A mutation occurs in a mosquito. As a result, some of the mosquito's offspring are resistant to a chemical used to kill mosquitoes. They survive when the chemical is sprayed. Explain why the mosquito's offspring have resistance to the chemical and whether the effect of the mutation is beneficial, neutral, or harmful to the mosquitoes.

- Mosquitoes acquired resistance by natural selection.

- In this case, a beneficial mutation fixed in the population.

Explanation:

Natural selection can be defined as the process by which individuals that exhibit certain phenotypic traits in a given environment have more chances to survive and reproduce. Mutations are random genetic changes produced during the replication of DNA. In general, mutations have a negative effect, but there are situations where mutations confer an adaptive advantage. Natural selection, which is a nor random process, favors mutations that give an adaptive advantage. In this case, resistant mutant mosquitoes are able to survive and reproduce, thereby these mutations will pass on to their offspring.