Florida Biology EOC Practice Test

A mutation is specifically defined as a change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome. This alteration can occur in various forms, such as substitutions of one base for another, insertions, or deletions of DNA segments. Mutations can arise due to errors during DNA replication, environmental factors, or exposure to certain chemicals.

Understanding mutations is crucial in biology because they are the primary source of genetic variation within a population, which can lead to evolutionary changes over time. While some mutations may be beneficial or harmful, the defining characteristic is that they represent changes at the molecular level within the DNA itself.