Deck 1: Scientific Study of Life

Question 1

Which of the following are independent variables in this experiment?

A)amount of ammonium nitrate and light
B)amount of water
C)amount of carbon dioxide
D)height of the plants and amount of light
E)height of the plants

Answer 1

A
Explanation: The independent variable is the variable which the experimenter varies to look for responses in the system,rathe rthan what is measured.Please see sections 1.3 for more information.

Question 2

You are sorting cards with pictures of organisms and their descriptions into groups with similar organisms.You would place the card with an osprey and the description "organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms" with cards for other

A)autotrophs.
B)plants.
C)heterotrophs.
D)producers.
E)photosynthesizers.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: Consumers eat other consumers or producers to obtain energy and reduced carbon compounds.Please see section 1.1 for more information.

Question 3

If you were observing a newly discovered structure and trying to decide if it might be alive,what would be the weakest indicator of life?

A)homeostasis
B)movement
C)structural organization
D)evolution
E)energy use

Answer 3

B
Explanation: Non-living things can sometimes move,and living things,like barnacles past the larval stage,sometimes do not move,at least not in some sense.Please see section 1.1 for more information.

Question 4

If you were listening to a professor talk about the nature of hypotheses,which statement would make you question whether the professor really knew the subject matter?

A)It can be proven true.
B)It can be proven false.
C)It is a tentative explanation.
D)It is based on previous knowledge.
E)It must be testable to be useful.

Question 5

If you were grading a set of exams dealing with the scientific method,which statement would lead to a student losing points?

A)It is a general way of answering questions with evidence.
B)It is a framework to consider ideas in a repeatable way.
C)It begins with observations.
D)It does not apply to problems encountered in everyday life.
E)It enables the testing of ideas.

Question 6

A theory differs from a hypothesis in that a theory

A)has more supportive evidence than a hypothesis.
B)is broader in scope than a hypothesis.
C)has predictive power.
D)ties together many existing observations.
E)All answers are correct.

Question 7

In an experimental procedure,what response of the phenomenon is measured by the investigator?

A)independent variable
B)dependent variable
C)control group
D)standardized variable
E)both dependent variable and standardized variable

Question 8

The four kingdoms included in the domain Eukarya are

A)Bacteria,Fungi,Plantae,and AnimaliA.
B)Bacteria,Protista,Plantae,and Animalia.
C)Protista,Fungi,Plantae,and Animalia.
D)Archaea,Bacteria,Plantae,and Animalia.
E)Archaea,Fungi,Plantae,and Animalia.

Question 9

Organisms that extract energy from nonliving environmental resources are called

A)heterotrophs.
B)decomposers.
C)parasites.
D)consumers.
E)producers.

Question 10

In an experimental procedure,what is manipulated by the investigator to determine whether it influences the phenomenon of interest?

A)standardized variable
B)control group
C)dependent variable
D)independent variable
E)both control group and standardized variable

Question 11

Asexual reproduction differs from sexual reproduction in that

A)asexual reproduction produces genetically diverse offspring.
B)asexual reproduction utilizes DNA from two parents to code for traits in offspring.
C)asexual reproduction occurs only in plants.
D)asexual reproduction produces offspring containing DNA from only one parent.
E)asexual reproduction only occurs in animals.

Question 12

If you wanted to demonstrate homeostasis to a friend,you could use as an example

A)a population changing over time.
B)environmental conditions holding constant through time.
C)cells having enough water to survive.
D)plants and animals needing energy sources.
E)an organism maintaining nearly constant internal conditions.

Question 13

Which statement deals with a limitation of experimentation but with the incorrect discussion?

A)The larger the sample size the more meaningful the results.
B)The smaller the sample size the more meaningful the results.
C)An experiment is not valid without the proper control.
D)It is important to standardize aspects of an experiment that might affect the outcome,other than the independent variable.
E)All answers are correct.

Question 14

A major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is that prokaryotes

A)have cell walls and other organisms do not.
B)do not have a nucleus in their cells and other organisms do.
C)have a nucleus in their cells and other organisms do not.
D)are autotrophs and other organisms are not.
E)are not living organisms,while eukaryotes arE.

Question 15

Which is the correct sequence for levels of biological organization within an organism?

A)atom - molecule - organelle - cell - tissue
B)molecule - atom - organelle - tissue - cell
C)cell - organelle - atom - tissue - molecule
D)organelle - molecule - atom - tissue - cell
E)atom - organelle - molecule - cell - tissue

Question 16

In cleaning up after lab,you have to sort cards into boxes.You would put all of the below cards into a box marked "ecosystem" except

A)community.
B)biosphere.
C)populations.
D)organisms.
E)nonliving environmental components.

Question 17

Which of the following is not a "control" in an experimental procedure?

A)a placebo
B)a known standard of comparison
C)a normal group
D)an experimental group
E)a "zero"-value group

Question 18

Which is the correct sequence for levels of biological organization occurring beyond an organism?

A)population - ecosystem - community - biosphere
B)community - population - ecosystem - biosphere
C)community - population - biosphere - ecosystem
D)population - community - ecosystem - biosphere
E)ecosystem - population - biosphere - community

Question 19

A structure consisting of tissues organized to carry out a specific function defines a(n)

A)organ.
B)cell.
C)population.
D)atom.
E)moleculE.

Question 20

All living organisms

A)are prokaryotes.
B)consist of one or more cells.
C)are eukaryotes.
D)are multicellular.
E)are unicellular.

Question 21

The bacterium S.aureus belongs to which domain?

A)Eukarya
B)Archaea
C)Prokarya
D)Protista
E)Bacteria

Question 22

Homo sapiens is in which domain?

A)Archaea
B)Bacteria
C)Eukarya
D)Animalia
E)Protista

Question 23

What did Charles Darwin predict after observing the 11-inch long nectaries of the Angraecum sesquipedale orchid in Madagascar?

A)the existence of a moth with a proboscis of 10-11 inches
B)the existence of a competitor that also possessed especially long nectaries
C)the presence of very small bees that could fit into long nectaries
D)that the orchid must reproduce asexually
E)that the orchid was an evolutionary dead end and could no longer reproduce

Question 24

Which of the following are dependent variables in this experiment?

A)Amount of ammonium nitrate and light
B)Amount of carbon dioxide
C)Amount of water
D)Height of the plants
E)Height of the plants and amount of light

Question 25

You want to test Charles Darwin's prediction that an orchid with long pollen tubes has a pollinator with long,thin mouthparts that can reach the bottom of the elongated nectar tube.You place nets over some orchids,which allows pollinators with small,short mouthparts to enter but prevents the entry of pollinators with long,thin mouthparts.Next,you compare the number of seeds produced by plants with and without the nets.In this experiment,seed production is a(n)

A)dependent variable.
B)hypothesis.
C)theory.
D)independent variable.
E)standardized variablE.

Question 26

The "kingdom" is the most all-inclusive taxonomic category.

Question 27

The scientific method cannot be used to answer questions about immaterial and philosophical issues.

Question 28

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus has which of the following?

A)nucleus and ribosomes
B)cell wall and nucleus
C)cell wall and cell membrane
D)cell membrane and nucleus
E)None of the answer choices are correct.

Question 29

The leaf of a strawberry plant is

A)an organ.
B)a molecule.
C)an organelle.
D)a cell.
E)an organism.

Question 30

What is the advantage of a moth having a very long tongue if an orchid has a very long nectar spur?

A)It is used to attract mates through sexual selection.
B)It can pollinate only one type of flower.
C)It makes flying more efficient.
D)It can be used to capture other flying insects for fooD.
E)It can reach nectar that no other pollinator can reach.

Question 31

In this experiment,the size of the pot is

A)an independent variable.
B)a dependent variable.
C)a standardized variable.
D)a placebo.
E)a control.

Question 32

Why isn't scientific inquiry foolproof?

A)Multiple interpretations of the data are possible.
B)Definite answers do not always result.
C)Observations can be misinterpreted.
D)Unexpected conclusions are not always readily accepteD.
E)All answers are correct.

Question 33

Which of the following questions cannot be answered by science?

A)What is the meaning of life?
B)Why is the sky the color blue?
C)What causes species extinctions?
D)How did I start from only an egg and sperm?
E)Why is too much fatty food bad for me?

Question 34

The reason for the uptake by plants of nutrients like ammonium nitrate is

A)asexual reproduction.
B)sexual reproduction.
C)natural selection.
D)evolution.
E)homeostasis.

Question 35

How do you know the computer you are working on is not alive?

A)It is not made of cells.
B)It does not maintain an internal consistency of water,solutes,and other components.
C)It cannot reproduce,asexually or sexually.
D)It cannot evolve.
E)All answers are correct.

Question 36

What is the advantage to the Madagascan orchid of having an 11-inch long nectar tube?

A)It can produce nectar over a larger area and attract more pollinators.
B)It can collect more rainwater.
C)It can be fertilized only by the largest moths.
D)It can collect more sunlight for photosynthesis.
E)It can trap insects as a source of nutrients.

Question 37

If you found a singled-celled organism with a nucleus,circular chromosomes,and the ability to live in extremely salty habitats,you would classify it as a member of the Eukarya.

Question 38

In an experiment,Charles Darwin's prediction about long nectaries and long-tongued moths would be a(n)

A)standardized variable.
B)theory.
C)independent variable.
D)dependent variable.
E)hypothesis.

Question 39

Ammonium nitrate is

A)an atom.
B)a molecule.
C)a cell.
D)a tissue.
E)a biospherE.

Question 40

Pollination is a step of _____ in a plant.

A)sexual reproduction
B)asexual reproduction
C)development
D)metabolism
E)homeostasis

Question 41

Gravity is a theory because it is

A)a tentative explanation of an observation.
B)an untestable prediction.
C)a changeable element of experiments.
D)an opinion or hunch.
E)an encompassing explanation of a natural phenomenon that is well accepted.