Question 1

Which of the following correctly describes the forms by which energy flows through an ecosystem from entry to exit?
A)heat → chemical → heat
B)light → heat → chemical
C)light → chemical → heat
D)chemical → heat → light

Accepted Answer

Energy enters most ecosystems in the form of light, is then converted into chemical energy through photosynthesis, and is eventually lost as heat in the process of cellular respiration or through other ecological processes. Therefore, the correct flow of energy is from light to chemical to heat.

Question 2

Which of the following statements describes Charles Darwin's most significant original contribution to understanding both the unity and the diversity of life?
A)He documented examples of organisms that had evolved over time.
B)He proposed a mechanism to explain the process of evolution.
C)He explained the relationship between genes and evolution.
D)He observed that individuals in a population generally displayed variation for a number of traits.
E)He suggested that survival depends upon competition.

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin's most significant original contribution was proposing the mechanism of natural selection to explain the process of evolution. This mechanism accounts for both the unity (through common descent) and diversity (through adaptation to different environments) of life.

Question 3

Living things are divided into three different domains.Which of these domains are classified as prokaryotes?
A)Bacteria and Eukarya
B)Archaea and Eukarya
C)Bacteria and Fungi
D)Bacteria and Archaea

Accepted Answer

The domains Bacteria and Archaea are classified as prokaryotes, meaning they lack a true nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Eukarya, in contrast, includes organisms with a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. Fungi is a kingdom within Eukarya, not a separate domain on its own.

Question 4

Which of the following types of cells lack(s)a nucleus?
A)animal
B)plant
C)archaea
D)fungi

Accepted Answer

Archaea lack a true nucleus and have a different type of genetic material compared to animals, plants, and fungi. These organisms are classified as a separate domain of life.

Question 5

All the living things on Earth along with all the places where life exists are collectively described by which of the following terms?
A)an ecosystem
B)the biosphere
C)a biological community
D)a population

Accepted Answer

The biosphere refers to all the living things on Earth and the places where life exists, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. It is the largest and most inclusive level of ecological organization. A biological community refers to all the living organisms in a specific area, while an ecosystem includes both the living and non-living components of an area. A population refers to a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.

Question 6

Charles Darwin proposed that "descent with modification" resulted when organisms of a particular species become adapted to their environment because they possess which of the following characteristics?
A)nonheritable traits that enhance survival and decrease their reproductive success in the local environment
B)nonheritable traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success in the local environment
C)heritable traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success in the local environment
D)heritable traits that enhance their survival and decrease their reproductive success in the local environment

Accepted Answer

According to the theory of evolution by natural selection, individuals with heritable traits that enhance their survival and reproduction in a given environment are more likely to pass on those traits to their offspring. Over time, this can result in the accumulation of adaptations that better suit the organism to its particular environment, leading to descent with modification.

Question 7

Many properties of living things involve the transfer and transformation of energy and matter.For example,plant chloroplasts convert energy from sunlight to which of the following forms of energy or matter?
A)the energy of motion
B)carbon dioxide and water
C)chemical energy
D)oxygen
E)kinetic energy

Accepted Answer

Plant chloroplasts convert energy from sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide and water are also involved in the process, but they are not the form of energy or matter that is being converted from sunlight. Oxygen is a product of photosynthesis, but it is not converted directly from sunlight. The energy of motion and kinetic energy also do not play a direct role in photosynthesis.

Question 8

A single-celled organism isolated from a deep-sea,hot thermal vent was found to have a cell wall but lacked a nucleus.This organism is most likely a member of which of the following domains?
A)Eukarya
B)Archaea
C)Animalia
D)Plantae
E)Fungi

Accepted Answer

The presence of a cell wall suggests that the organism is prokaryotic, which means it lacks a nucleus. This rules out options A, C, D, and E, all of which contain eukaryotic organisms. The fact that the organism was isolated from a deep-sea, hot thermal vent further suggests that it is a member of the Archaea domain, which contains extremophiles that live in extreme environments such as hot springs, geysers, and deep-sea vents.

Question 9

The primary source of energy for producers in an ecosystem is
A)light energy.
B)kinetic energy.
C)thermal energy.
D)chemical energy.

Accepted Answer

Producers, such as plants, use photosynthesis to convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy in the form of glucose. Therefore, the primary source of energy for producers in an ecosystem is light energy.

Question 10

Approximately what proportion of the carbon dioxide (CO₂)released by burning fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere,contributing to the trapping of heat close to Earth's surface? A)less than 1% B)5% C)50% D)90%

Accepted Answer

Approximately 50% of the carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere. The rest is absorbed by oceans and terrestrial ecosystems, which act as carbon sinks.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is a distinguishing characteristic of fungi?
A)obtaining nutrients by absorbing them from the environment
B)obtaining nutrients by ingesting other organisms
C)converting light energy to chemical energy in the form of sugars
D)living in extreme environments like boiling hot springs

Accepted Answer

Fungi obtain nutrients by absorbing them from the environment, rather than ingesting other organisms or converting light energy to chemical energy like plants do. While some extremophilic fungi exist, living in extreme environments is not a distinguishing characteristic of fungi.

Question 12

Which of the following statements describes an individual that is likely to be the most successful in an evolutionary sense?
A)a reproductively sterile individual who never falls ill
B)an organism that dies after five days of life but leaves 10 offspring,all of whom survive to reproduce
C)a male who mates with 20 females and fathers one offspring
D)an organism that lives 100 years and leaves two offspring,both of whom survive to reproduce
E)a female who mates with 20 males and produces two offspring who live to reproduce

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary success is measured by an individual's ability to pass on their genes to future generations. In this scenario, the individual that dies after 5 days but leaves 10 offspring, all of whom survive to reproduce, is likely to have the greatest number of descendants and therefore the most successful in an evolutionary sense. The other options may have traits that are advantageous in certain circumstances, but they either produce few offspring (A and D) or have limited potential for passing on genes (C and E).

Question 13

All the living organisms in a particular area along with all the nonliving aspects of the environment with which organisms interact are collectively described by which of the following terms?
A)an ecosystem
B)the biosphere
C)a biological community
D)a population

Accepted Answer

An ecosystem refers to all the living organisms in a particular area along with all the nonliving aspects of the environment with which organisms interact. The biosphere refers to the sum total of all ecosystems on Earth, while a biological community refers to all the interacting populations of different species within an ecosystem. A population refers specifically to a group of individuals of the same species in a given area.

Question 14

Investigating the molecular structure of DNA in order to understand the chemical basis of inheritance is an example of which approach utilized in the study of biology?
A)systems biology
B)emergent properties
C)reductionism
D)deductive reasoning

Accepted Answer

Investigating the molecular structure of DNA involves breaking down and studying the smallest components of biological systems, which is an example of reductionism. Systems biology involves looking at entire biological systems and how they function as a whole, emergent properties refer to properties that arise from the interaction of multiple components in a system, and deductive reasoning involves using general principles to make specific predictions. None of these approaches are specifically relevant to investigating the molecular structure of DNA.

Question 15

Strong evidence in support of the common ancestry of all life comes from which of the following observations about living things?
A)the fact that decomposers include both bacteria and fungi
B)the ability of plants to convert light energy to chemical energy
C)the existence of a nearly universal genetic code
D)the universal use of protein catalysts by all cells

Accepted Answer

The fact that almost all living things share the same genetic code strongly supports the idea that all life on Earth descended from a common ancestor. If different organisms had independently evolved their own genetic codes, it would be unlikely that they would all have converged on the same set of rules.

Question 16

Which of the following represents the correct hierarchy of biological organization from large scale to smaller scale?
A)ecosystems → biosphere → communities → populations → organisms
B)communities → populations → organisms → ecosystems → biosphere
C)biosphere → communities → populations → ecosystems → organisms
D)biosphere → ecosystems → communities → populations → organisms
E)biosphere → ecosystems → populations→ communities → organisms

Accepted Answer

The correct hierarchy of biological organization is from large scale to smaller scale - biosphere (the Earth) encompasses all ecosystems, ecosystems contain communities of living organisms, communities contain populations of different species, and populations consist of individual organisms.

Question 17

All the individuals of a particular species living within the bounds of a specified area are collectively described by which of the following terms?
A)a biological system
B)a biosphere
C)a biological community
D)a population

Accepted Answer

A population refers to all the individuals of a particular species living within a specified area. A biological system refers to the combination of parts that function together as a unit. A biosphere refers to all the living organisms on Earth and their interactions with the nonliving components of the Earth's surface. A biological community refers to all the interacting populations of different species within a particular area.

Question 18

Which of the following terms describes membrane-enclosed components of cells that carry out specialized functions?
A)tissues
B)organs
C)organelles
D)cells

Accepted Answer

Organelles are the membrane-enclosed components of cells that carry out specialized functions. Tissues are groups of cells that work together to perform a specific function, organs are groups of tissues that work together to perform a specific function, and cells are the basic unit of life.

Question 19

Over time,the lineage that led to modern whales shows a change from four-limbed land animals to aquatic animals with two limbs that function as flippers.This change is best explained by which of the following concepts or processes?
A)an emergent property
B)reductionism
C)the hierarchy of the biological organization of life
D)natural selection

Accepted Answer

The transition from four-limbed land animals to aquatic animals with flippers in the lineage that led to modern whales is best explained by natural selection. This evolutionary process involves changes in traits of populations over generations, favoring adaptations that enhance survival and reproduction in specific environments. In this case, natural selection favored traits that improved aquatic living, leading to the reduction of hind limbs and the modification of front limbs into flippers for better swimming efficiency.

Question 20

All of the organisms living in a particular ecosystem are collectively known as a(n)
A)biological community.
B)order.
C)family.
D)population.

Accepted Answer

A biological community is the collection of all organisms living in a particular ecosystem, interacting with each other and their environment. Option B (order) refers to a taxonomic rank, option C (family) refers to a taxonomic group of organisms, and option D (population) refers to a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Quiz 1: Introduction: Evolution and the Foundations of Biology

Which of the following correctly describes the forms by which energy flows through an ecosystem from entry to exit?

Which of the following statements describes Charles Darwin's most significant original contribution to understanding both the unity and the diversity of life?

Living things are divided into three different domains.Which of these domains are classified as prokaryotes?

Which of the following types of cells lack(s) a nucleus?

All the living things on Earth along with all the places where life exists are collectively described by which of the following terms?

Charles Darwin proposed that "descent with modification" resulted when organisms of a particular species become adapted to their environment because they possess which of the following characteristics?

Many properties of living things involve the transfer and transformation of energy and matter.For example,plant chloroplasts convert energy from sunlight to which of the following forms of energy or matter?

A single-celled organism isolated from a deep-sea,hot thermal vent was found to have a cell wall but lacked a nucleus.This organism is most likely a member of which of the following domains?

The primary source of energy for producers in an ecosystem is

Approximately what proportion of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) released by burning fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere,contributing to the trapping of heat close to Earth's surface?

Which of the following statements is a distinguishing characteristic of fungi?

Which of the following statements describes an individual that is likely to be the most successful in an evolutionary sense?

All the living organisms in a particular area along with all the nonliving aspects of the environment with which organisms interact are collectively described by which of the following terms?

Investigating the molecular structure of DNA in order to understand the chemical basis of inheritance is an example of which approach utilized in the study of biology?

Strong evidence in support of the common ancestry of all life comes from which of the following observations about living things?

Which of the following represents the correct hierarchy of biological organization from large scale to smaller scale?

All the individuals of a particular species living within the bounds of a specified area are collectively described by which of the following terms?

Which of the following terms describes membrane-enclosed components of cells that carry out specialized functions?

Over time,the lineage that led to modern whales shows a change from four-limbed land animals to aquatic animals with two limbs that function as flippers.This change is best explained by which of the following concepts or processes?

All of the organisms living in a particular ecosystem are collectively known as a(n)