Question

Which statement is scientifically based?

Mutations rarely occur.
All mutations are harmful.
Some mutations can be contagious, like infections.
Mutations are not passed from parent to offspring.

Answer 1

Scientifically, some mutations can be advantageous, neutral, or harmful, and can affect an organism's fitness or be passed to offspring if they occur in the germ line cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Which Statement is Scientifically Based?

The scientifically based statement is that some mutations can be advantageous, neutral, or harmful. Mutations are changes to an organism's DNA and can result from errors during DNA replication, exposure to mutagens, or a viral infection. Advantageous mutations improve an individual's survival or reproductive success. An example is the mutation for black coloration in peppered moths during the Industrial Revolution which improved their survival.

Neutral mutations do not affect an organism's fitness and remain unaffected by natural selection. Harmful mutations can negatively affect an organism's survival or reproduction and may cause genetic disorders or cancer. Importantly, mutations must occur in the germ line—sperm or eggs—to be passed on to offspring, thus affecting the genetic variation within a population.