Question 1

Which of the following statements correctly matches a cell part with its function?

Accepted Answer

Lysosomes are organelles that contain digestive enzymes. They break down excess or worn-out cell parts as well as molecules and foreign invaders so the building blocks can be reused.

Question 2

Which of the following is one of the functions of the human skeleton?

Accepted Answer

The human skeleton provides a site for blood cell formation, a process known as hematopoiesis, which primarily occurs in the bone marrow.

Question 3

Some willow trees alter the chemical composition of their leaves when attacked by caterpillars. Compared to normal leaves,the chemically altered leaves are less nutritious and are more difficult for caterpillars to digest.Which of the following is a likely effect of this ability to alter leaf composition?

Accepted Answer

Willow trees with the ability to alter the chemical composition of their leaves to make them less nutritious and harder to digest for caterpillars will likely have a survival advantage. This is because the altered leaves will deter caterpillars from feeding on them, reducing the damage and loss of foliage, which is crucial for photosynthesis and overall tree health.

Question 4

In red blood cells, the compound carbonic anhydrase increases the rate at which carbon dioxide is converted to bicarbonate ions for transport in the blood. In red blood cells, carbonic anhydrase acts as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Carbonic anhydrase acts as an enzyme in red blood cells, catalyzing the conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate ions, which is crucial for carbon dioxide transport in the blood.

Question 5

Many plants have waxy coatings on some surfaces. This coating reduces water loss because it is not water-permeable. This waxy coating is which of the following types of organic molecule?

Accepted Answer

The waxy coating on plant surfaces is made of lipids, which are hydrophobic (water-repelling) molecules. This characteristic makes them effective at reducing water loss by preventing water from passing through easily.

Question 6

Which of the following terms applies to traits, such as human eye color, that are controlled by more than one gene?

Accepted Answer

Polygenic inheritance refers to the phenomenon where a single characteristic is controlled by two or more genes. Human eye color is a classic example of a polygenic trait, as multiple genes contribute to the phenotype.

Question 7

Which of the following is the best example of an organism maintaining homeostasis?

Accepted Answer

Panting in a wolf after a chase is a physiological response to regulate body temperature and maintain homeostasis. It helps to cool down the body by evaporating water from the lungs and tongue.

Question 8

Which of the following explains why legume plants are less likely than other terrestrial plants to experience nitrogen limitation?

Accepted Answer

Legume plants form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. These bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the plants can use, reducing their reliance on soil nitrogen.

Question 9

In pigeons, the allele B produces ashred feathers. The allele b produces blue feathers. The B allele is dominant to the b allele. A pigeon with genotype Bb is crossed with a pigeon with genotype bb. What percent of the offspring are expected to have ash-red feathers?

Accepted Answer

50% of the offspring are expected to have ash-red feathers because the cross between a Bb (ash-red) and bb (blue) pigeon will produce offspring with genotypes Bb (ash-red) and bb (blue) in a 1:1 ratio.

Question 10

Which of the following is the basic structural unit of the nervous system?

Accepted Answer

The neuron is the basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system, responsible for transmitting and receiving nerve impulses.

Question 11

A caterpillar eats an oak leaf. Which of the following best describes the energy transfer in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Energy is transferred from the leaf to the caterpillar as the caterpillar consumes the leaf for nourishment.

Question 12

The molecule ATP is composed of elements commonly found in organic molecules. Which of the following is one of these elements?

Accepted Answer

Phosphorus is a key element in ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is an organic molecule critical for energy transfer in cells. It is part of the phosphate groups in ATP.

Question 13

There are two types of modern whales: toothed whales and baleen whales. Baleen whales ?lter plankton from the water using baleen, plates made of ?brous proteins that grow from the roof of their mouths. The embryos of baleen whales have teeth in their upper jaws. As the embryos develop, the teeth are replaced with baleen. Which of the following conclusions is best supported by this information?

Accepted Answer

The presence of teeth in the embryos of baleen whales suggests that their ancestors had teeth, supporting the conclusion that primitive whales had teeth as adults.

Question 14

Which of the following explains why elements, such as carbon and oxygen, that are used in organic molecules are not permanently removed from the environment?

Accepted Answer

Elements like carbon and oxygen are part of various biogeochemical cycles, such as the carbon cycle and the oxygen cycle. These cycles involve the movement of elements through the living and non-living parts of ecosystems, ensuring that elements used in organic molecules are not permanently removed but are instead recycled and reused.

Question 15

Some cells, such as human nerve and muscle cells, contain many more mitochondria than do other cells, such as skin cells. Why do some cells have more mitochondria than others?

Accepted Answer

Cells with a high energy demand, such as nerve and muscle cells, contain more mitochondria because mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, generating most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.

Question 16

During the fall reproductive season, the belly of a male brook trout becomes bright orange. The orange belly provides some camou?age and helps attract females. This trait evolved in brook trout because, compared to males with pale bellies, males with bright orange bellies are more likely to

Accepted Answer

The bright orange belly of male brook trout during the reproductive season is a trait that likely evolved due to sexual selection, where females prefer mates with such traits, leading to a higher chance of those males fertilizing eggs and producing offspring.

Question 17

Which of the following would most likely happen if grasses and shrubs were removed from a rural Massachusetts ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Removing grasses and shrubs, which are primary producers, would decrease the amount of food energy produced through photosynthesis, affecting the entire food web.

Question 18

In one of the steps of the carbon cycle, a person exhales a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Which of the following is most likely to happen next to the atom of carbon in this molecule?

Accepted Answer

Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis to produce sugars (glucose), making option A the most likely next step for the carbon atom in the CO2 molecule exhaled by a person.

Question 19

Which of the following is more likely to occur in a plant cell than in an animal cell?

Accepted Answer

Cellulose is a structural component of the cell wall in plants, which is not present in animal cells. This makes the formation of cellulose a process more likely to occur in plant cells.

Question 20

Which of the following correctly explains how atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen compounds used by living organisms?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria in soil, through a process known as nitrogen fixation, convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3) or related nitrogenous compounds that plants can absorb and use. This is a crucial step in the nitrogen cycle, allowing nitrogen to enter the ecosystem and support the growth of living organisms.

Quiz 1: Biology