Question 1

In a cool environment, an ectotherm is more likely to survive an extended period of food deprivation than would an equally sized endotherm because the ectotherm ________.
A) maintains a higher basal metabolic rate
B) expends more energy per kilogram of body mass than does the endotherm
C) invests little energy in temperature regulation
D) has greater insulation on its body surface

Accepted Answer

Ectotherms, such as reptiles, do not rely on internally generated heat and instead use external sources to regulate their body temperature. This means they invest very little energy in maintaining a constant body temperature, as opposed to endotherms like birds and mammals that must expend a significant amount of energy to regulate their body heat. Therefore, in a cool environment, an ectotherm would be able to conserve energy and survive for longer periods without food.

Question 2

The metabolic rate of an animal is most accurately determined by ________.
A) the amount of work done by an animal
B) the amount of food consumed during a meal
C) the amount of carbon dioxide produced by an animal in a given time.
D) the amount of energy used by an animal in a given time

Accepted Answer

The metabolic rate is best measured by the amount of energy used by an animal in a given time, as it reflects the total energy expenditure.

Question 3

The metamorphosis of a tadpole to an adult frog involves a thorough reconstruction of the animal's body. All of the structural and physiological changes must be complete or the frog will not survive this transformation. Which type of regulation would ensure that the animal completed its transformation?
A) positive feedback
B) negative feedback
C) feedback inhibition
D) enzymatic catalysis

Accepted Answer

The answer of The metamorphosis of a tadpole to an...

Question 4

An elephant and a mouse are running in full sunlight, and both overheat by the same amount above their normal body temperatures. When they move into the shade and rest, which animal will cool down faster?
A) The elephant will because it has the higher surface-area-to-volume ratio.
B) The elephant will because it has the lower surface-area-to-volume ratio.
C) The mouse will because it has the higher surface-area-to-volume ratio.
D) They will cool at the same rate because they overheated by the same amount.

Accepted Answer

The mouse will cool down faster because it has a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, which means it has more surface area in proportion to its body size to release heat through. This allows for a greater rate of heat loss to the surrounding environment, resulting in a faster cooling rate. The elephant's lower surface-area-to-volume ratio means it has less surface area in proportion to its body size, making it more difficult to release heat and cool down quickly.

Question 5

Bone consists of ________.
A) a mixture of hardened collagen and minerals.
B) chondroitin sulfate secreted by chondrocytes.
C) many columnar epithelial cells packed together.
D) hardened fibrous connective tissue.

Accepted Answer

Bone is a mixture of hardened collagen, which provides its strength, and minerals such as calcium and phosphate, which give it rigidity. Chondroitin sulfate is a component of cartilage, not bone. Columnar epithelial cells make up certain tissues in the body, such as the lining of the intestines, but not bone. Fibrous connective tissue is present in tendons and ligaments, but not in bone.

Question 6

An example of a properly functioning homeostatic control system is seen when ________.
A) the core body temperature of a runner rises gradually from 37°C to 45°C
B) the kidneys excrete salt into the urine when dietary salt levels rise
C) a blood cell shrinks when placed in a solution of salt and water
D) the blood pressure increases in response to an increase in blood volume

Accepted Answer

Option B describes a properly functioning homeostatic control system where the kidneys excrete salt into the urine when dietary salt levels rise to maintain a consistent balance of salt in the body. Option A describes a disturbance of homeostasis where the body temperature rises above the normal range. Option C describes a physical response of a blood cell to its environment and is not an example of a control system. Option D does not provide enough information to determine if it is a properly functioning homeostatic control system.

Question 7

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) are born in freshwater environments and then migrate to the sea. Near the end of their lives, they return to the freshwater stream where they were born to spawn. In fresh water, water constantly diffuses into the body and ions are lost from the body. In salt water, body water diffuses out of the body and excess ions are gained from the water. A salmon's gills have special cells to pump salt in or out of the body to maintain homeostasis. In response to the salmon's moves between fresh water and salt water, some cells in the gills are produced and others are destroyed. These changes made in the cells of the gills during the lifetime of an individual salmon are an example of which of the following?
A) evolution
B) trade-off
C) acclimatization
D) adaptation

Accepted Answer

The changes made in the cells of the salmon's gills in response to moving between fresh water and salt water are an example of acclimatization, which is the ability of an individual organism to adjust to changes in its environment. This is not an example of evolution because it does not involve genetic changes that are passed on to offspring. It is also not a trade-off because there is no clear cost-benefit analysis involved. Adaptation is a broader term that can include both genetic changes and physiological acclimatization, but in this case, acclimatization is the more specific term that accurately describes the changes in the gill cells.

Question 8

When the body's blood glucose level rises, the pancreas secretes insulin and, as a result, the blood glucose level declines. When the blood glucose level is low, the pancreas secretes glucagon and, as a result, the blood glucose level rises. Such regulation of the blood glucose level is the result of ________.
A) catalytic feedback
B) positive feedback
C) negative feedback
D) protein-protein interactions

Accepted Answer

Negative feedback is the type of regulation where a stimulus initiates a response that opposes or inhibits the original stimulus. In this case, the increase or decrease of blood glucose level is the stimulus, and the secretion of insulin or glucagon respectively, opposes or inhibits the stimulus, thus restoring the blood glucose level to normal.

Question 9

What is the name of the epithelial cell surface that faces the outside of an organ?
A) apical
B) basal
C) interstitial
D) lumen

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the name of the epithelial...

Question 10

You discover a new species of bacteria that grows in aquatic environments with high salt levels. While studying these bacteria, you note that their internal environment is similar to the salt concentrations in their surroundings. You also discover that the internal salt concentrations of the bacteria change as the salt concentration in their environment changes. The new species can tolerate small changes in this way, but dies from large changes because it has no mechanism for altering its own internal salt levels. What type of homeostatic mechanism is this species using to regulate its internal salt levels?
A) conformation
B) regulation
C) integration
D) assimilation

Accepted Answer

This species of bacteria is using the homeostatic mechanism of conformation to regulate its internal salt levels. Conformation is a process where an organism conforms to its environment, allowing its internal environment to match that of the external environment. The bacteria's internal salt concentrations are similar to the salt concentrations in its surroundings, and as the environment changes, so do the bacteria's internal salt concentrations. However, the bacteria cannot tolerate large changes in salt concentrations because it has no mechanism for altering its own internal salt levels.

Question 11

Which of the following is a true statement about body size and physiology?
A) The amount of food and oxygen an animal requires and the amount of heat and waste it produces are inversely proportional to its mass.
B) The rate at which an animal uses nutrients and produces waste products is independent of its volume.
C) Small and large animals face different physiological challenges because an animal's body mass increases cubically while its surface area increases as a squared function.
D) The wastes produced by an animal double as its volume doubles and triple as its surface area triples.

Accepted Answer

This statement correctly describes the challenges faced by animals of different sizes due to the relationship between body mass (which increases cubically) and surface area (which increases as a squared function). This can affect the exchange of gases, nutrients and waste products between an animal's body and the environment. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the relationship between body size and physiology.

Question 12

The migratory eel, Anguilla rostrata, is born and lives the juvenile (immature) part of its life in a freshwater environment, but then migrates thousands of miles through the ocean as an adult in order to breed. These eels are known to regulate their internal water and salt balance. What adaptations would you expect this eel to have in order to transition from fresh water to salt water at these two life stages?
A) The juvenile eels would be better at removing salt from their bodies compared to adults.
B) The adult eels would be better at removing salt from their bodies compared to juveniles.
C) The juvenile eels would spend energy keeping water in their bodies.
D) The adult eels would spend energy keeping salt in their bodies.

Accepted Answer

The question is asking about the adaptations needed to transition from fresh water to salt water at two different life stages. The adult eels migrate through the ocean, which is a saltwater environment, to breed. Therefore, the adult eels would need to be better at removing salt from their bodies compared to juveniles, which live in freshwater environments. The juvenile eels would spend energy trying to keep water in their bodies, but this is not related to salt regulation. Therefore, options A and C are not correct. The adult eels would need to spend energy keeping salt in their bodies so they do not become dehydrated in the saltwater environment, so option D is also correct.

Question 13

An example of an ectothermic organism that has few or no behavioral options when it comes to its ability to adjust its body temperature is a ________.
A) sea star living deep in the ocean
B) bass living in a farm pond
C) hummingbird flying through a prairie
D) honeybee in a hive on a rural farm

Accepted Answer

Ectothermic organisms are dependent on their environment for regulating their body temperature. A sea star living deep in the ocean has limited options since the temperature of the deep ocean waters remains relatively constant. In contrast, other organisms like the bass, hummingbird, and honeybee have access to more behavioral options to regulate their body temperature.

Question 14

You have a cube of modeling clay in your hands. Which of the following changes to the shape of this cube of clay will decrease its surface area relative to its volume?
A) Pinch the edges of the cube into small folds.
B) Flatten the cube into a pancake shape.
C) Round the clay up into a sphere.
D) Stretch the cube into a long, shoebox shape.

Accepted Answer

A sphere has the smallest surface area to volume ratio of any shape, so rounding the cube up into a sphere will decrease its surface area relative to its volume.

Question 15

The body's automatic tendency to maintain a constant and optimal internal environment is termed as ________.
A) balanced equilibrium
B) physiological chance
C) homeostasis
D) static equilibrium

Accepted Answer

The term that best fits the description of the body's automatic tendency to maintain a constant and optimal internal environment is homeostasis. This term refers to the ability of the body's internal systems to maintain a stable and balanced equilibrium. It involves a complex set of physiological processes that work together to regulate various parameters such as temperature, pH, blood pressure, and nutrient levels. The other choices do not accurately describe this concept.

Question 16

If a person were to travel to a time zone that was several hours ahead of their own, they may experience tiredness known as jet lag. Jet lag is due to a disruption of ________.
A) homeostasis
B) circadian rhythm
C) body temperature
D) nerve impulses

Accepted Answer

Jet lag is caused by a disruption of the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles and other physiological processes. When a person travels across time zones, their internal clock is no longer synchronized with the external day-night cycle, resulting in fatigue, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, and other symptoms. To adjust to the new time zone, it is recommended to gradually shift one’s sleep and meal times, expose oneself to sunlight in the morning, and avoid napping or caffeine in the afternoon.

Question 17

To prepare flight muscles for use on a cool morning, hawkmoths ________.
A) relax the muscles completely until after they launch themselves into the air
B) decrease their standard metabolic rate
C) rapidly contract and relax these muscles to generate metabolic warmth
D) reduce the metabolic rate of the muscles to rest them before flight

Accepted Answer

Hawkmoths rapidly contract and relax their flight muscles to generate metabolic warmth and prepare for flight on a cool morning.

Question 18

Elephants can often be observed cooling off by spraying water over their bodies with their trunks. What type of heat exchange is occurring?
A) conduction
B) convection
C) radiation
D) evaporation

Accepted Answer

The heat exchange occurring when elephants spray water over their bodies is evaporation. As the water evaporates, it absorbs heat from the elephant's body, which helps to cool it down.

Question 19

Which organ system is responsible for protection against injury, infection, and dehydration?
A) Reproductive system
B) Excretory system
C) Skeletal system
D) Integumentary system

Accepted Answer

The integumentary system, which includes the skin, hair, and nails, is responsible for protecting the body against injury, infection, and dehydration. The skin acts as a barrier to prevent pathogens from entering the body and helps regulate hydration by controlling water loss through sweating.

Question 20

What would be an advantage for an animal that conforms to a changing environmental condition, such as temperature?
A) The animal's internal temperature would remain constant, even though the external temperature had changed.
B) The animal's internal temperature would change opposite to the change in the external temperature.
C) The animal would spend more time looking for food.
D) The animal would spend less energy regulating its internal temperature.

Accepted Answer

Conforming to environmental conditions means the animal's internal state changes with the environment, reducing the energy needed for active regulation.

Quiz 40: Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

In a cool environment, an ectotherm is more likely to survive an extended period of food deprivation than would an equally sized endotherm because the ectotherm ________.

The metabolic rate of an animal is most accurately determined by ________.

An elephant and a mouse are running in full sunlight, and both overheat by the same amount above their normal body temperatures. When they move into the shade and rest, which animal will cool down faster?

Bone consists of ________.

An example of a properly functioning homeostatic control system is seen when ________.

What is the name of the epithelial cell surface that faces the outside of an organ?

Which of the following is a true statement about body size and physiology?

An example of an ectothermic organism that has few or no behavioral options when it comes to its ability to adjust its body temperature is a ________.

You have a cube of modeling clay in your hands. Which of the following changes to the shape of this cube of clay will decrease its surface area relative to its volume?

The body's automatic tendency to maintain a constant and optimal internal environment is termed as ________.

If a person were to travel to a time zone that was several hours ahead of their own, they may experience tiredness known as jet lag. Jet lag is due to a disruption of ________.

To prepare flight muscles for use on a cool morning, hawkmoths ________.

Elephants can often be observed cooling off by spraying water over their bodies with their trunks. What type of heat exchange is occurring?

Which organ system is responsible for protection against injury, infection, and dehydration?

What would be an advantage for an animal that conforms to a changing environmental condition, such as temperature?