Deck 2: Biological Foundations: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth

Question 1

If tallness is dominant and designated as 'T', and shortness is recessive and designated as 's', who would likely be short?

A)Bongi, who is 'sT'
B)Adam, who is 'Ts'
C)Anele, who is 'ss'
D)Meera, who is 'TT'

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Siyabonga is 1.8 metres tall, plays tennis, and is an all-around nice person. This is a description of Siyabonga's

A)allele.
B)genotype.
C)homozygosity.
D)phenotype.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Genes provide the cell with a specific set of ____ instructions.

A)hormonal
B)biochemical
C)in vitro
D)bioelectric

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Keshia has one allele for curly hair and another for straight hair. Keshia's alleles are

A)polyzygotic.
B)dizygotic.
C)homozygous.
D)heterozygous.

Question 5

Moegsien is heterozygous for cheek dimples but is born with big dimples in both cheeks. Apparently, the allele for cheek dimples is

A)dominant.
B)sex-linked.
C)recessive.
D)polygenetic.

Question 6

What combination would result in a boy?

A)A 17th pair of chromosomes with one X and one Y
B)A 23rd pair of chromosomes with one X and one Y
C)A 17th pair of chromosomes with two Xs
D)A 23rd pair of chromosomes with two Xs

Question 7

Human DNA is composed of a total of ____ different nucleotide bases.

A)4
B)23
C)444
D)30,000

Question 8

Which best exemplifies the concept of incomplete dominance?

A)An individual with two alleles for baldness who has long hair
B)An individual with two alleles for shyness who is shy
C)An individual with one allele for obesity and another for thinness who is of average weight
D)An individual with a single allele for aggression who is violent

Question 9

The threadlike structures in the nucleus of a cell that contain genetic material are called

A)chromosomes.
B)germ discs.
C)ectoderms.
D)phenotypes.

Question 10

Dino is approached by a mad geneticist who says he will pay Dino either R1 000 for each pair of his autosomes or R5 000 for each pair of his sex chromosomes. Assuming Dino wants to make as much money as possible, which offer should he take?

A)R1 000 for each pair of autosomes
B)R5 000 for each pair of sex chromosomes
C)Either one, because Dino will make the same amount with both offers
D)Neither one, because humans have neither autosomes nor sex chromosomes

Question 11

The functional units of heredity are

A)genes.
B)neurotransmitters produced in the brain.
C)phenotypes.
D)basic chemical compounds that form the single helix of a DNA molecule.

Question 12

Genotype is to phenotype as

A)homozygous is to heterozygous.
B)nurture is to nature.
C)DNA is to deoxyribonucleic acid.
D)chromosome pattern is to physical, behavioural, and psychological features.

Question 13

Which statement concerning the sickle-cell trait is true?

A)Individuals with the trait have the dominant phenotype but possess the recessive genotype.
B)Individuals with the trait have both a dominant and recessive allele for the disorder.
C)Individuals with the trait are genetically predisposed to the disorder but cannot display any symptoms.
D)Individuals with the trait tend to have the most severe form of the disease.

Question 14

Which process can best be explained by alleles?

A)The fact that phenotypes produce genotypes
B)The formation of identical twins through the splitting of a fertilised egg
C)The instructions for hair colour come from two sources on the chromosome
D)The teratogenic effects associated with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

Question 15

When looking through a microscope at an entire set of human male chromosomes, how would you be able to differentiate an autosome pair from a sex chromosome pair?

A)The sex chromosome pair would be about 10 times larger than the autosome pair.
B)The circular-shaped cells would be the autosomes and the square shapes would be the sex chromosomes.
C)There would be three cells in the autosome 'pair' and two cells in the sex chromosome 'pair'.
D)The shape of the sex chromosomes would differ, whereas each autosome pair would look identical.

Question 16

The first ____ pairs of chromosomes are called autosomes and the ____ pair is called sex chromosomes.

A)2; 3rd
B)10; 11th
C)22; 23rd
D)46; 47th

Question 17

Dr Sithole has just been informed that his son has sickle-cell trait. As a knowledgeable doctor, Dr Sithole would realise that his son's body is most likely to experience

A)excess levels of body fat.
B)serious oxygen deprivation.
C)decreased lung capacity.
D)blindness.

Question 18

How would you create an individual who will definitely have blue eyes?

A)Make sure he has a pair of homozygous chromosomes for blue eyes.
B)Make sure he has a pair of heterozygous chromosomes for eye colour.
C)Make sure he has a pair of alleles for eye colour.
D)Make sure he has one recessive gene for blue eyes.

Question 19

A sperm cell contains a total of 22

A)genes.
B)chromosomes.
C)autosomes.
D)sex cells.

Question 20

The average child has approximately ____ genes.

A)25
B)25 000
C)25 000 000
D)25 000 000 000

Question 21

Nonshared environmental influences involve forces that make siblings

A)act in virtually identical ways.
B)homozygous.
C)dizygotic twins.
D)different from one another.

Question 22

Which result would not support the idea that genes play a significant role in behaviour?

A)Finding dizygotic twins to be more similar than monozygotic twins
B)Finding children to be more similar to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents
C)Finding similarities between biological siblings
D)Finding monozygotic twins to be more similar than pairs of unrelated individuals

Question 23

Sipho and Siya have the exact same genes. This indicates that they must be

A)dizygotic twins.
B)monozygotic twins.
C)heterozygous.
D)co-dominant.

Question 24

Which statement best describes the basic premise of behavioural genetics?

A)'Your personality is all in your genes.'
B)'Your personality is all in your environment.'
C)'People are either very open to new experiences or avoid new experiences at all costs.'
D)'Openness to new experience is not an either/or proposition, but represents a wide range of reactions.'

Question 25

As dizygotic twins, Maya and Miriam

A)are genetically identical.
B)must have come from the same fertilised egg.
C)share all phenotypes.
D)share about half of their genes.

Question 26

Which individual with a genetic predisposition toward being extroverted is demonstrating successful niche-picking?

A)Buhle, who is a game-show host
B)Bandile, who is a horse trainer
C)Bonolo, who is a hermit who lives in a cave by herself
D)Bontle, who spends a lot of time studying in the library

Question 27

If a doctor informed you that your speech disorder was the result of problems on chromosomes 4, 7, and 15, you would rightly conclude that the disorder is always classifiable as

A)recessive.
B)polygenetic.
C)dominant.
D)sex-linked.

Question 28

______ occurs when an individual intentionally seeks out an environment that matches characteristics driven by his or her genes.

A)Passive gene-environment interactions
B)Incomplete dominance
C)Niche-picking
D)Polygenetic inheritance

Question 29

Bonolo's two-year-old daughter has developmental delays due, in part, to a diet that included fish, bread, and dairy products. The most likely diagnosis for Bonolo's daughter is that she has

A)Turner's syndrome.
B)Huntington's disease.
C)Tay Sachs disease.
D)Phenylketonuria (PKU).

Question 30

Heredity and environment

A)interact dynamically throughout development.
B)act independently throughout development.
C)interact dynamically in childhood and independently in adulthood.
D)act independently in childhood and interact dynamically in adulthood.

Question 31

As a behavioural geneticist, Jan would most likely be studying

A)the maze-learning behaviour of rats.
B)the evolution of eyesight over the life span.
C)the inheritance of behavioural and psychological traits.
D)the physiological structure of a gene.

Question 32

Blessing, who was adopted at birth, is found to have personality characteristics more similar to his biological mom than to his adoptive mom. How should you interpret this data?

A)Personality appears to be a polygenetic characteristic.
B)Personality characteristics are learned.
C)Personality characteristics are influenced by genes.
D)Personality characteristics appear to be recessive.

Question 33

A heritability coefficient of ____ means about 50 per cent of the difference between people on a specific characteristic is the result of heredity.

A)0.5
B)5
C)50
D)500

Question 34

As a behavioural geneticist, Professor Ngcobo is most likely to calculate the extent to which depression is inherited using a ____ coefficient.

A)nonshared
B)DNA
C)polygenetic
D)heritability

Question 35

As a geneticist, you found that a foetus has 47 chromosomes. What would be the most likely conclusion drawn from this information?

A)The child has Down syndrome.
B)The child has sickle-cell anaemia.
C)The child has phenylketonuria (PKU).
D)This is a normal number of chromosomes.

Question 36

Huntington's disease is an unusual genetic disorder in that it is a fatal disease caused by dominant alleles that

A)impact late enough in life so that the individual can reproduce.
B)are controllable through diet.
C)both must come from the mother.
D)strike only males.

Question 37

After creating a child's DNA profile, behavioural geneticists can then look to see

A)if the genotype is associated with behaviour phenotypes.
B)if the DNA links the child to a certain geographic location.
C)if the child is going to be cared for by adoptive parents.
D)if the child ranks high or low eugenically.

Question 38

The concept that genotypes are not the only things that control traits involves the fact that

A)dizygotic twins are virtually genetically identical.
B)each genotype can produce a variety of phenotypes.
C)recessive genes are more commonly expressed than dominant genes.
D)the environment has little impact on behaviour.

Question 39

Which physical characteristic is most indicative of an individual with Down syndrome?

A)An enlarged head
B)A fold of skin over each eyelid
C)A long neck
D)A larger nose than same-age peers

Question 40

Because of his accurate knowledge of genetics and disorders, Bandile knows that his newborn son has no chance of having

A)Turner's syndrome.
B)Kleinfelter's syndrome.
C)Huntington's disease.
D)Down syndrome.

Question 41

The developing human organism that has just become completely embedded in the wall of the uterus is called the

A)amnion.
B)foetus.
C)zygote.
D)embryo.

Question 42

If Enzokuhle found out that she was conceived through in vitro fertilisation, she would know for certain that

A)she was conceived in a Petri dish.
B)she was conceived inside a fallopian tube.
C)her biological parents were not the same as the parents who reared her.
D)the woman who carried her as a foetus was not the woman who reared her.

Question 43

Prenatal development begins

A)with sperm production.
B)with ovulation.
C)at conception.
D)at implantation into the uterus.

Question 44

Damage to cells in the embryo's ____ layer would be most likely to result in the development of a defective digestive system.

A)endoderm
B)placenta
C)ectoderm
D)mesoderm

Question 45

A developing human that is traveling from a fallopian tube to the uterus would most accurately be described as a(n)

A)embryo.
B)foetus.
C)zygote.
D)amnion.

Question 46

Which period is not considered part of prenatal development?

A)Period of the foetus
B)Period of the zygote
C)Period of the neonate
D)Period of the embryo

Question 47

Whose behaviour best exemplifies eugenics?

A)Dr Dlamini, who uses an in vitro fertilisation technique
B)Dr Mkhize, who allows only certain individuals to mate
C)Dr Mokoena, who studies the effects of thalidomide on prenatal development
D)Dr Govender, who closely monitors the nutrition of expectant mothers

Question 48

The ____ is the structure through which a mother and an embryo exchange waste and nutrients.

A)amnion
B)stem cell
C)germ disc
D)placenta

Question 49

At five weeks after conception, a developing human is most accurately called a(n)

A)embryo.
B)zygote.
C)foetus.
D)neonate.

Question 50

Mi Lei is pregnant and her body is currently experiencing the event that triggers hormonal changes that will prevent further menstruation. This event is called

A)implantation.
B)conception.
C)dilation.
D)effacement.

Question 51

Which statement concerning preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is false?

A)It is usually used with couples known to be at risk for genetic disorders.
B)It cannot be used to determine if a child-to-be is male or female.
C)If parents are not pleased with the test results, they can have a fertilised egg discarded.
D)It can be used to determine a child-to-be's hair colour.

Question 52

Jack and Jill are twins. Because he is a boy, Jack's parents encourage him to run. However, they discourage Jill from engaging in athletic activity. As a result, Jack is much faster at running up a hill than Jill. The difference in Jack and Jill's behaviour is best explained by

A)nonshared environmental influences.
B)active gene-environment relations.
C)polygenetic effects.
D)niche-picking.

Question 53

What began as a single fertilised egg has just separated into two distinct eggs. This indicates the formation of ____ twins that has occurred during the ____ period of development.

A)fraternal; zygotic
B)fraternal; embryonic
C)identical; zygotic
D)identical; embryonic

Question 54

The point at which a zygote burrows into the uterine wall is referred to as

A)fertilisation.
B)implantation.
C)niche-picking.
D)dilation.

Question 55

A doctor has just informed pregnant Misha that the human organism developing inside of her has just begun to show differentiation of its cells. As a knowledgeable student, you would know that such an organism is technically called a(n)

A)embryo.
B)zygote.
C)foetus.
D)neonate.

Question 56

The uniting of the egg and sperm (conception) typically takes place in the

A)uterus.
B)testes.
C)fallopian tube.
D)ovary.

Question 57

Which event occurs following in vitro fertilisation?

A)A fertilised egg is placed directly into the uterus.
B)A sperm is injected directly into the fallopian tube.
C)A fertilised egg is directly placed in the ovary.
D)A single sperm is injected directly into a fertilised egg.

Question 58

Hair and the nervous system develop during the embryonic period from cells contained in the ____ layer.

A)mesoderm
B)endoderm
C)placenta
D)ectoderm

Question 59

The ____ is the cluster of cells in the centre of the zygote that will eventually develop into the baby.

A)amnion
B)stem cell
C)germ disc
D)placenta

Question 60

The period of the ____ lasts for approximately two weeks.

A)embryo
B)zygote
C)foetus
D)neonate

Question 61

A knowledgeable nutritionist would tell a pregnant mother that, in order to reduce the risk of having a baby born with spina bifida, mom needs to make sure that she is ingesting an adequate amount of

A)vitamin A.
B)iron.
C)vitamin E.
D)folic acid.

Question 62

Which organism can truthfully state, 'It is during my time that all body parts and organs are first put into place?'

A)The neonate
B)The zygote
C)The foetus
D)The embryo

Question 63

Ectoderm is to endoderm as

A)heterozygous is to homozygous.
B)fraternal is to identical.
C)outer is to inner.
D)bone is to muscle.

Question 64

While observing a special monitor, a doctor tells an expectant mother, 'As you can see, the legs and arms have just begun to emerge.' From this description, you should realise that the two are looking at a(n)

A)zygote.
B)foetus.
C)embryo.
D)germ disc.

Question 65

Currently, the earliest 'age of viability' occurs around ____ weeks after conception.

A)14
B)22
C)30
D)38

Question 66

The main reason for why teenage mothers tend to give birth to less healthy infants than mothers in their 20s is that they

A)tend not to receive good prenatal care.
B)take too many vitamins.
C)have more genetically defective eggs.
D)are more likely to smoke while pregnant.

Question 67

A doctor could best illustrate the proximodistal principle by discussing the fact that

A)male foetuses develop faster than female foetuses.
B)identical twins tend to be smaller than fraternal twins.
C)the outside portion of the amniotic sac is thicker than the inside portion.
D)a baby can control its shoulder before it can control its fingers.

Question 68

Estelle's doctor informs her that her child is just entering the longest period of prenatal development. About how long has Estelle been carrying her unborn child?

A)1 day
B)3 weeks
C)9 weeks
D)28 weeks

Question 69

During prenatal development, the arm develops before the fingers. This most illustrates the ____ principle.

A)Premack
B)coefficient
C)cephalocaudal
D)proximodistal

Question 70

Which event is characteristic of the period of the foetus?

A)The first beat of the heart
B)The first neural activity in the neocortex
C)The significant growth in the cerebral cortex
D)The attachment of the umbilical cord to the placenta

Question 71

The thick, greasy substance that covers the foetus around five to six months after conception is called

A)placenta.
B)vernix.
C)amnion.
D)endoderm.

Question 72

Dr du Plessis tells Saleema that her developing embryo is showing distortions in the development of its circulatory system. As a knowledgeable student of human development, Saleema should realise that the problem is within cells of the ____ layer.

A)placenta
B)mesoderm
C)ectoderm
D)endoderm

Question 73

One key purpose of the amniotic fluid is to

A)provide the embryo with nutrients.
B)stimulate development of neurotransmitters.
C)screen the flow of blood between mother and embryo.
D)maintain a constant temperature for the embryo.

Question 74

The placenta

A)directly connects the bloodstream of the embryo to the bloodstream of the mother.
B)contains amniotic fluid.
C)helps the foetus to maintain a constant temperature.
D)allows for an exchange of nutrients and waste.

Question 75

The sac in which the embryo is found is called the

A)ectoderm.
B)amnion.
C)germ disc.
D)placenta.

Question 76

Maternal stress is most likely to negatively affect a developing embryo/foetus when that stress is

A)intermittent and extreme.
B)intermittent and moderate.
C)prolonged and extreme.
D)chronic and moderate.

Question 77

The ____ contains the blood vessels that join the embryo and its mother.

A)umbilical cord
B)amnion
C)germ disc
D)mesoderm

Question 78

The fact that the embryonic head develops before the body illustrates the ____ principle.

A)cephalocaudal
B)incomplete dominance
C)proximodistal
D)niche-picking

Question 79

Hlengiwe is 40 years old and she and her daughter Sadie, 20, are both currently pregnant. Which statement with regard to these two mothers is most accurate?

A)Sadie has a greater risk of giving birth to a baby with sickle-cell anaemia.
B)Hlengiwe is twice as fertile as Sadie.
C)Sadie's chances of having a baby with Down syndrome are three times higher than Hlengiwe's.
D)Hlengiwe has a greater risk of having a miscarriage.

Question 80

Just after the birth of her son Neo, mom Naledi is informed that little Neo's neural tube did not properly close during his prenatal development. This would mean that Neo will be diagnosed with

A)spina bifida.
B)muscular dystrophy.
C)cerebral palsy.
D)sickle-cell anaemia.