Deck 1: Studying Life 

Question 1

Plants, fungi, and animals have evolved from

A) protists.
B) endosymbiotic bacteria.
C) Archaea.
D) cyanobacteria.
E) inorganic molecules.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A cell

A) can be composed of many types of tissues.
B) is found only in plants and animals.
C) is the smallest entity studied by biologists.
D) may be a distinct entity or a building block of a more complex organism.
E) All of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The basic structural and physiological unit of all living organisms is the

A) aggregate.
B) organelle.
C) organism.
D) membrane.
E) cell.

Answer 3

cell.

Question 4

A species consists of

A) all the organisms that live together in a particular area.
B) morphologically similar organisms that cannot interbreed.
C) morphologically similar organisms capable of interbreeding.
D) an adult organism and all of its offspring.
E) morphologically similar organisms that live in the same area.

Question 5

Based on the large numbers of offspring produced by many organisms, Darwin proposed that mortality was high and only a few individuals survived to reproduce. He referred to the differential reproductive success of individuals with particular variations as

A) evolution.
B) artificial selection.
C) the cell theory.
D) natural selection.
E) inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Question 6

The initial accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere was the result of photosynthesis from an organism most like modern

A) cyanobacteria.
B) algae.
C) mosses.
D) kelp.
E) eukaryotes.

Question 7

All living organisms acquire _______ from their environment.

A) food
B) nutrients
C) sunlight
D) heterotrophic nutrition
E) autotrophic nutrition

Question 8

The chemical formula for ozone is

A) O.
B) O₂.
C) H₂O₂.
D) O₃.
E) None of the above

Question 9

Yeasts can be used to study human cancer because yeasts and humans

A) share a genetic code.
B) are both prokaryotes.
C) have exactly the same genome.
D) have the same number of chromosomes.
E) None of the above; yeast cannot be used to study human cancer.

Question 10

A prerequisite for the survival of life on land was the accumulation of

A) O₂ in the atmosphere.
B) CO₂ in the atmosphere.
C) water vapor in the atmosphere.
D) O₃ in the atmosphere.
E) bacteria in the soil.

Question 11

Plants are

A) eukaryotic multicellular autotrophs.
B) eukaryotic unicellular autotrophs.
C) eukaryotic multicellular heterotrophs.
D) prokaryotic multicellular autotrophs.
E) prokaryotic unicellular heterotrophs.

Question 12

Metabolism is

A) the consumption of energy only.
B) the release of energy only.
C) all conversions of matter and energy taking place in an organism.
D) the production of heat by chemical reactions.
E) the exchange of nutrients and waste products with the environment.

Question 13

Darwin noted that all populations have _______ potential to grow, but that in nature most populations _______ over time.

A) limited; are stable
B) unlimited; grow slowly
C) limited; fluctuate unpredictably
D) unlimited; are stable
E) limited; decrease slowly

Question 14

Scientists estimate that for more than _______ years after cells originated, all organisms consisted of one cell.

A) 2,500
B) 250,000
C) 2.5 million
D) 2.5 billion
E) 2.5 trillion

Question 15

A gene controlling human skin color was discovered in experiments with

A) fruit flies.
B) zebrafish.
C) roundworms.
D) mustard plants.
E) sea urchins.

Question 16

A key point in Darwin's explanation of evolution is that

A) the biological structures most likely to be inherited are those that have become best suited to the environment through constant use.
B) all mutations that occur are those that will help future generations better fit into their environments.
C) any trait that confers even a small increase in the probability that its possessor will survive and reproduce will be strongly favored and will spread through the population.
D) genes change in order to help organisms cope with problems encountered within their environments.
E) extinction is nature's way of weeding out undeserving organisms.

Question 17

Earth is approximately _______ years old.

A) 4-5 billion
B) 4-5 trillion
C) 4-5 million
D) 6,000
E) 40-50 trillion

Question 18

Ozone is important to life on Earth because it

A) is toxic to all forms of life.
B) can be used in place of oxygen.
C) blocks much ultraviolet radiation.
D) provides energy to some basic forms of life.
E) acts as a disinfectant.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true?

A) The diversity of life has depended on similar environments and ecological communities throughout the globe.
B) Sexual selection and genetic drift contribute to the diversity of life.
C) Earth has existed and changed over a few thousand years, at most.
D) All ancestral forms of life were very similar to organisms that currently exist.
E) All organisms are genetically closely related.

Question 20

Which of the following represents a correct ordering of the levels of complexity at which life is studied, from most simple to most complex?

A) Cell, tissue, organ, organism, population, community
B) Community, population, organism, organ, tissue, cell
C) Cell, organ, tissue, organism, population, community
D) Cell, tissue, organ, population, organism, community
E) Tissue, organ, cell, population, organism, community

Question 21

The branching patterns of the evolutionary tree of life are based on a rich array of evidence from

A) fossils.
B) molecular evidence.
C) metabolic processes.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 22

The main purpose of any single experiment is to

A) obtain accurate quantitative measurements.
B) prove unambiguously that a particular hypothesis is correct.
C) avoid comparative analysis.
D) answer as many key questions as possible.
E) test a prediction that is based on a hypothesis.

Question 23

Biologists have organized the diversity of life into three domains based largely on

A) physical similarities.
B) ecological niches.
C) chronological order.
D) molecular data.
E) All of the above

Question 24

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Statistical methods are applied to data in order to calculate the likelihood that the null hypothesis is incorrect.
B) Statistical tests analyze variation and calculate the probability that observed differences in an experiment could be due to random variation.
C) Statistical tests can be used to evaluate both comparative and controlled experiments.
D) Scientists generally conclude that the differences they measure are true if the statistical tests show that the probability of error is 5 percent or lower.
E) The power of science derives from absolute dependence on evidence that comes from reproducible and quantifiable observations.

Question 25

The advantage of controlled experiments is that

A) all variables are held constant except for one.
B) the hypothesis is proven right.
C) patterns can be predicted.
D) investigations can be carried out in the field.
E) a massive amount of data can be synthesized.

Question 26

Which of the following can result from a scientific investigation?

A) Proof of the hypothesis
B) Refinement of the experimental design
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 27

Which of the following is not a feature of scientific hypotheses?

A) They are unable to be falsified.
B) They make predictions.
C) They are based on observations.
D) They can be tested by experimentation.
E) They can be tested by observational analysis.

Question 28

Which of the following statements about the experiments of Tyrone Hayes on abnormalities of male frog sex organs is correct?

A) In a set of controlled experiments, he had to reject his hypothesis that atrazine was causing abnormalities in male frogs.
B) As a result of the comparative experiments, he formed a new hypothesis that snails were causing the limb deformities in the frogs.
C) The controlled experiments compared the effects of various atrazine concentrations on reproductive tissues.
D) He reasoned, by means of inductive logic, that if atrazine caused abnormal testes development, then such deformities could be caused simply by exposing developing tadpoles to various concentrations of atrazine.
E) The abnormality rate was proportional to the level of atrazine exposure.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about the scientific method is correct?

A) Deductive logic is used to make predictions from a hypothesis.
B) The most informative experiments are those that have the ability to show that a hypothesis is correct.
C) In a comparative experiment, a scientist compares groups that differ in a variable that has been manipulated in one of the groups and left unaltered in the other group.
D) Controlled experiments are valuable when we do not know or cannot control the critical variables.
E) A statistical test of a hypothesis starts with the premise that a significant difference exists between the groups in the study.

Question 30

_______ are structural, physiological, or behavioral traits that enhance an organism's chance of survival and reproduction in its environment.

Question 31

The domain Eukarya includes all of the following except

A) Archaea.
B) the kingdom Plantae.
C) the kingdom Fungi.
D) the kingdom Animalia.
E) protists.

Question 32

Comparative experiments are designed to answer questions that require

A) observation and comparison rather than controlled variables.
B) experimental groups and control groups.
C) little or no data collection.
D) a final, definitive answer.
E) the collection of qualitative data.

Question 33

Which of the following questions cannot be answered by means of the hypothetico-deductive method?

A) Are bees more attracted to red roses than to yellow roses?
B) Are red roses more beautiful than yellow roses?
C) Why are red roses red?
D) Do red roses bloom earlier than yellow roses?
E) Are red roses more susceptible to mildew than yellow roses?

Question 34

Most living organisms consist of one or more _______, have changed or _______ over time, and can regulate their _______ environment.

Question 35

Scientists group species on an evolutionary tree that is based on

A) the fossil record.
B) physical structures.
C) genomic sequencing.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 36

A phylogenetic tree

A) shows evolutionary relationships.
B) relies on evidence from fossils, metabolic processes, and molecular analyses of genomes.
C) helps us understand the history and relationships of living organisms.
D) shows the order in which populations split and evolved into new species.
E) All of the above

Question 37

After observing that fish live in clean water but not in polluted water, researchers state that "polluted water kills fish." This statement is an example of

A) scientific inquiry.
B) biological evolution.
C) a prediction.
D) a hypothesis.
E) a theory.

Question 38

Which of the following statements represents a scientific point of view?

A) Earth was created by a supernatural force.
B) The positions of the sun, moon, and stars provide guidance for making decisions.
C) Inner strength comes from the beauty in nature.
D) Testing the effect of antibiotics on E. coli can help prevent deaths from food poisoning.
E) Meditation helps to solve problems.

Question 39

Overfishing of the western bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico breeding ground resulted in a serious decline in the population. Fishing quotas were established in the Gulf of Mexico to allow the endangered population to recover. Why did this policy fail to achieve the desired result?

A) The feeding grounds of the western bluefin are geographically separated from the feeding grounds of the eastern bluefin.
B) The breeding grounds of the western bluefin are geographically separated from the breeding grounds of the eastern bluefin.
C) Fisherman disregarded the policy.
D) Western and eastern populations of bluefin feed throughout the entire North Atlantic.
E) The policy was designed without advice and guidance from scientists.

Question 40

Which of the following is not a major step in the hypothetico-deductive method?

A) Controlling an environment
B) Making an observation
C) Forming a hypothesis
D) Making a prediction
E) Testing a prediction

Question 41

The total chemical activity of a living organism is called its _______.

Question 42

Life arose on Earth approximately _______ years ago.

A) 4 billion
B) 4 million
C) 4,000
D) 1.5 billion
E) 400,000

Question 43

Fungi and animals both belong to the _______ domain, and their cell structure is _______.

Question 44

The _______ hypothesis states that no difference exists due to the variable under investigation.

Question 45

Which of the following is the feature or component of organisms that allows for life in such a wide variety of environments on Earth?

A) Prokaryotic cells
B) Eukaryotic cells
C) Homeostasis
D) Adaptation
E) Model systems

Question 46

About _______ years ago, prokaryotes acquired the ability to photosynthesize.

Question 47

Multicellular organisms that are photosynthetic belong to the kingdom _______.

Question 48

A _______ tree shows the evolutionary relationships among species.

Question 49

Fatlike molecules were the critical ingredient in the enclosure of biological molecules in _______ because these molecules are not _______ in water and tend to form membrane-like _______.

Question 50

A Pacific tree frog has the scientific nomenclature of Hyla regilla. This particular tree frog belongs to the genus _______.

Question 51

Scientists who study evolution and classification of life's diverse organisms are called _______.

Question 52

From the diagram below it can be determined that

A) there are three groups of Eukarya.
B) protists and bacteria have no common ancestor.
C) plants and fungi have a more recent common ancestor than plants and animals do.
D) plants, fungi, and animals are descendants of different microbial eukaryotic ancestors.
E) Archaea is the evolutionarily ancient group.

Question 53

Some organelles in eukaryotes can be described as _______ within a cell.

Question 54

Which of the following is not a characteristic of most living organisms?

A) Regulation of internal environment
B) One or more cells
C) Ability to produce biological molecules
D) Ability to extract energy from the environment
E) None of the above

Question 55

Currently, scientists agree with the estimate that life first appeared approximately _______ years ago.

Question 56

In contrast to eukaryotic cells, prokaryotes lack discrete _______ compartments.

Question 57

There are three domains used to categorize life forms that have evolved separately for about a billion years: _______, _______, and _______.

Question 58

Scientific investigations are based above all on the processes of _______ and _______.

Question 59

The ability to use energy from sunlight to synthesize complex molecules is known as _______.

Question 60

Single-celled organisms that lack discrete intracellular compartments belong to the two kingdoms: _______ and _______.

Question 61

Scientists interested in human biology typically perform experiments with other model systems. Why do scientists use model systems in this way?

Question 62

The information needed to produce proteins is contained in

A) nutrients.
B) tissues.
C) evolution.
D) organs.
E) genes.

Question 63

Photosynthesis was a major evolutionary milestone because

A) photosynthetic organisms contributed oxygen to the environment, which led to the evolution of aerobic organisms.
B) photosynthesis led to conditions that allowed life to arise on land.
C) photosynthesis is the only metabolic process that can convert light energy to chemical energy.
D) photosynthesis provides food for other organisms.
E) All of the above

Question 64

The study of biology can be organized from the most basic unit, the molecule, up to the biosphere. Describe how each level is connected with the level below it.

Question 65

What is one example from your own experience of biology's influence on public policy?

Question 66

Look over a recent newspaper to see how many articles are directly related to biology. Select one article and discuss how the researchers followed or did not follow the hypothesis-prediction approach.

Question 67

The fact that all cells come from preexisting cells is a component of _______ theory.

A) animal
B) genetic
C) cell
D) plant
E) adaptation

Question 68

Eukaryotic cells differ from prokaryotic cells in that they have

A) genes.
B) proteins.
C) organelles.
D) membranes.
E) All of the above

Question 69

Evolution is

A) not important to the study of biology.
B) the change in the genetic makeup of a population through time.
C) the change in protein expression of a population through time.
D) not influenced by natural selection.
E) None of the above

Question 70

Metabolism refers to

A) natural selection.
B) the chemical transformations and work of a cell.
C) communities.
D) mutations in DNA.
E) cellular structure.

Question 71

In a model experiment, researchers subjected frogs to various levels of atrazine while keeping all other variables constant. This is an example of a _______ experiment.

A) controlled
B) repeated
C) laboratory
D) comparative
E) None of the above

Question 72

Which of the following does not contribute to adaptation in the wild?

A) Artificial selection
B) Genetic drift
C) Natural selection
D) Sexual selection
E) All of the above contribute to adaptation in the wild.

Question 73

An organism

A) must contain more than one cell.
B) can evolve.
C) cannot do biological work.
D) can be generated from nonliving materials.
E) is dependent on another organism for reproduction.

Question 74

Which of the following is not a domain on the tree of life?

A) Archaea
B) Plantae
C) Eukarya
D) Bacteria
E) All of the above are domains.

Question 75

A group of cells that work together to carry out a similar function is known as a(n)

A) tissue.
B) organ system.
C) unicellular organism.
D) protein.
E) a gene.

Question 76

A seed of a plant is

A) alive.
B) unicellular.
C) sensitive to dryness.
D) devoid of nucleic acids.
E) always extracting energy from its environment.

Question 77

In the names of organisms, the _______ is placed first and the _______ is placed second.

A) species; genus
B) genus; domain
C) domain; genus
D) genus; species
E) domain; species

Question 78

For a hypothesis to be scientifically valid, it must be _______ and it must be possible to _______ it.

A) testable; prove
B) testable; reject
C) controlled; prove
D) controlled; reject
E) testable; control

Question 79

Discuss how the process of scientific inquiry is different from other forms of inquiry. Include in your discussion a description of the hypothesis-prediction approach.

Question 80

Viruses

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.