Deck 1: An Introduction to Life on Earth

Question 1

Which of these would be an example of a NON- scientific study?

A) A study determines differences in the species composition in two parks.
B) A company uses different advertising methods for a product to determine which one produces the most sales.
C) NASA sends tadpoles up in the space shuttle to see how gravity affects their development.
D) People are immunized with different vaccines to determine their relative effectiveness against the flu virus.
E) Consumers are asked which tomato variety produces the best- tasting spaghetti sauce.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Imagine that 1 milliliter of an experimental drug diluted in a saline solution is injected into 20 pregnant mice to determine possible side effects. Which of the following is a suitable control for this experiment?

A) 20 pregnant mice injected with 2 milliliters of the drug
B) 20 non- pregnant mice injected with 1 milliliter of the drug
C) 20 male mice injected with 1 milliliter of the drug
D) 20 pregnant mice injected with 1 milliliter of saline
E) 20 male mice injected with 1 milliliter of saline

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A carefully formulated scientific explanation that is based on extensive observations and is in accord with scientific principles is called a

A) hypothesis.
B) theory.
C) control.
D) postulate.
E) fact.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following statements is a hypothesis rather than a theory?

A) Living things are made of cells.
B) Female birds prefer to mate with male birds that have longer tails.
C) Matter is composed of atoms.
D) Modern organisms descended from preexisting life- forms.

Question 5

The scientific method includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) a testable theory.
B) an observation.
C) experimentation.
D) conclusions.
E) a hypothesis.

Question 6

Which of the following is TRUE regarding faith- based beliefs and scientific theories?

A) Faith- based beliefs can become scientific theories.
B) Scientific theories are not modifiable, but faith- based beliefs are.
C) Any and all faith- based beliefs can be disproven, but scientific theories cannot.
D) Both faith- based beliefs and scientific theories can be proven.
E) Any and all scientific theories can be disproven, but faith- based beliefs cannot.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a natural cause?

A) Epilepsy is a disease caused by uncontrolled firing of nerve cells in the brain.
B) If you sneeze, you will die.
C) Maggots appear spontaneously on rotting meat.
D) Mice arise from discarded garbage.

Question 8

The smallest units that still retain the characteristics of an element are called

A) organic molecules.
B) molecules.
C) cells.
D) tissues.
E) atoms.

Question 9

A scientific explanation that is conditional and requires more investigation is called a(n)

A) hypothesis.
B) fact.
C) observation.
D) theory.
E) control.

Question 10

Suppose you are testing a treatment for AIDS patients and find that 75% respond well, whereas 25% show no improvement or a decline in health. You should

A) discontinue experimentation with this treatment because 25% of patients did not improve.
B) begin work on developing a new drug.
C) conclude that only 75% of AIDS patients should be treated.
D) review the results, modify the drug or the dosage, and repeat the experiment.
E) conclude that you have proven the effectiveness of the drug.

Question 11

Alexander Fleming observed a colony of mold that inhibited the growth of nearby bacteria. What was the hypothesis proposed by Fleming to explain this result?

A) The mold was dead.
B) The bacteria changed their DNA when growing near the mold.
C) The mold produced a substance that killed nearby bacteria.
D) The mold used all of the nutrients so that the bacteria couldn't grow.

Question 12

Which of the following is FALSE about scientific theories?

A) They are developed by inductive reasoning.
B) They are firmly established and cannot be refuted.
C) They are used to support observations using deductive reasoning.
D) They can be either supported or modified by new observations.
E) They have been thoroughly tested.

Question 13

All of the following are features of the scientific method EXCEPT

A) supernatural causes.
B) repeatable by other scientists.
C) observation and experimentation.
D) deductive reasoning.
E) hypothesis formulation.

Question 14

Scientific inquiry is based on

A) stories that are passed down through generations.
B) information found in a gossip magazine.
C) cultural biases or traditions.
D) natural causes.

Question 15

A scientific theory

A) will never be changed.
B) is a general explanation for natural phenomena.
C) is an educated guess.
D) is less reliable than a hypothesis.

Question 16

Which is the correct sequence of increasing organization?

A) Organ, tissue, cell, molecule
B) Atom, molecule, tissue, cell
C) Cell, tissue, organ, organ system
D) Molecule, cell, organelle, organ
E) Organelle, tissue, cell, organ

Question 17

We use the scientific method every day. Imagine that your car doesn't start one morning before school. Which of these is a reasonable hypothesis regarding the problem?

A) If I put gas in my car, it will start.
B) I should add a quart of oil.
C) I should check whether the lights were left on and drained the battery.
D) I'm going to be late.
E) I should change the battery or the starter.

Question 18

Which of the following levels of organization is the most inclusive (i.e., includes the most life- forms)?

A) Ecosystem
B) Community
C) Population
D) Biosphere
E) Species

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?

A) If an object exhibits all the characteristics of life, it must be living.
B) Living objects are composed of cells.
C) All objects on Earth will fall down when dropped, and none will "fall up."
D) Atoms make up molecules, which make up cells, which make up tissues.

Question 20

Science cannot answer certain faith- based questions because

A) scientists are not able to study human behavior.
B) faith requires deductive reasoning.
C) there aren't enough variables.
D) faith- based beliefs are impossible to either prove or disprove.

Question 21

Dinosaurs are not alive today because they

A) evolved too quickly in response to a changing environment.
B) did not evolve fast enough to keep up with rapid environmental change.
C) evolved adaptations that were beneficial in their constant, unchanging environment.
D) did not possess the genetic material that beneficial mutations act on.

Question 22

The experiments of Francesco Redi

A) determined that fly larvae were present in raw meat, and when left on the counter they turned into flies.
B) disproved that maggots and flies were related.
C) used the scientific method to prove the idea of spontaneous generation.
D) disproved the idea of spontaneous generation.
E) disproved the scientific method.

Question 23

Which is NOT an example of evolution?

A) The 2- to 3- year effectiveness of most commercial pesticides in killing insects
B) Annual changes in the flu virus due to mutations
C) A dog learning how to open the cabinet where its food is kept
D) The development of antibiotic- resistant bacteria
E) Flightless birds living on islands without predators

Question 24

Which of the following is a characteristic of living organisms?

A) Have a nucleus
B) Eat other organisms
C) Ability to produce energy
D) Maintenance and regulation of internal conditions
E) Have membrane- bound organelles

Question 25

To test the effect of vitamin D on growth, two groups of rats were raised under identical conditions and fed the same diet. One of the groups received daily injections of vitamin D. The other group received injections of saline, which did not contain vitamin D. All the rats were weighed weekly for 2 months. In this experiment, the control was the

A) group receiving vitamin D.
B) 2- month period of time.
C) average weight gain of the rats.
D) group receiving saline.

Question 26

A mutation is a

A) change in the DNA sequence.
B) dose of radiation.
C) defective egg or sperm cell.
D) physical deformity, such as the loss of a limb.

Question 27

A change in the genetic makeup of a species over time is called

A) mutation.
B) evolution.
C) adaptation.
D) natural causality.

Question 28

After you drink a glass of acidic lemonade, your body's pH does not change. This is an example of how humans and other organisms

A) maintain cellular organization.
B) maintain precise internal conditions through homeostasis.
C) are immune to weak acids.
D) evolve in response to the environment.

Question 29

Evolution is sometimes described as the change from preexisting life- forms to modern- day organisms. What actually changes, in every case of evolution, is the

A) genetic makeup of the species, due to mutations.
B) species' physical appearance.
C) rate of reproduction.
D) energy and nutritional demands of the organism.
E) ability of organisms to respond to external stimuli.

Question 30

The variation among individuals, on which natural selection acts, describes

A) nutritional differences.
B) genetic differences.
C) random occurrences in the lifetimes of individuals.
D) physical training and exercise.

Question 31

All of the following are important to the theory of evolution EXCEPT

A) variation in traits within an entire population.
B) inheritance of traits.
C) mutations.
D) environmental change.
E) changes in individuals within their lifetimes.

Question 32

All of the following are examples of adaptations EXCEPT

A) insects that resemble twigs.
B) different beak shapes for birds that eat seeds or insects.
C) mice learning a maze to get food.
D) flower coloration that attracts pollinators.
E) larger teeth in beavers for gnawing wood.

Question 33

Suppose an organism has an enzyme that repairs changes in its DNA. The result is a decrease in mutations. This trait would definitely influence the organism's ability to

A) move.
B) evolve.
C) maintain homeostasis.
D) obtain energy.

Question 34

All of the following are true of all living organisms EXCEPT that they

A) possess either DNA or RNA.
B) can grow.
C) are made of cells.
D) can reproduce themselves.
E) respond to stimuli.

Question 35

A mutation can be the cause for

A) environmental change.
B) growth and development.
C) sperm and egg formation.
D) natural selection.
E) sexual reproduction.

Question 36

In a word, "evolution" means

A) nature.
B) selection.
C) improvement.
D) change.

Question 37

The concept of evolution is based on

A) parents with variations that pass these variations on to their offspring.
B) all genetic variation in a population being equally successful in the same environment.
C) any type of genetic variation within a population.
D) survival and successful reproduction in organisms with favorable variations.

Question 38

Adaptations include all of the following EXCEPT

A) teaching a pet parrot to talk.
B) reduced heart rate and oxygen consumption in seals that dive deep for long periods of time.
C) larger body size in male gorillas, which fight over females.
D) inborn migratory behavior of young birds born in the Arctic.

Question 39

Francesco Redi designed an experiment to test the notion of spontaneous generation. He left the first jar of meat open to the air and covered the second jar. The first jar would be called the jar.

A) control
B) hypothetical
C) conclusive
D) experimental

Question 40

Chromosomes are made of

A) DNA and proteins.
B) carbohydrates.
C) proteins.
D) cells.
E) DNA.

Question 41

An organism's ability to detect stimuli from either the internal or external environment is called

A) responsiveness.
B) mutation.
C) DNA.
D) evolution.
E) natural selection.

Question 42

You observe a plant on your windowsill that is growing at an angle toward the outside. This is an example of a living thing

A) maintaining precise internal conditions.
B) reproducing.
C) responding to stimuli.
D) evolving.

Question 43

Which of the following statements about the Bacteria and Eukarya domains is TRUE?

A) All members of Bacteria are single- celled and all members of Eukarya are multicellular.
B) Only members of Eukarya have the ability to grow and reproduce.
C) All members of Bacteria are prokaryotic cells and all members of Eukarya are eukaryotic cells.
D) All members of Bacteria acquire nutrients via ingestion and all members of Eukarya acquire nutrients by photosynthesis.

Question 44

Why do heterotrophs require "food" for survival?

A) Food provides the organic chemicals needed by heterotrophs.
B) Food is an alternative source of energy for heterotrophs when sunlight is unavailable.
C) Heterotrophs cannot photosynthesize without the chemicals provided by food.
D) Food provides at least half of the water required by heterotrophs.

Question 45

A basic difference between a prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell is that the prokaryotic cell

A) possesses membrane- bound organelles.
B) is considerably larger.
C) lacks a nucleus.
D) is structurally more complex.
E) lacks DNA.

Question 46

Scientific experimentation generally leads to more questions.

Question 47

Of the following levels of organization, Archaea have

A) atoms, molecules, and organs.
B) atoms and molecules.
C) molecules only.
D) atoms only.
E) organs only.

Question 48

A hypothesis is typically stated as an "If . . . then" statement.

Question 49

An organism in the domain Eukarya is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT

A) being composed of prokaryotic cells.
B) the ability to maintain precise internal conditions.
C) the potential to grow and reproduce.
D) ingestion of organic matter to acquire nutrients.

Question 50

Why do humans born without sweat glands usually not survive?

A) Sweating is important for eliminating impurities from the body.
B) Sweating is the only way the body eliminates excess water.
C) Sweat glands create openings in the skin where gas exchange occurs.
D) Sweating is an important mechanism for maintaining the correct body temperature.

Question 51

Using its antennae, the male moth finds female moths by following a trail of airborne chemicals, called pheromones, upwind from the female producing them. This is an example of how living things

A) detect and respond to stimuli.
B) grow.
C) acquire nutrients.
D) reproduce.
E) maintain precise internal conditions.

Question 52

Which group has prokaryotic individuals?

A) Kingdom Fungi
B) Protist kingdoms
C) Kingdom Plantae
D) Domain Archaea
E) Kingdom Animalia

Question 53

In evolutionary terms, which of the following cells is considered to be the most primitive?

A) Autotroph
B) Eukaryote
C) Heterotroph
D) Prokaryote

Question 54

The main difference between an autotroph and a heterotroph is

A) how they reproduce.
B) their ability to move.
C) how they respond to stimuli.
D) how they obtain energy.

Question 55

Variation among organisms is due to mutations.

Question 56

A cell that lacks organelles is a(n)

A) member of the Kingdom Plantae.
B) eukaryotic cell.
C) animal cell.
D) prokaryotic cell.

Question 57

In which kingdom does a multicellular, eukaryotic, photosynthetic organism belong?

A) Animalia
B) Plantae
C) Protists
D) Fungi

Question 58

A good experiment should include as many variables as possible at the same time.

Question 59

Scientific theories are the same in any part of the world (meaning they do not vary by location).

Question 60

Which kingdom possesses unicellular animal- like species and unicellular plantlike species?

A) Animalia
B) Plantae
C) Fungi
D) Protista

Question 61

Prokaryotic cells have a true nucleus and eukaryotic cells do not.

Question 62

The energy that sustains life ultimately comes from sunlight.

Question 63

Define biodiversity.

Question 64

Adaptations aid in the survival and reproduction of an organism in a particular environment.

Question 65

Evolution is based on adaptations that aid in the survival and reproduction of a species. List three different adaptations.

Question 66

Single- celled organisms that lack a nucleus belong to the domains Bacteria and _ _.

Question 67

The basic unit of life is the .

Question 68

Errors or changes in the DNA of an organism are called .

Question 69

Consider the observation that people taking Drug X for headaches also seem to have low blood pressure. Design a simple experiment based on this observation, and include a hypothesis statement and your actual experimental design for the study.

Question 70

Photosynthetic plants are considered "self- feeders," or .

Question 71

Cells that contain a nucleus are eukaryotic, and cells without a nucleus are _ .

Question 72

List four characteristics of living things, and give an example to illustrate each.

Question 73

Photosynthetic bacteria are examples of autotrophs.

Question 74

A group of individuals who are able to interbreed, regardless of their geographical location, is defined as a(n)
.

Question 75

The instructions for producing and maintaining life are contained in what molecule?

Question 76

Imagine that in 2020 you are the top biologist at a research station studying biodiversity in Costa Rica. A young scientist brings you a sample from a previously unexplored site. She asks you to look at the sample and determine whether it indeed contains microscopic, living organisms. As you begin your investigations, you must first decide what characteristics distinguish life from nonlife. How would you differentiate a living organism from nonliving matter (including viruses and prions)?

Question 77

The three natural processes that underlie evolution are genetic variation, inheritance, and .

Question 78

A group of similar, interbreeding individuals that live in the same area is a(n) _ _.

Question 79

Biodiversity is the total number of organisms in an ecosystem.

Question 80

All scientific study begins with and the formation of testable hypotheses.