Deck 1: A View of Life

Question 1

Which of the following is matched incorrectly?

A) brain - organ
B) neuron - cell
C) skin - organ system
D) gray matter - tissue
E) gene - organelle

Answer 1

E
Explanation: A gene is part of the DNA so is best described as a biological molecule.

Question 2

Richard is an avid gardener who spends a lot of time caring for the plants in his garden. To minimize damage from pests from his garden, Richard uses a pesticide spray. At first the spray is very effective and kills off most of the insects that he sees on his vegetable plants. However, after a few years of using the same pesticide he notices that some insects are surviving and continuing to eat his plants. The ability of some of the insects to survive pesticide spraying would be considered

A) natural selection.
B) evolution.
C) an adaptation.
D) a gene.
E) a learned response.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: An adaptation is a trait that enhances the survival of an individual in a certain environment.

Question 3

All the chemical reactions that occur in a cell are called

A) Reproduction
B) Adaptations
C) Photosynthesis
D) Energy
E) Metabolism

Answer 3

E
Explanation: Food provides nutrient molecules to living things. When cells use these molecules to make their parts and products they carry out a sequence of chemical reactions, which are collectively known as the organism's metabolism.

Question 4

After spending an hour working outside in the hot, sunny weather, a person typically perspires and will need to drink water. This is part of

A) metabolizing energy.
B) maintaining homeostasis.
C) regulating blood proteins.
D) capturing solar energy.
E) adaptation to the warm weather.

Question 5

The circulatory system of a whale is considered an organ system because it is composed of different

A) cells.
B) tissues.
C) organs.
D) molecules.
E) heart.

Question 6

Richard is an avid gardener who spends a lot of time caring for the plants in his garden. To minimize damage from pests from his garden, Richard uses a pesticide spray. At first the spray is very effective and kills off most of the insects that he sees on his vegetable plants. However, after a few years of using the same pesticide he notices that some insects are surviving and continuing to eat his plants. This selection for herbicide resistance in the insects is an example of

A) natural selection.
B) evolution.
C) an adaptation.
D) a gene.
E) a learned response.

Question 7

Many insects do not see into the red color-range and as a result, many insect-pollinated flowers are colors other than red (e.g., purple and yellow). This flower coloration would be considered a(n)

A) natural selection.
B) evolution.
C) adaptation.
D) gene.
E) DNA.

Question 8

Which of the following lists the terms from simplest to most complex?

A) cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, organism
B) organs, organ system, organism, cells, tissues
C) tissues, organs, organ systems, organism, cells
D) cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism
E) organ systems, tissues, cells, organism, organs

Question 9

The smallest unit of life is a

A) tissue.
B) organ.
C) cell.
D) specie.
E) organism.

Question 10

Prokaryotes belong to _______________.

A) Domain Eukarya
B) Kingdom Plantae
C) Kingdom Protista
D) Domain Archaea
E) Kingdom Animalia

Question 11

All single-celled organisms including archaea and bacteria are prokaryotes.

A) True because prokaryotes are the simplest cell form.
B) True because all eukaryotes are multicellular.
C) False because some eukaryotes, including protista, are single-celled.
D) False because some prokaryotes are multicellular.
E) False because all single celled organisms are prokaryotes.

Question 12

Female fireflies emit flashes of light that attract males. This communication is an example of which characteristic of life?

A) maintaining homeostasis
B) metabolism
C) interactions with the environment
D) energy regulation
E) organization

Question 13

Geese are known to use the magnetic field of the Earth in navigating their twice yearly migrations. This is an example of which characteristic of life?

A) maintaining homeostasis
B) reproduction and development
C) interacting with the environment
D) energy regulation
E) organization

Question 14

The mountain zebra (Equus zebra) and the donkey (Equus asinus) belong to the same species.

A) True because they both start with Equus.
B) True because they are both related to horses.
C) False because the specific epithet is different.
D) False because they have no similarities to each other.
E) True because they have the same genus.

Question 15

The process of _____________________ transforms solar energy into chemical energy.

A) metabolism
B) homeostasis
C) respiration
D) photosynthesis
E) reproduction

Question 16

Richard is an avid gardener who spends a lot of time caring for the plants in his garden. To minimize damage from pests from his garden, Richard uses a pesticide spray. At first the spray is very effective and kills off most of the insects that he sees on his vegetable plants. However, after a few years of using the same pesticide he notices that some insects are surviving and continuing to eat his plants. The constant use of pesticides by Richard has led to genetic changes in the population over many generations. This is an example of

A) natural selection.
B) evolution.
C) an adaptation.
D) a gene.
E) a learned response.

Question 17

The various species of honeycreepers have an assortment of different bills, but all species have a similar size and body shape. This is an example of

A) homeostasis.
B) descent with modification.
C) taxonomy.
D) adaptations.
E) DNA.

Question 18

Based on the evolutionary tree of the three domains, which of the following is true?

A) All three domains have a common ancestor.
B) Domain Bacteria and Domain Eukarya are more closely related to each other than to Domain Archaea.
C) The Eukarya have remained the same throughout evolutionary time.
D) All three domains are equally related to one another.
E) The Eukarya are the common ancestors to the three domains.

Question 19

All of the following are true with respect to DNA except _________

A) genes are made up of DNA.
B) for sex cells (sperm and egg), the DNA found in every cell in your body is identical.
C) offspring from sexual reproduction obtain their DNA from both parents.
D) asexual reproduction results in offspring with DNA that is different from the parent.
E) DNA codes for proteins.

Question 20

Which of the following correctly lists the classification categories from least to most inclusive?

A) kingdom, phylum, domain, class, order family, genus, species
B) domain, kingdom, class, order, family, phylum, genus, species
C) genus, species, family, class, order, domain, phylum, kingdom
D) species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain
E) phylum, species, genus, kingdom, domain, order, class, family

Question 21

Populations of amphibians, including frogs and toads, have been plagued by disease and high rates of deformity. A recent study investigated whether problems among the populations have arisen due to poisons from chemicals associated with agriculture. Biologists from the University of Florida collected local adult cane toads (Bufo marinus) from more than 20 different locations. Toads were collected from areas close to agriculture; both large-scale and small-scale farms as well as from suburbs. At collection sites where 50-97% of the adjacent land was farmed, males showed high levels of feminization. Feminized male toads were similar in color to females and had lower levels of testosterone and often also deformed gonads. These changes can lead to sterile males or changes in behavior that prevent mating from occurring. Based on this study, what is/are the test group(s)?

A) male toads collected from the suburbs
B) male toads collected from areas near large-scale farms
C) male toads collected from small-scale farms
D) male toads collected from all the different sites
E) female toads collected from all the different sites

Question 22

Kevin is studying predator-prey interactions. One day he notices a spider eating a cricket caught in its web. Later that day, a bird eats the spider. Based on the organisms involved in this study, what level of organization is he studying?

A) population
B) community
C) ecosystem
D) biosphere
E) cells

Question 23

Kevin is studying predator-prey interactions. One day he notices a spider eating a cricket caught in its web. Later that day, a bird eats the spider. How many populations are included in his study?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 24

A pond ecosystem includes small water fleas which feed on submerged aquatic plants. When the water fleas die, they sink to the bottom of the pond and where they decompose with the help of bacteria. List in order the producer, decomposer, and consumer in this system.

A) water fleas, bacteria, aquatic plants
B) aquatic plants, water fleas, bacteria
C) bacteria, water fleas, aquatic plants
D) aquatic plants, bacteria, water fleas
E) bacterial, aquatic plants, water fleas

Question 25

Which of the following is the most encompassing level of organization?

A) community
B) population
C) ecosystem
D) species
E) cells

Question 26

Kevin is studying predator-prey interactions. One day he notices a spider eating a cricket caught in its web. Later that day, a bird eats the spider. How many producers are there is this scenario?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 27

Domain _______________ includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms.

A) Eukarya
B) Bacteria
C) Protista
D) Fungi
E) Plantae

Question 28

A biologist is studying how pollution affects algal growth and snail populations in a portion of Lake Erie. What level of organization is she studying?

A) population
B) community
C) ecosystem
D) biosphere
E) cells

Question 29

Phylum Arthropoda is broken into subgroups which include both Arachnida (e.g., spiders) and Insecta (e.g., insects). As a result, Arachnida and Insecta most likely belong to which classification category?

A) Class
B) Order
C) Family
D) Kingdom
E) Domain

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT true about ecosystems?

A) Energy is constantly recycled.
B) Nutrients are constantly recycled.
C) Producers are a food source for both consumers and decomposers.
D) Solar energy is required for photosynthesis.
E) Chemicals are constantly recycled.

Question 31

A pond ecosystem includes small water fleas which feed on submerged aquatic plants. When the water fleas die, they sink to the bottom of the pond and where they decompose with the help of bacteria. How many kingdoms are represented in this ecosystem?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question 32

Martin keeps a worm bin in his basement because they need cooler temperatures to survive. He feeds them about 1 pound of kitchen scraps each week. One summer the temperatures rise above the optimal temperature for the red worms (~ 85°F) and many in his colony die. However, those that survive continue to reproduce and within 6 months his colony is again thriving. The next summer, unusually warm temperatures again cause the basement temperatures to rise above 85°F for 2 days in a row. Surprisingly, Martin noticed that only a small portion of the worm colony died. What is the best explanation for this?

A) After the first summer a new species of worm evolved.
B) The worms sensed that the temperature was going to be hot in the future and adapted.
C) The worms learned how to tolerate higher temperatures.
D) The worms surviving the first year had a higher heat tolerance and passed this trait to their offspring.
E) Worms are insensitive to heat changes.

Question 33

Refer to the figure below. How many different kingdoms are represented in this figure?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question 34

Which of the following classification categories for humans is not correct?

A) Homo sapiens: Binomial Name
B) Homo: genus
C) Animalia: Kingdom
D) sapiens: family
E) Domain: Eukarya

Question 35

Linda is studying the interaction between porcupines, pinion pine trees, and pine bark beetles. Over the course of her study in northern Texas, she observes the behaviors of 25 porcupines, records the location of 151 pinion pines, and traps 332 beetles. Her study encompasses _________ population(s) and ___________ organisms.

A) 1; 508
B) 3; 3
C) 508; 508
D) 3; 508
E) 508; 3

Question 36

Populations of amphibians, including frogs and toads, have been plagued by disease and high rates of deformity. A recent study investigated whether problems among the populations have arisen due to poisons from chemicals associated with agriculture. Biologists from the University of Florida collected local adult cane toads (Bufo marinus) from more than 20 different locations. Toads were collected from areas close to agriculture; both large-scale and small-scale farms as well as from suburbs. At collection sites where 50-97% of the adjacent land was farmed, males showed high levels of feminization. Feminized male toads were similar in color to females and had lower levels of testosterone and often also deformed gonads. These changes can lead to sterile males or changes in behavior that prevent mating from occurring. Based on this study, what is the control group?

A) male toads collected from the suburbs
B) male toads collected from areas near large-scale farms
C) male toads collected from small-scale farms
D) male toads collected from all the different sites
E) female toads collected from all the different sites

Question 37

Kevin is studying predator-prey interactions. One day he notices a spider eating a cricket caught in its web. Later that day, a bird eats the spider. How many consumers are there is this scenario?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 38

Which of the following terms is not correctly matched with a correct example?

A) a herd of wildebeest - population
B) a spider - organism
C) a mosquito feeding on a human host - community
D) a rock garden with various plants and rocks of different sizes - ecosystem
E) a tropical rainforest - community

Question 39

Populations of amphibians, including frogs and toads, have been plagued by disease and high rates of deformity. A recent study investigated whether problems among the populations have arisen due to poisons from chemicals associated with agriculture. Biologists from the University of Florida collected local adult cane toads (Bufo marinus) from more than 20 different locations. Toads were collected from areas close to agriculture; both large-scale and small-scale farms as well as from suburbs. At collection sites where 50-97% of the adjacent land was farmed, males showed high levels of feminization. Feminized male toads were similar in color to females and had lower levels of testosterone and often also deformed gonads. These changes can lead to sterile males or changes in behavior that prevent mating from occurring. Which of the following statements would be considered a hypothesis for this study?

A) Amphibian populations are facing problems due to agricultural chemicals.
B) Toxins are causing diseases and deformities within many amphibian populations.
C) Toads collected from suburbs had fewer deformities compared to toads collected from agricultural areas.
D) Agricultural chemicals cause deformities and feminization amongst cane toads.
E) More male toads from the large-scale agricultural areas showed signs of feminization.

Question 40

Didinium are carnivorous protista, that prey on other, slower moving protista. A student is studying Didinium feeding rates after 1, 3, and 5 days of food deprivation. How should she classify the organism she is studying?

A) eukaryotic decomposer
B) prokaryotic consumer
C) bacterial decomposer
D) prokaryotic producer
E) eukaryotic consumer

Question 41

Natural selection is a process where organisms that are better suited to a certain set of environmental conditions tend to survive and reproduce more often than others. This leads to evolution as

A) organisms with those traits appear more often in the population.
B) the environment changes fast enough to prevent overpopulation.
C) the traits mutate into other traits.
D) organisms with different traits appear more often.
E) organisms with those traits appear less often in the population.

Question 42

A scientist discovers a new application for a common medical procedure that involves taking tissues from one patient and placing them into another patient. The procedure always results in a full recovery for the patient receiving the tissue but results in long-term disability for the donor 10% of the time. According to bioethics, making the decision as to whether this procedure should be allowed in this country should be the responsibility of

A) doctors only.
B) politicians only.
C) all citizens.
D) biologists specializing in bioethics.
E) philosophers.

Question 43

The purpose of a control group in an experiment is

A) to prove the hypothesis.
B) for comparison to the other test groups.
C) for comparison to the results of other experiments.
D) to prove the prediction.
E) to control the dependent variable.

Question 44

Which of the following statements, is not true with respect to scientific theory?

A) Theories are accepted explanations for how the world works.
B) Theories are possible explanations for natural events.
C) The theory of evolution is considered the unifying concept in biology.
D) Theories can help scientists generate new testable hypotheses.
E) Theories are supported by many observations and experiments.

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT true about biodiversity?

A) Biodiversity is defined as variation in life on Earth.
B) Beetles have the highest biodiversity of all animals because there are more species of beetle than any other animal.
C) Biodiversity is one of the most significant bioethical issues that we face today.
D) As extinction rates increase, biodiversity increases.
E) The biodiversity that we have on Earth is the result of billions of years of evolution.

Question 46

The metabolic reactions that rake place in a cell obey all of the same laws and require the same conditions necessary for any chemical reaction to occur. To make these reactions possible cells

A) maintain the correct temperature, moisture level and acidity as well as other factors.
B) rely on the external conditions in the environment.
C) are at the mercy of change that occur as each reaction progresses in the cell.
D) rely on external factors that control their internal conditions.
E) sidestep the conditions by manipulating the external environment.

Question 47

Evolutionary processes lead to organisms that

A) are perfect.
B) function well in a given environment.
C) can only survive in that one environment.
D) have a single adaptive trait.
E) become extinct.

Question 48

The process of _______________________ leads to organisms that are ___________________________ that environment.

A) natural selection: adapted to
B) adaption: evolved for
C) homeostasis: suited to
D) natural selection: perfect for
E) adaptation: only found in

Question 49

Bioethics is a branch of biology concerned with

A) the development and consequences of biological technology.
B) studying the ethics of stem cell research.
C) determining if experimental results are valid.
D) studying the validity of scientific laws.
E) studying the effects of human actions on extinction rates.

Question 50

Scientists were studying temperature selection among pregnant big brown bats. What would the treatment group be in this experiment?

A) pregnant bats
B) female bats that were not pregnant.
C) male bats
D) juvenile male bats
E) Juvenile female bats

Question 51

The beaks of birds are well suited to the type of food they eat. This result arises from

A) organisms changing so that they can do things more efficiently.
B) adaptations that occur as part of natural selection leading to a closer and closer fit between organisms and their environment.
C) birds eating only what their beaks are well suited to eat.
D) adaptations only allowing those organisms who are well suited to a food source to feed on it.
E) natural selection causing adaptations to develop in the birds to match the beaks.

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT true with regards to extinction?

A) Extinction of different species can impact humans.
B) All extinctions are caused by human activities such as habitat destruction.
C) As many as 400 species per day may be lost due to human activities.
D) Introduction of nonnative species to an area can increase the rate of extinction.
E) Extinction is the death of a species or a larger taxonomic group.

Question 53

In science, a theory

A) is tested by an experiment.
B) is more narrow in scope than a hypothesis.
C) encompasses many hypotheses.
D) cannot be tested.
E) is held to be an absolutely correct answer to a question.

Question 54

Which of the following statements is not correctly matched with the scientific method term?

A) Biologists suggested that 2-3 cups of coffee can decrease death rates among women - Hypothesis
B) Leslie set up mist nets to catch bats flying over a small stream. Each bat that was caught was weighed and sexed - Experimental design
C) Bethany watched butterflies feeding in a large field of wild flowers. She noticed that more butterflies approached the yellow and purple flowers than the red flowers - Observation
D) A researcher reported that red-foot tortoises preferred red colored fruits and vegetables to those that were green or white colored - Conclusion
E) All organisms are comprised of cells - Data

Question 55

An aspiring scientist in a biology class wanted to conduct a study on the affects of cigarette smoke on the web-building ability of spiders. Which of the following statements is an incorrect use of terms pertaining to the scientific method?

A) Robert wanted to see if his theory was true that cigarette smoke will influence web-building in spiders.
B) Robert made the observation that spiders weave webs.
C) As a control, Robert had a group of spiders that were never exposed to cigarette smoke.
D) Robert examined the webs from both the control group and the test group and the data was recorded in a table.
E) Robert concluded that there was no significant difference in the ability to weave a web under conditions of cigarette smoke compared to spiders that were not exposed.

Question 56

Living organisms must constantly take in energy in order to power functions necessary to remain alive. The chemical reaction that involve energy conversion are called

A) adaptations
B) cell respiration
C) photosynthesis
D) metabolism
E) homeostasis

Question 57

Populations of amphibians, including frogs and toads, have been plagued by disease and high rates of deformity. A recent study investigated whether problems among the populations have arisen due to poisons from chemicals associated with agriculture. Biologists from the University of Florida collected local adult cane toads (Bufo marinus) from more than 20 different locations. Toads were collected from areas close to agriculture; both large-scale and small-scale farms as well as from suburbs. At collection sites where 50-97% of the adjacent land was farmed, males showed high levels of feminization. Feminized male toads were similar in color to females and had lower levels of testosterone and often also deformed gonads. These changes can lead to sterile males or changes in behavior that prevent mating from occurring. At the end of their study, scientists stated that they had supported their theory that agricultural chemical cause deformities.

A) True based on the data collected during the study.
B) False because they would need more data to prove a theory.
C) False because they were testing a hypothesis not a theory.
D) True because this was a controlled study.
E) False because this was a controlled study.

Question 58

Why is evolution an important process for living things?

A) It gives them more traits.
B) It gives them the perfect traits.
C) It gives them fewer traits.
D) It gives them traits that better match their environment.
E) It gives them only the right traits.

Question 59

Scientists were studying temperature selection amongst pregnant big brown bats. What would be the best control group for this study?

A) pregnant bats
B) female bats that were not pregnant.
C) male bats
D) juvenile male bats
E) juvenile female bats

Question 60

Populations of amphibians, including frogs and toads, have been plagued by disease and high rates of deformity. A recent study investigated whether problems among the populations have arisen due to poisons from chemicals associated with agriculture. Biologists from the University of Florida collected local adult cane toads (Bufo marinus) from more than 20 different locations. Toads were collected from areas close to agriculture; both large-scale and small-scale farms as well as from suburbs. At collection sites where 50-97% of the adjacent land was farmed, males showed high levels of feminization. Feminized male toads were similar in color to females and had lower levels of testosterone and often also deformed gonads. These changes can lead to sterile males or changes in behavior that prevent mating from occurring. In this study, what is the genus of the study animal?

A) Bufo marinus
B) cane toad
C) amphibian
D) Bufo
E) marinus