Question 1

Essay on the Principle of Population, written by Thomas Malthus in 1798, influenced Darwin's thoughts as he struggled to understand what mechanisms could be at work to produce evolution.Malthus proposed that populations of animals and plants, including humans,

Accepted Answer

Malthus proposed that populations tend to increase geometrically, while resources such as food supply increase arithmetically, leading to competition and struggle for survival.

Question 2

Wings of birds and butterflies have similar functions, but different evolutionary origins.They are:

Accepted Answer

Analogous structures are features in different species that have similar functions but evolved independently, such as the wings of birds and butterflies.

Question 3

The most plausible explanation for the high number of spiders in plot 4 is:

Accepted Answer

The high number of spiders in plot 4 is likely due to the absence of centipedes, which would normally prey on the spiders, and the presence of abundant flies, which serve as a food source for the spiders.

Question 4

An alien from another planet landed on earth.He is fascinated by cars and is determined to figure out how they work.He decides to disassemble one of them and examine each part independently.He removes one of the tires and proceeds to learn all he can about the tire.He then removes one of the headlights and proceeds to learn all he can about the headlight.What type of approach is this alien taking to learn about the car?

Accepted Answer

The alien is using reductionism, which involves breaking down complex systems into simpler components to understand how they work.

Question 5

Gingko trees are known to lose their leaves at a certain time each year throughout the United States.Based on this information, Gingko trees in China must behave the same way.These statements are an example of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gingko trees are known to lose their...

Question 6

Structures that have similar structure and function but different evolutionary origins are called:

Accepted Answer

Analogous structures are those that have similar functions and appearances but evolved independently in different species, indicating different evolutionary origins.

Question 7

Most individuals in academia are basic researchers, funded through research grants from agencies or foundations.Based on your knowledge of applied research, an industrial company would most likely employ individuals

Accepted Answer

An industrial company is focused on developing practical applications and solutions for their business or industry. Thus, they would be more likely to employ individuals who are conducting applied research that directly relates to their products or services, such as developing alternative fuel sources.

Question 8

If you were to design a long-term research study to determine why there are no human births in Lapland during the months of August, September, and October, you would need to also examine a comparison population of humans in which births took place every month.The primary reason for including a comparison population within the design of this experiment would be to:

Accepted Answer

Including a comparison population that gives birth every month would act as a control in the study, ensuring that any results obtained are due to a difference in only one variable - the season in Lapland. By comparing the two populations, researchers would be able to determine whether the lack of births in Lapland during the specified months was indeed related to environmental factors or some other factor unique to the region. The other options - accumulating more facts, testing the effects of more than one variable, and proving that there are no births in Lapland during August, September, and October - do not reflect the true purpose of including a comparison population.

Question 9

The same basic array of bones is modified to give rise to the wing of a bat and the fin of a porpoise.Such anatomical structures are called:

Accepted Answer

Homologous structures are anatomical features in different species that have a similar basic structure due to a common evolutionary origin, even if they serve different functions, like the wing of a bat and the fin of a porpoise.

Question 10

Differences in domesticated animals over relatively short periods of time most likely occur through:

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed animals for specific traits, leading to changes over relatively short periods of time.

Question 11

Based in the information provided, the best explanation for the low numbers of spiders and flies in plot 5 is:

Accepted Answer

Centipedes are known predators of both spiders and flies, and their active consumption of these organisms would lead to lower numbers in plot 5.

Question 12

The hypothesis that closely matches the data provided is:

Accepted Answer

The hypothesis that herbivorous insects and spider populations are decreased by centipedes is most consistent with the data, as it suggests a predatory or competitive relationship affecting their populations.

Question 13

Both walnut and Gingko trees lose their leaves in the fall when day length starts decreasing.Based on these observations one may conclude that many tree species will lose their leaves in the fall in response to decreasing day length.This statement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on specific observations or examples. In this case, the observation of walnut and Gingko trees losing their leaves leads to a general conclusion about many tree species.

Question 14

In California, a species of salamanders were geographically separated over time.The group that lived in southern California relied heavily on large gold blotches on their skin that helped to camouflage them from predators.The group that lived along the coast adopted a color pattern that mimicked a poisonous, colorful newt common to that area.Instead of being camouflaged, these salamanders advertised their colors.What type of selection process has occurred over time?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection has occurred, as the salamanders developed traits that increased their survival in their respective environments.

Question 15

The plots that were staked out on the island were part of the:

Accepted Answer

The plots staked out on the island suggest a setup for conducting experiments, which aligns with experimental design.

Question 16

It is known that many trees lose their leaves in response to decreasing day length.As a result, you think that Gingko trees may also lose their leaves in response to decreasing day length.This statement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. In this case, the statement suggests a possible explanation for why Gingko trees might lose their leaves.

Question 17

Multiple independent experiments have demonstrated that phytochrome helps trigger seasonal change responses in the plant such as changing color and loosening of leaves.Plants have the ability adapt to seasonal changes in their surroundings.This statement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The statement describes a well-supported explanation of a natural phenomenon based on multiple independent experiments, which aligns with the definition of a scientific theory.

Question 18

Plants are raised under artificial lights turned off and on by an electric clock.Some are given long periods of light, others short periods.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of an experiment, as it involves manipulating variables (light periods) to observe the effects on plants.

Question 19

The rate at which evolution is occurring cannot be estimated by:

Accepted Answer

Inferring that apes are related to humans is not a measure of the rate of evolution, but rather an inference about the pattern of evolution and common ancestry. The rate of evolution is best estimated by measuring the degree of difference in genetic coding between populations over time, or through direct observation of changes in genome frequency within populations. Comparative anatomy and interpretation of the fossil record can provide evidence of pattern and history of evolution, but do not directly measure rate.

Question 20

A student set up an experiment to test if plants give off water vapor.Fifty pea plants, growing in pots, were covered with individual glass containers and left overnight.The next morning, the inside of each lid was covered in droplets of water.The lab student concluded that plants generally give off water vapor.What critique would you make of the experimental design?

Accepted Answer

The experiment lacked a control group, which would have provided a comparison to show that the water droplets on the lid were indeed the result of plant transpiration and not simply condensation from the air or soil. Without a control, the lab student cannot be sure that the water droplets came from the plants.

Quiz 1: The Science of Biology