads to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time. For example, in the birch tree simulation, the number of white moths increased over time, while the number of pink and yellow moths decreased. This can be attributed to the fact that the white moths were able to blend in with the birch tree and avoid predators, while the pink and yellow moths were more visible and were likely preyed upon.
8.If the pink flowers were replaced with blue ones, it is likely that the populations of pink and yellow moths would decrease and the populations of blue and white moths would increase. This is because the blue and white moths would be able to blend in with the blue flowers and avoid predators, while the pink and yellow moths would be more visible and at higher risk of predation.
Step-by-step explanation: