Deck 1: Exploring Biology and the Essential Chemistry of Life

Question 1

Chemical indicators that could potentially detect urine in a swimming pool

A) are not used because they are carcinogenic.
B) are used only in public pools.
C) are not used because they do not exist.
D) are not used because they are too expensive.

Answer 1

are not used because they are carcinogenic.

Question 2

A liquid consisting of a uniform mixture of two or more substances is a

A) solute.
B) solution.
C) solvent.
D) dissolvent.

Answer 2

solution.

Question 3

What is the dissolving of CO₂ in seawater, which lowers the ocean's pH, called?

A) ocean acidification
B) acid precipitation
C) CO₂ acidification
D) salination

Answer 3

ocean acidification

Question 4

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question that follows.
The ongoing search for extra-terrestrial life on distant planets focuses in part on searching for clues of water, ice, or patterns left in soil by water or ice that may have been present in the past. This approach is based on our understanding of the importance of water for life on Earth.

-Which of the following statements regarding water and life is not correct?

A) Most of the chemical reactions of metabolism take place in aqueous (water) solvents.
B) The earliest forms of life on Earth are thought to have evolved in water (oceans).
C) Water is an important form of energy storage in biological systems.
D) Water molecules are actually substrates or products of some chemical reactions in metabolism.

Question 5

Which of the following describes inductive reasoning?

A) a predicted explanation for a set of observations
B) collecting and analyzing observations to lead to a conclusion
C) searching for information to answer specific questions
D) The logic flows from general premises to specific results.

Question 6

A well designed experiment should use a large number of samples and be

A) controlled, randomized, and blinded.
B) uncontrolled, randomized, and blinded.
C) controlled, carefully chosen, and blinded.
D) uncontrolled, carefully chosen, and blinded.

Question 7

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question(s) that follow(s).
You have landed on a distant, Earthlike planet and are leading a team of scientists charged with discovering whether life exists there. Realizing how difficult it can be to define life on Earth, let alone on another planet, your team put together a list of criteria that should be met for something to be considered alive.

-Which of the following would represent a good, relatively unbiased list?

A) carbon-based and have ribosomes, DNA, RNA, and proteins
B) capable of reproduction, energy interconversions, and response to stimuli
C) capable of reproduction, have distinct organelles including mitochondria, and be carbon-based
D) multi-cellular, have ribosomes, DNA, RNA, and proteins, and have distinct organelles including mitochondria

Question 8

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question(s) that follow(s).
You have landed on a distant, Earthlike planet and are leading a team of scientists charged with discovering whether life exists there. Realizing how difficult it can be to define life on Earth, let alone on another planet, your team put together a list of criteria that should be met for something to be considered alive.

-How long do you think it would take to determine whether an extra-terrestrial potential life form was indeed alive?

A) one day
B) one week
C) one year
D) impossible to determine