Antibiotic resistance occurs when an antibiotic has lost its ability to effectively control bacterial growth. in other words, the bacteria are “resistant” and continue to multiply in the presence of therapeutic levels of antibiotic. which statement best explains this natural phenomenon in terms of darwin’s theory of natural selection.

a. the antibiotics caused certain groups of bacteria to suddenly start producing enzymes that destroyed the antibiotic before it could harm the bacteria.

b. when an antibiotic is used, bacteria that have a natural variation for resistance to the antibiotic have a greater chance of survival.

c. although susceptible bacteria are killed or inhibited by an antibiotic, any offspring they produced before they died will be resistant to the antibiotic.

d. the need to adapt or die caused some bacteria to become resistant to the antibiotic. this acquired resistance was passed into the future bacteria populations making them resistant.

B. When an antibiotic is used, bacteria that have a natural variation for resistance to the antibiotic have a greater chance of survival.

Antibiotic resistance is a consequence of evolution via natural selection.

The antibiotic action is an example of environmental pressure to bacteria, therefore; those bacteria which have a mutation allowing them to survive will live on to reproduce.

They will then pass this trait to their offspring, which will be a fully resistant generation.

the last one: artificial selection/genetic engineering

plant breeding is modifying the genetic composition of the plant - but this isn't cloning (which is specifically introducing a gene into a genome). but you are artificially selecting for the phenotype that you want.

the second one is literally genetic engineering - the gene would have been cloned first and then inserted or genetically engineered into the new plant cell (the cotton).

essentially, one bacterial cell splits into two daugurer cells. bacterial offspring don't need or get care from their parents because they are in a sense their own parents. that said, some bacteria can and do depend on other bacteria especially in harsh environments such as bacterial microfilms in hot water tanks.