Deck 3: Basic Needs of Living Things

Question 1

Ecotones

A)contain only species found in the bordering ecosystems.
B)have the same abiotic characteristics as the bordering ecosystems.
C)consist of many distinct landscapes.
D)are transitional regions between ecosystems.

Answer 1

are transitional regions between ecosystems.

Question 2

American beavers,Castor canadensis,are widespread in North America.Those American beavers living around lakes in northern Minnesota and which can potentially interbreed

A)are probably a separate beaver species.
B)represent one population of American beavers.
C)should look much different than beavers in Wisconsin.
D)belong to the same family but not the same genus as other beavers.

Answer 2

represent one population of American beavers.

Question 3

Within a community,species of

A)plants rarely interact with fungi or bacteria.
B)bacteria,plants,animals,and fungi all interact.
C)plants and animals interact,but not with bacteria or fungi.
D)bacteria and fungi interact with plants but not animals.

Answer 3

bacteria,plants,animals,and fungi all interact.

Question 4

Which of the following represents an abiotic component of a forest community?

A)the oak and hickory trees
B)the mushrooms growing on and around rotting logs
C)water trickling in a small stream
D)bacteria in the soil

Question 5

Most organisms native to a desert community are

A)well adapted to the heat and dry environment.
B)well adapted to the heat but probably not the dry environment.
C)well adapted to the dry environment but probably not the heat.
D)not well adapted to the heat or dry environment.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a major factor determining the natural distribution of giant pandas on Earth?

A)the evolutionary history of giant pandas
B)the distribution and abundance of bamboo in China
C)the type and abundance of giant panda parasites
D)the success rates of giant panda captive breeding programs

Question 7

Most ecosystems

A)are sharply divided from other ecosystems.
B)consist of two or more distinct landscapes.
C)grade into other ecosystems in regions called ecotones.
D)are clustered with other ecosystems to form communities.

Question 8

Compared to all of the organisms in a phylum,organisms that share the same family

A)share a more recent common ancestor.
B)are more widely distributed in the world.
C)have more genetic differences.
D)are more likely to occur near the equator.

Question 9

Which one of the following is a proper scientific name of an animal?

A)white oak tree
B)Homo sapiens
C)bamboo
D)American alligator

Question 10

Which one of the following best illustrates an ecological landscape?

A)a pond and all of the living organisms within it
B)the animals,plants,and bacteria living in the Mississippi River
C)a large open prairie with bison grazing on grasses and insects visiting the flowers
D)a river flowing past fields and forests in Yellowstone National Park

Question 11

A form of a biome is largely predicted by its

A)diversity of plant and animal species.
B)diversity of soil microorganisms.
C)temperature and rainfall.
D)distance from the ocean.

Question 12

A single ecosystem will include

A)an interactive complex of communities but not the abiotic environment.
B)the abiotic environment but not an interactive complex of communities.
C)many species of living organisms and may include humans.
D)either a plant community or an animal community,but not both.

Question 13

Which one of the following is the most inclusive level of classification?

A)class
B)phylum
C)order
D)family

Question 14

On a vacation,you spend much of the day walking along the water's edge on an ocean beach soaking up the sun.The place where you are walking is a good example of a(n)

A)landscape.
B)ecotone.
C)biome.
D)population.

Question 15

Which one of the following characteristics is most useful in identifying separate species? Closely related but separate species do not

A)live on the same continent.
B)require similar nutrients.
C)interbreed to produce viable hybrids.
D)appear anatomically similar.

Question 16

Which one of the following is the broadest scope of ecological study?

A)ecosystem ecology
B)landscape ecology
C)population ecology
D)community ecology

Question 17

The American beaver is Castor canadensis.Which of the following is accurate?

A)The first part of the name,Castor,is the species name.
B)The second part of the name,canadensis,is the genus name of beavers.
C)Both parts of the name are necessary to designate the American beaver.
D)The Eurasian Beaver,Castor fiber,belongs to the same species.

Question 18

Which of the following would most likely cause the greatest harm to wild Giant Panda populations in China?

A)the introduction of beetles that eat bamboo
B)captive breeding of giant pandas already in zoos throughout the world
C)restricting logging in regions within the current Giant Panda range
D)promoting the giant panda as a national symbol of China

Question 19

Reproductive isolation is not a good way to describe the status of a species that

A)is photosynthetic.
B)lives in the same region as other closely related species.
C)reproduces asexually.
D)is able to move about freely in its environment.

Question 20

Which one of the following is the most inclusive category?

A)landscape
B)ecotone
C)ecosystem
D)biome

Question 21

Nina gets a new baby turtle from a friend,and is told to feed it worms.For the first few months,the turtle seemed to grow well.But as time passed,the turtle's shell appeared soft and fragile.Someone suggested that the turtle might not be getting enough calcium in its diet.If this is true for this turtle,dietary calcium is

A)a limiting factor.
B)an environmental condition.
C)a habitat condition.
D)a natural environmental stressor.

Question 22

On some islands,during the mating season,birds compete intensely for breeding sites.On these islands,these breeding sites represent a(n)

A)limiting factor.
B)zone of stress.
C)environmental condition.
D)limit of tolerance.

Question 23

You sit comfortably in your room studying and notice that the air temperature is fluctuating considerably.Perhaps the air conditioning system is not well regulated.Sometimes it gets too hot and you sweat while other times you get so cold that you shiver.When you are sweating or shivering,you are exhibiting your

A)limits of tolerance.
B)temperature optima.
C)resource range.
D)abiotic independence.

Question 24

Which one of the following is a molecule but not a compound?

A)H₂O
B)CO₂
C)O₂
D)CH₄

Question 25

Fog is a component of the

A)hydrosphere.
B)biosphere.
C)atmosphere.
D)lithosphere.

Question 26

In a chemical reaction,

A)atoms are destroyed.
B)atoms are rearranged to form different kinds of matter.
C)new atoms are formed.
D)new elements are formed.

Question 27

Most amphibians in Georgia can tolerate the warm temperatures of summer.However,during one particularly dry year,when humidity was very low and temperatures were high,many of the frogs died.In this situation,

A)temperature and humidity had synergistic and lethal effects.
B)the frogs were pushed into their optimal habitats.
C)the availability of food was probably the most important limiting factor.
D)the environmental conditions were within their limits of tolerance.

Question 28

Which one of the following statements is correct?

A)Molecules and compounds are types of matter.
B)Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a gas but not a form of matter.
C)When water is boiled,it changes from matter into a gas.
D)During chemical reactions,elements combine and matter is formed.

Question 29

Driving along a highway,you start noticing plants with tiny blue flowers.Several miles later,these flowers are very abundant.Then even further,the flowers become less abundant,until finally,you do not see them at all.The regions with just a few of these plants represented the plant's

A)optimal range.
B)zones of stress.
C)resource reservoirs.
D)optimal habitats.

Question 30

In which form are water molecules most closely bonded to each other?

A)water vapor
B)liquid water
C)solid ice
D)water vapor and ice have the same,closest bonds

Question 31

In Lake Michigan,resources would include

A)pH of the water.
B)temperature of the water.
C)the salinity of the water.
D)microscopic algae in the water.

Question 32

As global climate change warms certain mountain ranges,the temperature optima for the insect species living on the mountain is causing these insects to

A)move higher up the mountain.
B)move down the mountain.
C)move to a new biome.
D)become parasitic.

Question 33

Uncertain about the best way to keep his new lizard alive,Jerome places a heat lamp at one end of the long lizard cage.Over several days,Jerome notices that the lizard tends to sit in a certain place when the lamp is on.The lizard's selection of a particular place to stay represents its

A)range of tolerance.
B)temperature optimum.
C)biotic conditioning.
D)use of a limited resource.

Question 34

Most organisms use water in

A)the form of rain.
B)liquid form.
C)solid form.
D)gaseous form.

Question 35

In a greenhouse,it would be best to position a plant so that its exposure to sunlight would be

A)within its limits of tolerance.
B)within its optimal range.
C)at its zones of stress.
D)at the photosynthetic limit.

Question 36

In the Appalachian Mountains,several species of salamander live in or near a stream.The largest species lives in the stream and along its edges,a smaller species lives on land within a meter or two of the stream,and a smaller species lives about 3-5 meters away from the stream.In this region,these three salamander species are using

A)different niches within the same habitat.
B)the same niche and microhabitat.
C)the same landscape but different ecosystems.
D)the same set of limiting resources.

Question 37

Organisms with a very broad range of temperature tolerance would most likely occur in

A)the oceans.
B)tropical environments.
C)the Midwestern United States.
D)Hawaii.

Question 38

Resources for seagulls living along an ocean shore would include

A)shifting tides.
B)ocean temperature.
C)the strength and direction of the wind.
D)nesting sites.

Question 39

This image represents a good example of a

A)biotic community.
B)species.
C)biome.
D)landscape.

Question 40

Which one of the following statements is correct?

A)Atoms are composed of protons and compounds are composed of neutrons and electrons.
B)Atoms are the smallest components of an element that have the element's properties.
C)Solids are made of elements,liquids and gases are made of compounds.
D)Water is an element made from two compounds.

Question 41

Which of the following best represents potential energy?

A)cars stopped at an intersection
B)sunlight shining on people on a beach
C)a charged battery in a flashlight
D)a breeze blowing across the top of a lake

Question 42

Watering and fertilizing plants in your home provides them with components of the

A)atmosphere and lithosphere.
B)hydrosphere and biosphere.
C)lithosphere and hydrosphere.
D)biosphere and atmosphere.

Question 43

After a winter storm,bright sunlight returns and the snow and ice on the road melts into liquid water.This is an example of

A)light energy converted to heat energy changing the state of water.
B)movement changing the position of snow and ice.
C)matter changing the heat of the atmosphere.
D)movement generating heat that changes the position of ice and snow.

Question 44

The burners on an electric stove convert

A)electricity into heat,which cooks the food.
B)heat into electricity,which cooks the food.
C)matter into heat to generate electricity that transforms the matter in food into energy.
D)matter into electricity that generates heat that transforms the energy in food into matter.

Question 45

During sublimation

A)water molecules change their basic structure.
B)water molecules condense to form a liquid.
C)additional oxygen is added to water.
D)water changes from a solid directly to a gaseous form.

Question 46

Which of the following best represents kinetic energy?

A)the energy in the wax molecules of a candle
B)gunpowder in a bullet
C)a charged battery
D)a hot burner on a stove

Question 47

An average person might consume 2,000 Kilocalories of food in one day.This is enough energy to heat up how many 2-liter bottles of liquid water from 0 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius (just reaching the boiling point of water,but not turning the water into steam)?

A)1
B)5
C)10
D)20

Question 48

Take a big breath of air.You have not inhaled any

A)nitrogen.
B)oxygen.
C)carbon dioxide.
D)minerals.

Question 49

With few exceptions,inorganic compounds do not have

A)carbon-hydrogen bonds or carbon-carbon bonds.
B)nitrogen-oxygen bonds or carbon-oxygen bonds.
C)hydrogen-nitrogen bonds or carbon-oxygen bonds.
D)potassium-sodium bonds or hydrogen-chlorine bonds.

Question 50

Which of the following best represents potential energy converted to kinetic energy?

A)a windmill pumping water up into a water storage tank
B)plants capturing sunlight to produce sugars using photosynthesis
C)turning on a flashlight
D)pulling a boat up onto a shoreline

Question 51

Some birds have been seen to consume certain soils in what is called geophagy.In some cases,the soils help the birds digest toxins that occur in their diets.These birds eating soil represent a member of the

A)biosphere consuming a component of the lithosphere.
B)hydrosphere consuming a component of the atmosphere.
C)lithosphere consuming a component of the biosphere.
D)atmosphere consuming a component of the hydrosphere.

Question 52

Living organisms draw their essential elements from

A)the atmosphere.
B)the lithosphere.
C)the atmosphere and lithosphere.
D)the atmosphere,lithosphere,and hydrosphere.

Question 53

Sometimes people say that plants make energy from the sun.However,plants make sugars using sunlight.Stating that plants make energy is actually

A)a violation of the law of the conservation of momentum.
B)a violation of the first law of thermodynamics.
C)a violation of the law of inertia.
D)a violation of the second law of thermodynamics.

Question 54

What two spheres are most visible in this photograph?

A)atmosphere and lithosphere.
B)hydrosphere and biosphere.
C)lithosphere and hydrosphere.
D)biosphere and atmosphere.

Question 55

Natural organic compounds typically consist of some combination of carbon,hydrogen,and

A)oxygen,nitrogen,phosphorus,and/or sulfur.
B)nitrogen,lead,mercury,and/or sulfur.
C)sulfur,oxygen,zinc,and/or chloride.
D)oxygen,nitrogen,sodium,and/or potassium.

Question 56

The muddy Mississippi River,transporting soils that have eroded from farm fields,represents a mixing of the

A)lithosphere and hydrosphere.
B)biosphere and atmosphere.
C)atmosphere and lithosphere.
D)hydrosphere and biosphere.

Question 57

Perpetual motion machines without an additional energy input cannot exist because

A)energy cannot be created or destroyed.
B)in any energy conversion,some energy is lost.
C)energy cannot be converted from one form to another.
D)kinetic energy requires an input of light energy.

Question 58

When a windmill turns to generate electricity,the amount of kinetic energy input in the process

A)equals the amount of electrical energy produced.
B)is less than the amount of electrical energy produced.
C)is more than the amount of electrical energy produced.
D)is unrelated to the amount of electrical energy produced.

Question 59

Which of the following is not a trace element in living organisms?

A)iron
B)copper
C)zinc
D)carbon

Question 60

In the summer,the heater on an automobile still works well,even though you do not need it.This is because the heater in a car draws on surplus heat generated when gas is used to power the engine.This extra heat,wasted in the summer,is produced as a result of the

A)law of the conservation of momentum.
B)first law of thermodynamics.
C)law of inertia.
D)second law of thermodynamics.

Question 61

In most energy conversions,such as burning coal to produce heat,

A)entropy increases because of heat released in the conversion.
B)entropy decreases because of heat released in the conversion.
C)entropy is unchanged because heat is used to ignite the coal.
D)entropy decreases because heat is used to ignite the coal.

Question 62

Plants grow as new organic molecules are formed by plant cells.Most of the carbon in the newly created organic molecules of these plants ultimately came from

A)carbon dioxide in the air.
B)carbon dioxide released during the production of plant sugars.
C)proteins and carbohydrates absorbed by the roots of the plants.
D)carbon compounds absorbed from water.

Question 63

Consumers that eat plants rely upon

A)chemical energy stored in organic molecules produced by photosynthesis.
B)kinetic energy stored in organic molecules produced by photosynthesis.
C)photosynthesis to convert potential energy to kinetic energy.
D)entropy to generate heat to drive kinetic processes in their bodies.

Question 64

In the process of photosynthesis,

A)potential energy in light is converted to kinetic energy of chemical bonds.
B)energy in light is converted to potential energy of chemical bonds.
C)potential energy in glucose is use to generate kinetic energy in heat.
D)kinetic energy of heat is used to combine the potential energy of oxygen and water.

Question 65

Without regular cleanups,the tendency of a home or dorm room to become increasingly messy generally reflects

A)the Law of Conservation of Energy.
B)an increase in entropy.
C)the loss of heat in any energy conversion.
D)the conversion of kinetic energy into potential energy.

Question 66

Most of the energy captured by photosynthesis is stored in chemical bonds in

A)glucose.
B)oxygen.
C)carbon dioxide.
D)water.

Question 67

Firewood burns better than rocks because

A)firewood has more potential energy.
B)firewood has more kinetic energy.
C)rocks have more potential energy.
D)rocks have more kinetic energy.

Question 68

The continuing addition of large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus to aquatic ecosystems may exceed planetary boundaries and create a "tipping point" in which

A)nitrogen and phosphorus are depleted from soils.
B)high nitrogen and phosphorus levels cause ecosystems to change in ways difficult to reverse and that are damaging to human food production.
C)these ecosystems produce far more human food than ever before.
D)water is lost from these systems and they become deserts.

Question 69

Cell respiration and photosynthesis are both complex processes that

A)result in the production of glucose.
B)release carbon dioxide.
C)generate oxygen from soil minerals.
D)require enzymes which promote either synthesis or breaking of chemical bonds.

Question 70

Ultimately,the sunlight energy that strikes Earth is

A)eventually lost into space as heat.
B)stored permanently in molecules that are located deep within the Earth.
C)stored permanently in minerals and rocks deep within the oceans.
D)converted to potential energy and stored in animals and plant tissues permanently.

Question 71

The oxygen released from photosynthesis came from

A)the water used in photosynthesis.
B)the carbon dioxide used in photosynthesis.
C)oxygen in the air.
D)glucose.

Question 72

Hundreds of millions of years ago,in the formation of fossil fuels ,large amounts of

A)organic detritus were trapped underground.
B)nitrogen were trapped in rocks during extensive volcanic activity.
C)sodium were used to form ancient fossils,seashells,and limestone.
D)phosphate gas were added to the atmosphere through erosion and evaporation.

Question 73

Energy

A)and nutrients flow one way through ecosystems.
B)and nutrients both cycle within ecosystems.
C)cycles within ecosystems,while nutrients flow only one way through ecosystems.
D)flows one way through ecosystems,but nutrients cycle within ecosystems.

Question 74

When you exercise,you can feel your body getting warmer,perhaps even starting to sweat.Why does exercise make you warmer?

A)Glucose oxidation speeds up during exercise to power muscular activities,and as a byproduct,extra heat is generated.
B)Your body is using anaerobic respiration which releases more heat than oxidation.
C)More glucose is synthesized requiring additional heat.
D)Your body is using fermentation to produce alcohol,which takes heat to break down.

Question 75

On land,the carbon used today in photosynthesis to form carbon atoms of plant tissues is mostly returned to the air because of

A)respiration in plants,animals,and organisms in the soil.
B)plate tectonics.
C)additional photosynthesis in the same plants.
D)erosion,decay,and general weathering.

Question 76

Which one of the following best represents the relationship between cell respiration and photosynthesis?

A)Complimentary;one produces chemical energy in the form of glucose while the other releases energy from glucose.
B)Antagonistic;while one is operating,the other is inhibited.
C)Neutral;they operate in different organisms or at different times in the same organism.
D)Competing;both use the same limited resources.

Question 77

Which one of the following best describes the state of a system's energy as entropy increases?

A)more concentrated
B)increased
C)decreased
D)less concentrated

Question 78

Which of the following processes reduces entropy?

A)photosynthesis
B)cell respiration
C)walking up a flight of stairs
D)burning gasoline in an automobile engine

Question 79

Chemical methods to extract some usable energy from glucose molecules without using oxygen are possible and used by many organisms.However,cell respiration reactions using oxygen are more common because using oxidative respiration

A)yields much more energy than anaerobic respiration.
B)generates the water needed by most organisms to survive.
C)provides carbon dioxide that is essential for photosynthesis.
D)allows glucose to be stored instead of burned.

Question 80

Which of the following are products of photosynthesis?

A)carbon dioxide and water
B)water and oxygen
C)light and heat
D)oxygen and sugar