Final answer:
An adaptation is a genetically based trait that helps organisms survive and reproduce in their environment. It can be physical or behavioral, such as a platypus's webbed feet for swimming or a cheetah's speed for catching prey.
Step-by-step explanation:
An adaptation refers to a genetically based trait that has evolved because it helps living things survive and reproduce in a given environment. It is a heritable trait that helps the survival and reproduction of an organism in its present environment. Adaptations can include physical structures, such as a platypus's webbed feet for swimming, or behavioral traits, such as a cheetah's fast speed for catching prey.