BSC 108 Exam 1 Practice Quizzes
Which is NOT a characteristic of all living organisms?
a. growth and development
b. composed of multiple cells
c. complex yet organized
d. uses energy ** Answ** B. (Because some living organisms are single celled.)
place the following levels of biological organization in order from smallest to largest:
atom, biosphere, cell, ecosystem, molecule, organ, organism, population, tissue.
Which is the smallest level capable of demonstrating all of the characteristics of life?
** Answ** Atom, molecule, cell, tissue, organ, organism, population, ecosystem,
biosphere; the cell
Plants use the process of photosynthesis to convert the energy in sunlight to chemical
energy in the form of sugar. While doing so, they consume carbon dioxide and water
and release oxygen. Explain how this process functions in both the cycling of chemical
nutrients and the flow of energy through an ecosystem. ** Answ** Photosynthesis
cycles nutrients by converting the carbon in carbon dioxide to sugar, which is then
consumed by other organisms. Additionally, the oxygen in water is released as oxygen
gas. Photosynthesis contributes to energy flow by converting sunlight to chemical
energy, which is then also consumed by other organisms, and by producing heat.
How does natural selection cause a population to become adapted to its environment
over time? ** Answ** On average, those individuals with inheritable traits best suited
to the local environment produce the greatest number of offspring that survive and
reproduce. This increases the frequency of those traits in the population over time. The
result is the accumulation of evolutionary adaptations.
Which statement best describes the logic of the process of science?
a. If I generate a testable hypothesis, experiments and observations will support it.
b. If my prediction is correct, it will lead to a testable hypothesis
c. If my observations are accurate, they will support my hypothesis.
d. Test results may or may not support my hypothesis ** Answ** D.
Which statement best distinguishes hypothesis from theories in science?
a. Theories are hypothesis that have been proven
b. Hypotheses are tentative guesses; theories are correct answers to questions about
nature
c. Hypotheses usually are narrow in scope; theories have broad explanatory power and
are supported by a lot of evidence
d. Hypotheses and theories mean essentially the same thing in science ** Answ** C.
_________ is the core theme that unifies all areas of biology ** Answ** Evolution
, What distinguishes a fact from an opinion? ** Answ** A fact should be confirmed to
be the same by all observers, whereas opinions can differ from one observer to the
next.
Match each of the following terms to the phrase that best describes it.
a. Natural selection
b. Evolution
c. Hypothesis
d. biosphere
1. A testable idea
2. Descent with modification
3. Unequal reproductive success
4. All life supporting environments on earth ** Answ** A3; b2; c1; d4
Which major theme is evident?
By comparing genes between green sea turtles and humans, insight can be gained into
how those genes encode specific physical traits. ** Answ** Information flow: genes
encode information to make proteins, which then produce physics traits.
Which major theme is evident?
Although green sea turtles consume a lot of vegetation, they get few nutrients from each
mouthful, requiring them to graze frequently. ** Answ** Pathways that transform
energy and matter: sea turtles obtain both energy and molecular building blocks from
the grass they consume.
Which major theme is evident?
as global climate changes, green sea turtles alter many aspects of their behavior. **
Answ** Interactions within biological systems: chemicals released in one part of the
world can interact with ocean water in another part, affecting the life found there.
An atom can be changed into an ion by adding or removing ________. An atom can be
changed into a different isotope by adding or removing ________. ** Answ**
Electrons; neutrons
If you change the number of ______, the atom becomes a different element. **
Answ** Protons
A nitrogen atom has 7 protons, and the most common isotope of nitrogen has 7
neutrons. A radioactive isotope of nitrogen has 9 neutrons. What are the atomic
numbers and mass numbers of the stable and radioactive forms of nitrogen? **
Answ** Nitrogen - 14 has an atomic number of 7 and a mass number of 14. The
radioactive isotope, Nitrogen- 16, has an atomic number of 7 and a mass number of 16
Why are radioactive isotopes useful as tracers in research on the chemistry of life? **
Answ** Organisms incorporate radioactive isotopes of an element into their molecules
Which is NOT a characteristic of all living organisms?
a. growth and development
b. composed of multiple cells
c. complex yet organized
d. uses energy ** Answ** B. (Because some living organisms are single celled.)
place the following levels of biological organization in order from smallest to largest:
atom, biosphere, cell, ecosystem, molecule, organ, organism, population, tissue.
Which is the smallest level capable of demonstrating all of the characteristics of life?
** Answ** Atom, molecule, cell, tissue, organ, organism, population, ecosystem,
biosphere; the cell
Plants use the process of photosynthesis to convert the energy in sunlight to chemical
energy in the form of sugar. While doing so, they consume carbon dioxide and water
and release oxygen. Explain how this process functions in both the cycling of chemical
nutrients and the flow of energy through an ecosystem. ** Answ** Photosynthesis
cycles nutrients by converting the carbon in carbon dioxide to sugar, which is then
consumed by other organisms. Additionally, the oxygen in water is released as oxygen
gas. Photosynthesis contributes to energy flow by converting sunlight to chemical
energy, which is then also consumed by other organisms, and by producing heat.
How does natural selection cause a population to become adapted to its environment
over time? ** Answ** On average, those individuals with inheritable traits best suited
to the local environment produce the greatest number of offspring that survive and
reproduce. This increases the frequency of those traits in the population over time. The
result is the accumulation of evolutionary adaptations.
Which statement best describes the logic of the process of science?
a. If I generate a testable hypothesis, experiments and observations will support it.
b. If my prediction is correct, it will lead to a testable hypothesis
c. If my observations are accurate, they will support my hypothesis.
d. Test results may or may not support my hypothesis ** Answ** D.
Which statement best distinguishes hypothesis from theories in science?
a. Theories are hypothesis that have been proven
b. Hypotheses are tentative guesses; theories are correct answers to questions about
nature
c. Hypotheses usually are narrow in scope; theories have broad explanatory power and
are supported by a lot of evidence
d. Hypotheses and theories mean essentially the same thing in science ** Answ** C.
_________ is the core theme that unifies all areas of biology ** Answ** Evolution
, What distinguishes a fact from an opinion? ** Answ** A fact should be confirmed to
be the same by all observers, whereas opinions can differ from one observer to the
next.
Match each of the following terms to the phrase that best describes it.
a. Natural selection
b. Evolution
c. Hypothesis
d. biosphere
1. A testable idea
2. Descent with modification
3. Unequal reproductive success
4. All life supporting environments on earth ** Answ** A3; b2; c1; d4
Which major theme is evident?
By comparing genes between green sea turtles and humans, insight can be gained into
how those genes encode specific physical traits. ** Answ** Information flow: genes
encode information to make proteins, which then produce physics traits.
Which major theme is evident?
Although green sea turtles consume a lot of vegetation, they get few nutrients from each
mouthful, requiring them to graze frequently. ** Answ** Pathways that transform
energy and matter: sea turtles obtain both energy and molecular building blocks from
the grass they consume.
Which major theme is evident?
as global climate changes, green sea turtles alter many aspects of their behavior. **
Answ** Interactions within biological systems: chemicals released in one part of the
world can interact with ocean water in another part, affecting the life found there.
An atom can be changed into an ion by adding or removing ________. An atom can be
changed into a different isotope by adding or removing ________. ** Answ**
Electrons; neutrons
If you change the number of ______, the atom becomes a different element. **
Answ** Protons
A nitrogen atom has 7 protons, and the most common isotope of nitrogen has 7
neutrons. A radioactive isotope of nitrogen has 9 neutrons. What are the atomic
numbers and mass numbers of the stable and radioactive forms of nitrogen? **
Answ** Nitrogen - 14 has an atomic number of 7 and a mass number of 14. The
radioactive isotope, Nitrogen- 16, has an atomic number of 7 and a mass number of 16
Why are radioactive isotopes useful as tracers in research on the chemistry of life? **
Answ** Organisms incorporate radioactive isotopes of an element into their molecules
