Name:
________________
Date:
___________ Period: ___
PhET Simulation - Natural Selection
For this activity, you will need to use the PhET simulation for Natural Selection found at:
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/natural-selection/latest/natural-selection_en.html
Open the application and follow the directions below. Answer the questions in the
spaces provided.
Part 1: Food Selection
1. Open the simulation and press the “Pause” button at the bottom of the screen.
2. Press “Add a Mate” to add a second bunny.
3. Press “Play.”
4. When the next generation appears (when you see more bunnies), press “Pause” again. Watch the
graph below or the generation clock on top.
5. How many bunnies are there in total in this second generation?
6. Press “Play” and let another generation occur. Pause after the next generation. How many
bunnies are there in this new generation?
7. You should notice a change in the population of bunnies. What has happened to them? Answer
in a complete sentence.
Part 2: Predator Selection
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Press “Reset All”
and then “Pause.”
Press “Add a Mate” to add a second bunny.
Under “Environmental Factor,” press “Wolves.”
Press “Play.”
What happened to all of the bunnies?
Part 3: Variance in the Population
1. Press “Play Again” and then “Pause.”
2. Before starting the simulation, set up your factors. Under “Add Mutations,” select “Brown Fur.”
Then click “Add a Mate.”
3. Press “Play.”
4. Make note of how many of each bunny is present in each new generation in the table below.
1st Generation
White Fur
Brown Fur
2nd Generation
3rd Generation
4th Generation
5. Press “Reset All,” “Pause,” and set up the following factors:
a. Selection Factor: Wolves
b. Add Mutations: Brown Fur
c. Add a Mate
6. Press “Play.”
7. Make note of how many of each bunny is present in each new generation in the table below.
1st Generation
2nd Generation
3rd Generation
4th Generation
White Fur
Brown Fur
Part 4: Changes in the Environment
1. Press “Reset All” and then “Pause.”
2. Set up the following factors:
a. Environment: Arctic
b. Environmental Factor: Wolves
c. Add a Mate
3. Press “Play.”
4. What happens to the population of bunnies? Answer in a complete sentence.
5. Press “Reset All” and then “Pause.”
6. Set up the following factors:
a. Environment: Arctic
b. Add Mutations: Brown Fur
c. Add a Mate
d. Press “Play”
e. Then after two generations add Environment Factors: Wolves
7. Press “Play.”
8. Make note of how many of each bunny is present in each new generation in the table below.
1st Generation
White Fur
Brown Fur
2nd Generation
3rd Generation
4th Generation
Part 5: Explore the Simulation
1. Press “Reset All” and then “Pause.”
2. Choose your own factors to run the simulation. List which factors you have chosen here:
a. Environment Factor:
b. Add Mutation:
c. You must click “Add a Mate” before starting your simulation.
3. Press “Play” and let at least three new generations take place.
4. Make note of how many of each bunny is present in each new generation in the table below. List
the mutation you chose in the left column.
1st Generation
2nd Generation
3rd Generation
4th Generation
5. How did the mutation you chose change the bunny population? What was a limiting factor in your
simulation? Answer in two complete sentences.
Analysis - Answer all of the questions below in complete sentences.
Go back to Part 3 of the instructions. Set up the simulation with the factors listed in Part 3
(Brown fur and add a mate), then add the Wolves after running two generations then press
pause. Continue this simulation and fill out the following data table. Pause the simulation to
count bunnies after each generation has been added.
Generation Number
1
2
Add Wolves 3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Bunnies with White Fur
Bunnies with Brown Fur
1. Use the data you collected in the previous question to create a double line graph. You will need
to use two different lines to represent the two populations of bunnies. These can be solid or
dashed, or you can use different colors. Record how you will represent these two populations in
the box labeled “Key-different colors for brown and white bunnies.” Make sure that your graph
includes an appropriate range on both the X axis - Generations and Y axis -Bunny
Population, and a title.
2. What is a beneficial mutation for bunnies in this environment? Answer the question using
Natural Selection in your explanation and providin two pieces of evidence from the data you
have collected. (at least 5 sentences)