Final answer:
Mutations are essential for evolution because they introduce genetic variations that can potentially lead to adaptations in populations. Beneficial mutations may help organisms survive, reproduce, and become more common, while natural selection can eliminate harmful mutations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of mutations in evolution is to provide the genetic variation necessary for populations to adapt and evolve. The correct answer to the question 'What best describes the role of mutations in evolution?' is c. Mutations are essential for evolution to occur because they produce variations within a population. Mutations, which are changes to an organism's DNA, introduce new genetic material and represent the raw material upon which natural selection acts.
Beneficial mutations may help an organism survive and reproduce and thus can become more widespread in a population over time. On the contrary, harmful mutations can negatively affect an organism's chances of survival and reproduction, and are often eliminated from the population through natural selection. Mutations occur randomly, but their consequences for a population are shaped by environmental pressures and the process of natural selection, which is not random. Mutations contribute to the diversity and adaptability of populations, making them a fundamental aspect of the evolutionary process.