Final answer:
Natural Selection (B) is the process where organisms with favorable genes are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass their advantageous traits to their offspring, furthering the evolutionary process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the student's question is B) Natural Selection. This process occurs when organisms with favorable genes survive, reproduce, and pass their genes to the next generation, while those with less advantageous genes are less likely to reproduce and may die out. Natural selection acts on the phenotypic variation within a population, which is the observable traits or characteristics. Through this mechanism, characteristics that confer an advantage in survival and reproduction can become more common in future generations.
Moreover, it is important to note that evolution is a broader process, involving not only natural selection but also other mechanisms such as mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow. A mutation, for instance, can introduce new traits to a population, which natural selection can then act upon, while genetic drift can cause random changes in allele frequencies.
However, it's crucial to remember that the 'fittest' organisms, in terms of natural selection, are not necessarily the strongest or the fastest, but those whose traits are best suited to their environment. These traits can include any characteristic that enhances survival and reproductive success under current environmental conditions.