Test Bank for Human Biology, 17th
Edition by Sylvia S. Mader and Michael
Windelspecht | Complete 2026–2027
Exam Q&A (All Chapters)
Chapter 1: Exploring Life and Science
1. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic common to all living organisms?
A. Organization
B. Ability to respond to stimuli
C. Ability to fly
D. Reproduction
Answer: C
2. What is the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism?
A. Atom
B. Molecule
C. Cell
D. Tissue
Answer: C
3. Biology is best defined as:
A. The study of human behavior
B. The study of living organisms and their environments
C. The study of plants only
D. The study of chemical reactions
Answer: B
4. Which level of organization comes immediately after molecules?
A. Atoms
B. Cells
C. Tissues
D. Organs
Answer: B
5. True or False: Bacteria are multicellular organisms.
Answer: False
6. What is a tissue?
A. A single cell
B. A group of similar cells that perform a particular function
,C. A collection of different organs
D. An entire organism
Answer: B
7. The brain and spinal cord are examples of which level of organization?
A. Tissue
B. Organ
C. Organ system
D. Organism
Answer: C
8. All members of one species in a particular area belong to a:
A. Community
B. Population
C. Ecosystem
D. Biosphere
Answer: B
9. True or False: The biosphere includes all of Earth's ecosystems collectively.
Answer: True
10. What is energy defined as?
A. The capacity to do work
B. A type of molecule
C. A living organism
D. A chemical reaction
Answer: A
11. Which process do plants use to convert solar energy into chemical energy?
A. Respiration
B. Photosynthesis
C. Metabolism
D. Homeostasis
Answer: B
12. Metabolism is:
A. The death of an organism
B. The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell or organism
C. A type of reproduction
D. A form of energy
Answer: B
13. True or False: Humans acquire energy by eating food.
Answer: True
14. What is the ultimate source of energy for most life on Earth?
A. The moon
B. The sun
C. Wind
,D. Water
Answer: B
15. Homeostasis refers to:
A. Growth and development
B. Maintaining a constant internal environment
C. Reproduction
D. Evolution
Answer: B
16. Normal human body temperature typically ranges between:
A. 20-25°C
B. 30-35°C
C. 36.5-37.5°C
D. 40-45°C
Answer: C
17. True or False: The digestive system plays no role in maintaining homeostasis.
Answer: False
18. Which systems work together to maintain body temperature?
A. Cardiovascular and nervous systems
B. Only the skeletal system
C. Only the respiratory system
D. None of the above
Answer: A
19. Response to stimuli in humans often involves:
A. Movement
B. Complete stillness
C. Sleep
D. Reproduction
Answer: A
20. True or False: Plants can respond to external stimuli.
Answer: True
21. DNA stands for:
A. Deoxyribonitrogen acid
B. Deoxyribonucleic acid
C. Dinitrogen acid
D. Double nucleus acid
Answer: B
22. Genes are:
A. Large organisms
B. Short sequences of hereditary material
C. Types of cells
, D. Energy molecules
Answer: B
23. True or False: Mutations are always harmful to organisms.
Answer: False
24. Before reproduction occurs, DNA is:
A. Destroyed
B. Replicated
C. Eliminated
D. Frozen
Answer: B
25. Evolution is best defined as:
A. The process by which a population changes over time
B. The growth of an individual
C. The death of species
D. A single mutation
Answer: A
26. Natural selection results in:
A. Random changes
B. Adaptation to the environment
C. Elimination of all species
D. Cessation of reproduction
Answer: B
27. True or False: Humans living at high elevations in Tibet show adaptations to low
oxygen environments.
Answer: True
28. The EPSA1 gene in Tibetans affects:
A. Height
B. Hemoglobin production
C. Skin color
D. Eye color
Answer: B
29. Which domain contains prokaryotes that lack a nucleus?
A. Eukarya only
B. Bacteria and Archaea
C. Plantae
D. Animalia
Answer: B
Edition by Sylvia S. Mader and Michael
Windelspecht | Complete 2026–2027
Exam Q&A (All Chapters)
Chapter 1: Exploring Life and Science
1. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic common to all living organisms?
A. Organization
B. Ability to respond to stimuli
C. Ability to fly
D. Reproduction
Answer: C
2. What is the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism?
A. Atom
B. Molecule
C. Cell
D. Tissue
Answer: C
3. Biology is best defined as:
A. The study of human behavior
B. The study of living organisms and their environments
C. The study of plants only
D. The study of chemical reactions
Answer: B
4. Which level of organization comes immediately after molecules?
A. Atoms
B. Cells
C. Tissues
D. Organs
Answer: B
5. True or False: Bacteria are multicellular organisms.
Answer: False
6. What is a tissue?
A. A single cell
B. A group of similar cells that perform a particular function
,C. A collection of different organs
D. An entire organism
Answer: B
7. The brain and spinal cord are examples of which level of organization?
A. Tissue
B. Organ
C. Organ system
D. Organism
Answer: C
8. All members of one species in a particular area belong to a:
A. Community
B. Population
C. Ecosystem
D. Biosphere
Answer: B
9. True or False: The biosphere includes all of Earth's ecosystems collectively.
Answer: True
10. What is energy defined as?
A. The capacity to do work
B. A type of molecule
C. A living organism
D. A chemical reaction
Answer: A
11. Which process do plants use to convert solar energy into chemical energy?
A. Respiration
B. Photosynthesis
C. Metabolism
D. Homeostasis
Answer: B
12. Metabolism is:
A. The death of an organism
B. The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell or organism
C. A type of reproduction
D. A form of energy
Answer: B
13. True or False: Humans acquire energy by eating food.
Answer: True
14. What is the ultimate source of energy for most life on Earth?
A. The moon
B. The sun
C. Wind
,D. Water
Answer: B
15. Homeostasis refers to:
A. Growth and development
B. Maintaining a constant internal environment
C. Reproduction
D. Evolution
Answer: B
16. Normal human body temperature typically ranges between:
A. 20-25°C
B. 30-35°C
C. 36.5-37.5°C
D. 40-45°C
Answer: C
17. True or False: The digestive system plays no role in maintaining homeostasis.
Answer: False
18. Which systems work together to maintain body temperature?
A. Cardiovascular and nervous systems
B. Only the skeletal system
C. Only the respiratory system
D. None of the above
Answer: A
19. Response to stimuli in humans often involves:
A. Movement
B. Complete stillness
C. Sleep
D. Reproduction
Answer: A
20. True or False: Plants can respond to external stimuli.
Answer: True
21. DNA stands for:
A. Deoxyribonitrogen acid
B. Deoxyribonucleic acid
C. Dinitrogen acid
D. Double nucleus acid
Answer: B
22. Genes are:
A. Large organisms
B. Short sequences of hereditary material
C. Types of cells
, D. Energy molecules
Answer: B
23. True or False: Mutations are always harmful to organisms.
Answer: False
24. Before reproduction occurs, DNA is:
A. Destroyed
B. Replicated
C. Eliminated
D. Frozen
Answer: B
25. Evolution is best defined as:
A. The process by which a population changes over time
B. The growth of an individual
C. The death of species
D. A single mutation
Answer: A
26. Natural selection results in:
A. Random changes
B. Adaptation to the environment
C. Elimination of all species
D. Cessation of reproduction
Answer: B
27. True or False: Humans living at high elevations in Tibet show adaptations to low
oxygen environments.
Answer: True
28. The EPSA1 gene in Tibetans affects:
A. Height
B. Hemoglobin production
C. Skin color
D. Eye color
Answer: B
29. Which domain contains prokaryotes that lack a nucleus?
A. Eukarya only
B. Bacteria and Archaea
C. Plantae
D. Animalia
Answer: B
