SFSU BIO 230 COURSE FINAL EXAM 2026
FULLY SOLVED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ In the 1600s, Jean Baptiste van Helmont conducted a five year willow
tree experiment in which he measured the weight of the tree and the
weight of the soil at the beginning of the experiment. What can you
conclude from the evidence he collected from this experiment?
a. soil does not contribute much mass to the mass of the tree
b. the mass of the tree came from carbon dioxide
c. the mass of the tree came mostly from water
d. the mass of the tree does not change when a plant grows
e. soil contributes important things to plant growth. Answer: soil does
not contribute much mass to the mass of the tree
◉ a mature tree can have a DRY MASS of 1 ton or more (after
removing all water), yet it starts from a seed that weighs less than 1
gram. Which of the following contributes the MOST DRY MASS to this
huge increase in biomass?
a. absorption of organic substances from the soil via roots
b. absorption of mineral substances from the soil via roots
, c. incorporation of carbon dioxide from the air into molecules by green
leaves
d. incorporation of water from the soil into molecules by green leaves
e. absorption of sunlight energy into green leaves. Answer: incorporation
of carbon dioxide from the air into molecules by green leaves
◉ When biologists refer to "organic molecules", they are talking about
molecules that...
a. are made of proteins
b. are made of nucleotides
c. are not treated with pesticides
d. contain carbon atoms and are normally found in living things
e. contain DNA
f. contain oxygen atoms and are normally found in living things.
Answer: contain carbon atoms and are normally found in living things
◉ Which of the following statements about how minerals contribute to
the DRY MASS of a tree is most scientifically accurate?
a. yes, minerals make up most of the dry mass
b. yes, minerals contribute just a little to dry mass
c. yes, minerals are combined with carbon dioxide in photosynthesis
d. no, minerals do not contribute to dry mass at all
e. no, trees and plants do not contain minerals. Answer: yes, minerals
contribute just a little to dry mass
FULLY SOLVED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ In the 1600s, Jean Baptiste van Helmont conducted a five year willow
tree experiment in which he measured the weight of the tree and the
weight of the soil at the beginning of the experiment. What can you
conclude from the evidence he collected from this experiment?
a. soil does not contribute much mass to the mass of the tree
b. the mass of the tree came from carbon dioxide
c. the mass of the tree came mostly from water
d. the mass of the tree does not change when a plant grows
e. soil contributes important things to plant growth. Answer: soil does
not contribute much mass to the mass of the tree
◉ a mature tree can have a DRY MASS of 1 ton or more (after
removing all water), yet it starts from a seed that weighs less than 1
gram. Which of the following contributes the MOST DRY MASS to this
huge increase in biomass?
a. absorption of organic substances from the soil via roots
b. absorption of mineral substances from the soil via roots
, c. incorporation of carbon dioxide from the air into molecules by green
leaves
d. incorporation of water from the soil into molecules by green leaves
e. absorption of sunlight energy into green leaves. Answer: incorporation
of carbon dioxide from the air into molecules by green leaves
◉ When biologists refer to "organic molecules", they are talking about
molecules that...
a. are made of proteins
b. are made of nucleotides
c. are not treated with pesticides
d. contain carbon atoms and are normally found in living things
e. contain DNA
f. contain oxygen atoms and are normally found in living things.
Answer: contain carbon atoms and are normally found in living things
◉ Which of the following statements about how minerals contribute to
the DRY MASS of a tree is most scientifically accurate?
a. yes, minerals make up most of the dry mass
b. yes, minerals contribute just a little to dry mass
c. yes, minerals are combined with carbon dioxide in photosynthesis
d. no, minerals do not contribute to dry mass at all
e. no, trees and plants do not contain minerals. Answer: yes, minerals
contribute just a little to dry mass
