Question 1

Which of the following describes plant cells but not animal cells?

Accepted Answer

Plastids, including chloroplasts which are involved in photosynthesis and storage of starch, are unique to plant cells and some algae, but are not found in animal cells.

Question 2

The fossil record supports which of the following descriptions of the evolution of life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Complex organisms evolved from more simple organisms. This is supported by the fossil record, which shows a progression from simple, single-celled organisms to more complex, multicellular organisms over billions of years.

Question 3

In a eukaryotic cell, which of the following processes directly involves DNA?

Accepted Answer

Replication of chromosomes directly involves the unwinding and copying of DNA to ensure that each new cell receives a complete set of chromosomes during cell division.

Question 4

Heartburn is pain that occurs when acidic gastric juice is forced out of the upper end of the stomach. In which of the following organs does a person experience heartburn?

Accepted Answer

Heartburn is experienced in the esophagus, as this is where the acidic gastric juices from the stomach can cause irritation when they reflux back up from the stomach.

Question 5

The size of a bird population increased by two percent in one year. Which of the following could have contributed to the population increase?

Accepted Answer

A decrease in the death rate of baby birds would contribute to an increase in the bird population by allowing more young birds to survive to adulthood, thereby increasing the overall population size.

Question 6

Which of the following statements best explains why oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood?

Accepted Answer

Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood because the concentration of oxygen is higher in the alveoli than in the blood, leading to diffusion down the concentration gradient.

Question 7

Which of the following statements gives the most likely explanation for the presence of two very similar species of squirrels living on opposite sides of the Grand Canyon?

Accepted Answer

The most likely explanation for the presence of two very similar species of squirrels living on opposite sides of the Grand Canyon is that members of a single squirrel species were geographically separated by the formation of the canyon. This separation would have led to the divergence of the species into two closely related but distinct species due to isolation and different evolutionary pressures on each side of the canyon.

Question 8

Energy for most chemical reactions in cells is supplied by which of the following molecules?

Accepted Answer

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the primary molecule used for energy transfer within cells. It acts as a universal energy currency, providing the energy needed for most biochemical reactions.

Question 9

When locust populations grow too large for an area, the individual locusts are crowded and food becomes scarce. In response to these conditions, some of the locusts leave the area and find a new habitat.Which of the following terms best applies to the response of the locusts that leave for the new habitat?

Accepted Answer

Emigration refers to the movement of individuals out of an area to settle in another location, which is what the locusts are doing when they leave their overcrowded and resource-scarce habitat for a new one.

Question 10

Which of the following statements best explains why offspring produced by sexual reproduction often look similar to, but not exactly the same as, their parents?

Accepted Answer

Sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic material from two parents, leading to offspring that inherit traits from both, but the mix and expression of these genes result in unique individuals.

Question 11

In traditional landscaping, leaves are raked off the ground and bagged. In which of the following ways does this practice most significantly disrupt natural nutrient cycling?

Accepted Answer

Removing leaves from the ground disrupts natural nutrient cycling by preventing the decomposition of organic matter, which would otherwise return essential nutrients like carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen back to the soil.

Question 12

In the past 100 years, levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have increased as the result of the burning of fossil fuels. Other processes in the carbon cycle have absorbed some of the carbon released by this combustion.Which of the following most likely have absorbed excess carbon released by combustion?

Accepted Answer

Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis, which makes them a significant sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, especially in mitigating the impact of increased levels from fossil fuel combustion.

Question 13

The Asian shore crab invaded parts of the eastern coast of the United States about 15 years ago. The Asian shore crab preys on blue mussels. In the time since the Asian shore crab arrived, the average shell thickness has increased in the blue mussel population.Which of the following is the most likely reason that this increase in shell thickness has occurred?

Accepted Answer

The increase in shell thickness among blue mussels is likely an evolutionary response to predation by the Asian shore crab. Mussels with thicker shells are probably better protected against the crabs, leading to higher survival and reproductive success for these individuals. This selective pressure would result in an increase in the average shell thickness in the population over time.

Question 14

The northern spotted owl is listed under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species in its primary range of Washington, Oregon, and California. B89Which of the following most likely contributed to the northern spotted owl's population decline?

Accepted Answer

Loss of trees from forest habitat is a significant factor contributing to the northern spotted owl's population decline, as these owls depend on old-growth forests for nesting, roosting, and hunting.

Question 15

Which of the following elements is most common in the tissues of plants?

Accepted Answer

Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in plant tissues, as it is a major component of water and organic molecules essential for plant structure and function.

Question 16

If a cell's lysosomes were damaged, which of the following would most likely occur?

Accepted Answer

Lysosomes are responsible for breaking down molecules and waste materials within a cell. If they are damaged, the cell's ability to degrade these substances would be impaired, leading to an accumulation of undigested materials in the cytoplasm.

Question 17

A species of parasitic fly follows the sounds that male crickets make with their wings. The flies deposit their larvae in the crickets' bodies. As the larvae develop and emerge from the crickets' bodies, the crickets die.Researchers have discovered a genetic mutation in some crickets that changes their wing structure and makes them silent. The crickets with silent wings are found among crickets with normal wings when it is time to mate.According to evolution by natural selection, which of the following will most likely occur in the cricket population, based on the selection pressure from the flies?

Accepted Answer

Male crickets with silent wings are less likely to be parasitized by the flies, giving them a survival advantage. This should lead to an increase in their frequency in the population over time due to natural selection.

Question 18

Which of the following is a function of the liver?

Accepted Answer

The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying the blood by removing harmful substances and metabolites, ensuring these toxins do not accumulate to dangerous levels in the body.

Question 19

In humans, the appendix is small and is not needed for digestion. In rabbits, the appendix is well developed and is used in the digestion of plant fibers.Which of the following provides the best scientific explanation for the presence of the appendix in both humans and rabbits?

Accepted Answer

The appendix in both humans and rabbits is best explained by the concept of common ancestry. This suggests that the presence of the appendix in both species is due to their evolutionary history, where they inherited this organ from a common ancestor. Over time, the function of the appendix may have evolved differently in the two lineages, becoming vestigial in humans while remaining functional in rabbits for the digestion of plant fibers.

Question 20

If an animal cell is placed in distilled water, it will swell and burst. The bursting of the cell is a result of which biological process?

Accepted Answer

The bursting of an animal cell when placed in distilled water is due to osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In this case, water moves into the cell, causing it to swell and eventually burst.

Quiz 1: Biology