Mutation

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mutation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Mutation (a change in the nucleotide sequence of an organism's genome)
2. What is the key feature?Introduces genetic variation, which is the raw material for evolution and adaptation
3. How do mutations happen when cells copy their DNA?During DNA copying, the enzyme that makes a new copy can sometimes put the wrong letter or slip. These mistakes become permanent if the cell’s repair tools can’t fix them.
4. Why are mutations important for evolution?Mutations give a population new genetic ideas to choose from. Natural selection can keep the good ones, helping species adapt and sometimes become new kinds.

Genome: The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism.
Mutagen: An agent, such as radiation or a chemical substance, that causes genetic mutation.
Phenotype: The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.