Deck 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems

Question 1

Which of the following behaviors would be least accepted by the scientific community?

A) observing patterns in nature
B) hypothesizing about evidence
C) overstating a claim
D) arguing over alternative interpretations
E) developing experiments to test a hypothesis

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is not an example of a macromolecule?

A) lipids.
B) nucleic acids.
C) proteins.
D) complex carbohydrates.
E) nucleotides.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Protons,neutrons,and electrons are all

A) forms of energy.
B) equal in mass.
C) subatomic particles that make up atoms.
D) negative ions.
E) charged particles.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The acidity or alkalinity of water or soil is important to determine

A) the uptake of chemicals in the soil by plants.
B) how dissolved substances interact with their environment.
C) a only
D) b only
E) a and b

Question 5

Liquid,solid,and gas are

A) physical forms of matter.
B) chemical forms of matter.
C) mixtures.
D) compounds.
E) forms of energy.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is incorrect about reliable science?

A) It can be proven absolutely.
B) Hypotheses are not totally free of human bias.
C) It assumes that the natural world follows cause and effect patterns that we can understand..
D) It involves data, hypotheses and theories that are widely accepted by experts in the particular field.
E) It is subject to testing, peer review, reproducibility and debate.

Question 7

Which statement best summarizes the law of conservation of matter?

A) We can rearrange matter but we cannot create or destroy it.
B) Matter that is highly concentrated and readily available is most useful as a human resource.
C) Matter consists of elements and compounds.
D) Matter can undergo a physical change in its chemical composition.
E) Matter should never be wasted.

Question 8

Energy can be formally defined as

A) the random motion of molecules.
B) the ability to do work or produce heat transfer.
C) a force that is exerted over some distance.
D) the movement of molecules.
E) the loss of matter.

Question 9

Which of the following is not part of the scientific method?

A) reasoning
B) imagination
C) scientific tests
D) religious beliefs
E) observation

Question 10

All of the following are examples of kinetic energy except

A) electromagnetic radiation.
B) a stick of dynamite.
C) flow of heat.
D) a falling rock.
E) flowing water.

Question 11

The atomic number is the number of

A) atoms in a molecule.
B) protons in an atom.
C) nuclei in a molecule.
D) electrons in an atom.
E) protons and neutrons in an atom.

Question 12

An example of potential energy is

A) electricity flowing through a wire.
B) the chemical energy in a candy bar.
C) a bullet fired at high velocity.
D) a leaf falling from a tree.
E) water flowing.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Scientific laws are descriptions of nature with no known exceptions.
B) Hypotheses explain observed scientific data.
C) A hypothesis tested many times by reproducible controlled experiments becomes a scientific theory.
D) The law of gravity is a scientific law.
E) A tentative explanation that needs further evaluation is a scientific theory.

Question 14

Carbon,hydrogen,oxygen and nitrogen make up approximately what percentage of most living organisms?

A) 25%.
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 80%
E) 96%.

Question 15

Science

A) studies the past to predict the future.
B) attempts to discover how the physical world works by experimenting,, making measurements and observations.
C) is best described as a collection of facts found through using scientific methods.
D) is supported by small amounts of evidence.
E) none of these answers.

Question 16

Matter is anything that

A) has mass and occupies space.
B) has the capacity to do work.
C) can be changed in form.
D) can produce change.
E) moves mass.

Question 17

Forms of an element having the same atomic number but different atomic mass numbers are called

A) atomic number.
B) mass numbers.
C) isotopes.
D) nuclei.
E) electrons.

Question 18

Which of the following is not an example of an organic compound?

A) aspirin.
B) plastics.
C) ammonia.
D) limestone.
E) sugar.

Question 19

Which of the following does not characterize frontier science?

A) It often involves disputes among scientists.
B) It often deals with preliminary data.
C) It can lead the public to think that all scientific ideas have the same level of uncertainty.
D) The public usually readily understands it.
E) It often captures news headlines.

Question 20

The atomic mass is equal to the sum of the

A) neutrons and isotopes.
B) neutrons and electrons.
C) neutrons and protons.
D) protons, neutrons, and electrons.
E) protons only.

Question 21

Which of the following is an example of low-quality energy?

A) water from a dam
B) heat in the ocean
C) nuclei of uranium-235
D) burning coal
E) sunlight

Question 22

The portion of the earth that contains fossil fuels and soil chemicals is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) lithosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) geosphere.

Question 23

The most inclusive components of the biotic portion of an ecosystem are

A) producers, consumers, and decomposers.
B) primary and secondary consumers.
C) herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
D) all nonliving chemicals or matter.
E) none of these answers

Question 24

All of the plant and animal species living together and interacting with one another on a small island are called the island's

A) ecosystem.
B) habitat.
C) community.
D) population.
E) biosphere.

Question 25

Types of dogs like Huskies,Labradors,Beagles,and German Shepherds are all one

A) organism.
B) species.
C) population.
D) community.
E) none of these answers.

Question 26

A community of living organisms interacting with one another and the physical and chemical factors of their nonliving environment is called

A) a species.
B) an ecosystem.
C) a population.
D) a lithosphere.
E) a community.

Question 27

A factor present in concentrations too much or too little to support population growth,even if all the other factors are in optimal range is known as the

A) trophic level.
B) range of tolerance.
C) biotic factor.
D) abiotic factor.
E) limiting factor.

Question 28

The level of organization in Ecology from the smallest to the largest unit is

A) organism, population, community, biosphere, ecosystem.
B) organism, ecosystem, community, population, biosphere.
C) organism, community, population, biosphere, ecosystem.
D) organism, community, population, ecosystem, biosphere.
E) organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere.

Question 29

The portion of the atmosphere containing the air we breathe is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) biosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) ecosphere.

Question 30

The Earth's crust and upper mantle are called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) lithosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) ecosphere.

Question 31

The limiting factor for whales would not include

A) temperature.
B) precipitation.
C) nutrient availability.
D) sunlight.
E) salinity.

Question 32

The portion of the atmosphere responsible for filtering out harmful ultraviolet radiation is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) biosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) ecosphere.

Question 33

Producers (autotrophs)

A) cannot live without consumers (heterotrophs).
B) are known as herbivores.
C) might carry on photosynthesis.
D) only occur in aquatic ecosystems.
E) none of these answers

Question 34

The part of Earth where living organisms are found is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) biosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) lithosphere.

Question 35

The place where an organism lives is its

A) habitat.
B) niche.
C) community.
D) population.
E) neighborhood.

Question 36

The portion of the atmosphere where almost all of earth's weather occurs is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) biosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) ecosphere.

Question 37

The matter and energy laws tell us that we can recycle

A) both matter and energy.
B) neither matter nor energy.
C) matter but not energy.
D) energy but not matter.
E) none of these answers

Question 38

Which of the following statements is not an example of a physical change?

A) confetti is cut from pieces of paper
B) water evaporates from a lake
C) ice cubes are formed in the freezer
D) a plant converts carbon dioxide into carbohydrate
E) a tree is cut down

Question 39

According to the first law of thermodynamics,energy input is

A) usually greater than energy output.
B) always greater than energy output.
C) always equal to energy output.
D) usually less than energy output.
E) always less than energy input.

Question 40

The part of Earth where air,water,soil and organisms interact is called the

A) troposphere.
B) stratosphere.
C) biosphere.
D) hydrosphere.
E) lithosphere.

Question 41

All of the following are elements involved in major nutrient biogeochemical cycles except

A) nitrogen.
B) calcium.
C) carbon.
D) phosphorus.
E) water.

Question 42

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Nutrients are cycled in the ecosphere in biogeochemical cycles.
B) Biogeochemical cycles connect all past, present, and future forms of life.
C) Biogeochemical cycles are ultimately driven by the sun and by gravity.
D) There are three types of biogeochemical cycles: air, water, and land.
E) all of these statements are correct

Question 43

The organisms that are classified as primary consumers are the

A) detritivores.
B) omnivores.
C) carnivores.
D) herbivores.
E) decomposers.

Question 44

In open water,the dominant producers are

A) trees.
B) ferns.
C) fish.
D) grasses.
E) phytoplankton.

Question 45

All of the following are consumers except

A) herbivores.
B) carnivores.
C) omnivores.
D) autotrophs.
E) decomposers.

Question 46

The group that includes infectious germs,purifies water by breaking down wastes,decompose organic wastes into nutrients,and provide much of the world's oxygen are

A) phytoplankton.
B) infectious disease.
C) abiotic.
D) microbes.
E) fungus.

Question 47

Gross primary productivity is the rate

A) at which producers manufacture chemical energy through photosynthesis.
B) at which producers use chemical energy through respiration.
C) at which producers manufacture chemical energy minus energy used through respiration.
D) at which chemical energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
E) at which consumers use chemical energy through respiration.

Question 48

The net chemical effect of aerobic respiration

A) converts glucose into energy and water.
B) requires the combustion of carbon.
C) produces carbon dioxide and oxygen gas.
D) yields glucose and oxygen gas as products.
E) yields glucose and carbon dioxide gas as products.

Question 49

Photosynthesis

A) converts glucose into energy and water.
B) requires the combustion of carbon.
C) produces carbon dioxide and oxygen gas.
D) yields glucose and oxygen gas as products.
E) yields glucose and carbon dioxide gas as products.

Question 50

Which of the following terrestrial ecosystems has the highest net primary productivity?

A) agricultural land
B) tropical forest
C) temperate forest
D) coniferous forest
E) desert scrub

Question 51

Which of the following aquatic ecosystems has the highest net primary productivity?

A) lakes
B) rivers and streams
C) hydrothermal vents
D) continental shelf
E) estuaries

Question 52

Photosynthesis captures approximately what percent of energy from the sun?

A) 1%
B) 10%
C) 25%
D) 80%
E) 90%

Question 53

Organisms that feed exclusively on plants are called

A) detritus feeders.
B) omnivores.
C) carnivores.
D) herbivores.
E) decomposers.

Question 54

All of the following live off remains or wastes of organisms except

A) omnivores.
B) decomposers.
C) scavengers.
D) detritivores.
E) detritus feeders.

Question 55

Organisms that feed on both plants and animals are called

A) autotrophs.
B) omnivores.
C) carnivores.
D) herbivores.
E) decomposers.

Question 56

Complex feeding patterns of consumers in an ecosystem are called

A) food webs.
B) food chains.
C) trophic levels.
D) pyramids of energy.
E) trophic chains.

Question 57

In food chains,energy moves from one source to the next,resulting in a loss of useful energy to the environment as heat.This energy in the biosphere is usually replaced by

A) the sun.
B) decomposers.
C) other organisms.
D) plants.
E) animals.

Question 58

In food chains,energy moves from one source to the next,resulting in a loss of useful energy to the environment as heat.The amount of chemical energy transferred between trophic levels is usually

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 90%
E) 100%

Question 59

Net primary productivity is the rate

A) at which producers manufacture chemical energy through photosynthesis.
B) at which producers use chemical energy through respiration.
C) at which producers manufacture chemical energy minus energy used through respiration.
D) at which chemical energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
E) at which consumers use chemical energy through respiration.

Question 60

Most of the energy input in a food chain is

A) in the form of heat.
B) converted to biomass.
C) recycled as it reaches the chain's end.
D) degraded to low-quality heat.
E) converted to carbon dioxide.

Question 61

An important feature of reliable science is skepticism.

Question 62

Humans strongly affect the hydrologic cycle through all of the following except

A) water withdrawal from streams, lakes and rivers.
B) clearing vegetation for agriculture.
C) boiling water.
D) draining wetlands.
E) creating housing developments and parking lots.

Question 63

Heat and pressure convert

A) igneous rock into sedimentary rock.
B) sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock.
C) igneous rock into minerals.
D) metamorphic rock into sedimentary rock.
E) metamorphic rock into igneous.

Question 64

pH is a measure of the comparative amounts of hydrogen and hydroxide ion concentrations in a volume of solution,which influences the uptake of soil nutrients.

Question 65

The following statements are true about the hydrologic cycle except

A) Evaporation and precipitation act as natural water purification systems.
B) Water is a major medium for transporting nutrients between ecosystems.
C) Water stored as ice in glaciers is stored for relatively long periods of time.
D) 24% of the of the earth's water supply is available as freshwater supplies for human consumption.
E) The water cycle is limited to the hydrosphere.

Question 66

Transfer of carbon between organisms depends primarily on

A) fuel combustion and decomposition.
B) photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
C) soil bacteria and precipitation.
D) volcanic activity and organic decay.
E) the rock cycle.

Question 67

The hydrologic cycle is driven by all of the following except

A) condensation
B) transpiration
C) precipitation
D) gravity
E) erosion

Question 68

The following statements about the carbon cycle are true except

A) If the carbon cycle removes too much carbon dioxide, the atmosphere will get cooler.
B) Photosynthesis and aerobic respiration circulates carbon dioxide in the biosphere.
C) Oxygen and hydrogen cycle closely with carbon.
D) Some carbon atoms are sequestered in fossil fuels therefore cycle very slowly through geological processes.
E) The carbon cycle does not involve the hydrosphere.

Question 69

Humans intervene in the phosphorus cycle in all of the following ways except

A) use of inorganic, phosphorus-containing fertilizers.
B) runoff of municipal and animal wastes.
C) clearing tropical forests.
D) burning of fossil fuels.
E) mining large quantities of phosphate rock.

Question 70

Sedimentary rocks are formed from

A) volcanic eruptions.
B) particles of weathered rock.
C) tectonic plate collisions.
D) meteorite impact.
E) compacted plant remains.

Question 71

Phosphate can be sequestered from the phosphorus cycles for long periods of time in

A) running water.
B) sea floor deposits.
C) the atmosphere.
D) sea birds.
E) rivers.

Question 72

Which of the following is not one of the common phosphorus reservoirs in the ecosystem?

A) water
B) organisms
C) atmosphere
D) rocks
E) marine sediment

Question 73

All of the following are broad classes of rock except

A) sedimentary.
B) igneous.
C) metamorphic.
D) crystalline.
E) none of these

Question 74

All of the following human behaviors substantially affect the nitrogen cycle except

A) addition of sewage to aquatic systems.
B) use of nitrogen fertilizers.
C) runoff from feedlots.
D) runoff from salt-treated icy highways.
E) burning of fuels.

Question 75

Which of the following statements about human alteration of the nitrogen cycle is false?

A) Large quantities of nitric oxide are released into the atmosphere when fuel is burned.
B) Nitric oxide can be converted in the atmosphere to nitric acid, which contributes to acid deposition.
C) Eating protein puts "dead ends" in the nitrogen cycle.
D) Nitrate and ammonium ions are depleted from the soil by harvesting nitrogen-rich crops.
E) Irrigation of crops removes nitrogen from topsoil.

Question 76

The scientific method is useful in environmental science because it has no known limitations.

Question 77

All of the following increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere except

A) respiration.
B) photosynthesis.
C) combustion.
D) decomposition.
E) none of these answers

Question 78

Carbon is a major component of

A) atmospheric gases.
B) sedimentary rocks.
C) the oceans.
D) organic compounds.
E) sandy soils.

Question 79

The scientific method is the way in which scientists gather data and formulate and test hypotheses,models,theories,and laws.

Question 80

The two ways in which humans have most interfered with the carbon cycle are

A) removal of forests and aerobic respiration.
B) aerobic respiration and burning of fossil fuels.
C) respiration and photosynthesis.
D) burning of fossil fuels and removal of forests.
E) respiration and removal of forests.