Question 1

Scientists' ability to reconstruct evolutionary history has been most enhanced in recent decades by

Accepted Answer

A)  new fossil-hunting techniques. 
B)  advances in anatomical dissection. 
C)  improved microscopic technologies. 
D)  accurate genetic sequencing techniques. 
E)  an increase in research in animal developmental biology. 
A)  new fossil-hunting techniques. 
B)  advances in anatomical dissection. 
C)  improved microscopic technologies. 
D)  accurate genetic sequencing techniques. 
E)  an increase in research in animal developmental biology.

Question 2

A couple of recent movies depict terrifying scenarios in which pathogenic bacteria or viruses kill most of the people they infect.Which statement best answers whether it is possible for such a scenario to occur in real life and explains why?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is not possible, because modern medicine has developed vaccines that protect us from harmful pathogens. 
B)  It is not possible, because even if someone does become infected, the medical community has so much knowledge and capability that it can effectively suppress any pathogen. 
C)  It is not possible, because bacteria and viruses found today are much less dangerous than they were many years ago when they caused so many human deaths. 
D)  It is possible because the more pathogenic the microbe, the easier it is for that microbe to infect someone. 
E)  It is possible because bacteria and viruses have such short life spans and large populations, they can quickly evolve new and very harmful characteristics. 
A)  It is not possible, because modern medicine has developed vaccines that protect us from harmful pathogens. 
B)  It is not possible, because even if someone does become infected, the medical community has so much knowledge and capability that it can effectively suppress any pathogen. 
C)  It is not possible, because bacteria and viruses found today are much less dangerous than they were many years ago when they caused so many human deaths. 
D)  It is possible because the more pathogenic the microbe, the easier it is for that microbe to infect someone. 
E)  It is possible because bacteria and viruses have such short life spans and large populations, they can quickly evolve new and very harmful characteristics.

Question 3

Scientific explanations for a natural phenomenon

Accepted Answer

A)  can be tested only in the laboratory. 
B)  are always based on an ethical point of view. 
C)  are based on reproducible and quantifiable observations. 
D)  are based on untested hypotheses. 
E)  cannot be rejected. 
A)  can be tested only in the laboratory. 
B)  are always based on an ethical point of view. 
C)  are based on reproducible and quantifiable observations. 
D)  are based on untested hypotheses. 
E)  cannot be rejected.

Question 4

Scientists hypothesize that multicellularity evolved when groups of cells exposed to an internal environment specialized to perform tasks needed by groups of cells exposed to the external environment, and vice versa.Which biological structures existing today could be used as examples to explain this concept?

Accepted Answer

A)  The blood cells moving in a fish's circulatory system and the fish's lung tissue 
B)  The lining of a snake's intestine and the snake's skin 
C)  The bark on an oak tree and the waxy cuticle on an oak leaf 
D)  The trachea (airway) in a blackbird's neck and the heart in the blackbird's chest 
E)  The whiskers on a cat's face and the fur on the cat's tail 
A)  The blood cells moving in a fish's circulatory system and the fish's lung tissue 
B)  The lining of a snake's intestine and the snake's skin 
C)  The bark on an oak tree and the waxy cuticle on an oak leaf 
D)  The trachea (airway) in a blackbird's neck and the heart in the blackbird's chest 
E)  The whiskers on a cat's face and the fur on the cat's tail

Question 5

Which set of outcomes is most likely if cell processes become unregulated and homeostasis is lost?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mutation and genetic change 
B)  Metabolic readjustment and healing 
C)  Malfunction and disease 
D)  Adaptation and survival 
E)  Differentiation and cell specialization 
A)  Mutation and genetic change 
B)  Metabolic readjustment and healing 
C)  Malfunction and disease 
D)  Adaptation and survival 
E)  Differentiation and cell specialization

Question 6

Many of the microbial organisms that are periodically epidemic in human populations have

Accepted Answer

A)  short generation times and low mutation rates. 
B)  short generation times and high mutation rates. 
C)  long generation times and low mutation rates. 
D)  long generation times and high mutation rates. 
E)  long generation times and no mutations. 
A)  short generation times and low mutation rates. 
B)  short generation times and high mutation rates. 
C)  long generation times and low mutation rates. 
D)  long generation times and high mutation rates. 
E)  long generation times and no mutations.

Question 7

Natural selection functions

Accepted Answer

A)  by causing mutations in the genome. 
B)  by producing structural and functional changes within organisms. 
C)  through differential probabilities of survival and reproductive success. 
D)  through sexual selection and genetic drift. 
E)  by allowing unlimited growth of populations. 
A)  by causing mutations in the genome. 
B)  by producing structural and functional changes within organisms. 
C)  through differential probabilities of survival and reproductive success. 
D)  through sexual selection and genetic drift. 
E)  by allowing unlimited growth of populations.

Question 8

A biologist hypothesizes that keeping mice on a restricted diet with minimal calories will increase their aggression.The biologist designs an experiment in which 100 mice are to be housed in individual cages under similar conditions and diets.He then plans to place pairs of mice together in the same cage to observe their interactions.What is true about this study design?

Accepted Answer

A)  The study is well designed since it uses a large sample of mice. 
B)  The study is not controlled. 
C)  The study includes too many variables. 
D)  The study is flawed because the hypothesis is not testable. 
E)  The study is unnecessary because the results are obvious. 
A)  The study is well designed since it uses a large sample of mice. 
B)  The study is not controlled. 
C)  The study includes too many variables. 
D)  The study is flawed because the hypothesis is not testable. 
E)  The study is unnecessary because the results are obvious.

Question 9

Refer to the diagram below showing the steps in the scientific method.   Step 4 illustrates the use of _______ logic.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the diagram below showing the...

Question 10

Refer to the figure below showing changes in the diversity of vertebrate life forms inhabiting Earth over its history.   Which statement is accurate and also describes factors that most contributed to the trend depicted in the figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  The range of animal body forms increased tremendously over the history of life on Earth because cell differentiation opened up new structural possibilities. 
B)  Over time, animals have experienced increasing survival rates because evolution moves in the direction of improving on past forms. 
C)  Simple vertebrates slowly evolved into more complex vertebrates, because the more complex forms are more highly evolved. 
D)  Biologists are less able to document the variety of life forms that inhabited Earth the farther back in time they search for clues. 
E)  The environment on Earth has changed: it was least hospitable to life in its earliest stages but has grown more and more hospitable to life over its long history. 
A)  The range of animal body forms increased tremendously over the history of life on Earth because cell differentiation opened up new structural possibilities. 
B)  Over time, animals have experienced increasing survival rates because evolution moves in the direction of improving on past forms. 
C)  Simple vertebrates slowly evolved into more complex vertebrates, because the more complex forms are more highly evolved. 
D)  Biologists are less able to document the variety of life forms that inhabited Earth the farther back in time they search for clues. 
E)  The environment on Earth has changed: it was least hospitable to life in its earliest stages but has grown more and more hospitable to life over its long history.

Question 11

A rapid decline of amphibian populations has been observed worldwide.Which could not be one of the proposed hypotheses related to this decline?

Accepted Answer

A)  A fungal disease is the cause. 
B)  Increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the cause. 
C)  Exposure to agricultural chemicals is the cause. 
D)  Exposure to an oil spill is the cause. 
E)  Frogs die naturally. 
A)  A fungal disease is the cause. 
B)  Increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the cause. 
C)  Exposure to agricultural chemicals is the cause. 
D)  Exposure to an oil spill is the cause. 
E)  Frogs die naturally.

Question 12

In the course of evolution, fatty acids were the critical ingredient in the enclosure of biological molecules in membranous films because these molecules are not _______ in water.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the course of evolution, fatty acids...

Question 13

O2 is critical for terrestrial life on Earth because it

Accepted Answer

A)  allows for anaerobic metabolism. 
B)  blocks UV radiation. 
C)  provides energy to some basic forms of life. 
D)  provided food for early prokaryotes. 
E)  once led to production of ozone in the upper atmosphere. 
A)  allows for anaerobic metabolism. 
B)  blocks UV radiation. 
C)  provides energy to some basic forms of life. 
D)  provided food for early prokaryotes. 
E)  once led to production of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

Question 14

Refer to the graph below showing the results of a study that exposed male frogs to atrazine, a chemical used in killing weeds in agricultural areas.   According to the data in the graph, higher atrazine concentrations do not result in a higher rate of gonadal abnormality.Which conclusion can be drawn from these results?

Accepted Answer

A)  Low levels of atrazine are not as dangerous to amphibians as high levels of atrazine. 
B)  A dosage of 15 ppb would cause a rate of abnormality between the one caused by the 0.1 ppb dosage and the one caused by the 25 ppb dosage. 
C)  The effect of the atrazine exposure is not proportional to the level of exposure. 
D)  Atrazine is only hazardous in a natural ecosystem, where it is naturally diluted in the waterways. 
E)  Atrazine usage should be banned. 
A)  Low levels of atrazine are not as dangerous to amphibians as high levels of atrazine. 
B)  A dosage of 15 ppb would cause a rate of abnormality between the one caused by the 0.1 ppb dosage and the one caused by the 25 ppb dosage. 
C)  The effect of the atrazine exposure is not proportional to the level of exposure. 
D)  Atrazine is only hazardous in a natural ecosystem, where it is naturally diluted in the waterways. 
E)  Atrazine usage should be banned.

Question 15

For many years, scientists have been debating whether to totally eradicate mosquitoes from the planet.The main reason for eliminating all mosquitoes is that they carry pathogens that cause diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and Zika virus disease.Listed below are characteristics of mosquitoes.Which could be argued as a reason for not totally eradicating these insects?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mosquitoes consume as much as 300 mL of blood per day from a single large animal in some areas of the world. 
B)  Mosquitoes pass through a larval stage and a pupal stage, both of which are aquatic. 
C)  Both male and female adult mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, but only females also feed on blood. 
D)  Mosquitoes are the primary pollinators of some tropical crops such as cacao. 
E)  Mosquitoes inhabit regions that are warm, temperate, or cold, including the Arctic. 
A)  Mosquitoes consume as much as 300 mL of blood per day from a single large animal in some areas of the world. 
B)  Mosquitoes pass through a larval stage and a pupal stage, both of which are aquatic. 
C)  Both male and female adult mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, but only females also feed on blood. 
D)  Mosquitoes are the primary pollinators of some tropical crops such as cacao. 
E)  Mosquitoes inhabit regions that are warm, temperate, or cold, including the Arctic.

Question 16

Which usually results from a scientific investigation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Proof of the hypothesis 
B)  Refinement of the experimental design to produce qualitative data 
C)  Formulation of new questions that result in additional experimentation 
D)  Repetition of statistical tests to verify results 
E)  Development of additional technologies to meet the needs of scientists 
A)  Proof of the hypothesis 
B)  Refinement of the experimental design to produce qualitative data 
C)  Formulation of new questions that result in additional experimentation 
D)  Repetition of statistical tests to verify results 
E)  Development of additional technologies to meet the needs of scientists

Question 17

Viruses

Accepted Answer

A)  can mutate. 
B)  can extract energy from their environment. 
C)  can synthesize DNA or RNA on their own. 
D)  can reproduce on their own. 
E)  are cellular. 
A)  can mutate. 
B)  can extract energy from their environment. 
C)  can synthesize DNA or RNA on their own. 
D)  can reproduce on their own. 
E)  are cellular.

Question 18

Which of the following predates modern-day medical practice and knowledge of biology?

Accepted Answer

A)  Knowing that infections can be passed from one person to another 
B)  Understanding how living organisms work 
C)  Knowing that many diseases are genetic 
D)  Understanding the origin, basis, and effects of disease 
E)  Knowing that bacteria evolve 
A)  Knowing that infections can be passed from one person to another 
B)  Understanding how living organisms work 
C)  Knowing that many diseases are genetic 
D)  Understanding the origin, basis, and effects of disease 
E)  Knowing that bacteria evolve

Question 19

The oldest rocks on Earth are approximately _______ years old.

Accepted Answer

A)  4,000‒5,000 
B)  400,000‒500,000 
C)  2-3 million 
D)  4-4.5 billion 
E)  8 billion 
A)  4,000‒5,000 
B)  400,000‒500,000 
C)  2-3 million 
D)  4-4.5 billion 
E)  8 billion

Question 20

An abundance of O2 led to the evolution of

Accepted Answer

A)  photosynthetic eukaryotes. 
B)  aerobic eukaryotes. 
C)  anaerobic prokaryotes. 
D)  photosynthetic prokaryotes. 
E)  anaerobic eukaryotes. 
A)  photosynthetic eukaryotes. 
B)  aerobic eukaryotes. 
C)  anaerobic prokaryotes. 
D)  photosynthetic prokaryotes. 
E)  anaerobic eukaryotes.

Exam 1: Studying Life

Scientists' ability to reconstruct evolutionary history has been most enhanced in recent decades by

A couple of recent movies depict terrifying scenarios in which pathogenic bacteria or viruses kill most of the people they infect.Which statement best answers whether it is possible for such a scenario to occur in real life and explains why?

Scientific explanations for a natural phenomenon

Which set of outcomes is most likely if cell processes become unregulated and homeostasis is lost?

Many of the microbial organisms that are periodically epidemic in human populations have

Natural selection functions

Refer to the diagram below showing the steps in the scientific method. Step 4 illustrates the use of _______ logic.

Refer to the figure below showing changes in the diversity of vertebrate life forms inhabiting Earth over its history. Which statement is accurate and also describes factors that most contributed to the trend depicted in the figure?

A rapid decline of amphibian populations has been observed worldwide.Which could not be one of the proposed hypotheses related to this decline?

In the course of evolution, fatty acids were the critical ingredient in the enclosure of biological molecules in membranous films because these molecules are not _______ in water.

O2 is critical for terrestrial life on Earth because it

Which usually results from a scientific investigation?

Viruses

Which of the following predates modern-day medical practice and knowledge of biology?

The oldest rocks on Earth are approximately _______ years old.

An abundance of O2 led to the evolution of

Small Molecules and the Chemistry of Life

Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Lipids

Nucleic Acids and the Origin of Life

Cells: the Working Units of Life

Cell Membranes

Cell Communication and Multicellularity

Energy, Enzymes, and Metabolism

Pathways That Harvest Chemical Energy

Photosynthesis: Energy From Sunlight

The Cell Cycle and Cell Division

Inheritance, Genes, and Chromosomes

Dna and Its Role in Heredity

From Dna to Protein: Gene Expression

Gene Mutation and Molecular Medicine

Regulation of Gene Expression

Genomes

Recombinant Dna and Biotechnology

Mechanisms of Evolution

Reconstructing and Using Phylogenies

Speciation

Evolution of Genes and Genomes

The History of Life on Earth

Bacteria, Archaea, and Viruses

The Origin and Diversification of Eukaryotes

Plants Without Seeds: From Water to Land

The Evolution of Seed Plants

The Evolution and Diversity of Fungi

Animal Origins and the Evolution of Body Plans

Protostome Animals

Deuterostome Animals

The Plant Body

Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition

Regulation of Plant Growth

Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Plant Responses to Environmental Challenges

Physiology, Homeostasis, and Temperature Regulation

Animal Hormones

Immunology: Animal Defense Systems

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Glia, and Nervous Systems

Sensory Systems

The Mammalian Nervous System: Structure and Higher Functions

Musculoskeletal Systems

Gas Exchange

Circulatory Systems

Nutrition, Digestion, and Absorption

Salt and Water Balance and Nitrogen Excretion

Animal Behavior

The Physical Environment and Biogeography of Life

Populations

Species Interactions

Communities

Ecosystems

A Changing Biosphere

Filters

O₂ is critical for terrestrial life on Earth because it

An abundance of O₂ led to the evolution of