Living Environment - New York State Regents June 2025
Exam Questions and Answers
observation - -what is seen or measured
-inference - -a conclusion based on observation or evidence
-hypothesis - -a prediction based on available evidence
a good __________ states both cause and effect
"if... then..."
-theory - -an explanation of natural events that is supported by strong evidence
- ______ tie together many scientific facts, hypothesis, and laws
- misconception: these are things of opinion and aren't proven
- a scientific ________ is supported by strong evidence
-controlled experiment - -compares the results of an experiment between two (or more)
groups
-experimental group - -group being tested or receiving treatment
-control group - -"normal" group, should be identical to experimental group in every way
except one, it doesn't receive the new treatment
-placebo - -a sugar pill or other "fake" treatment given to the control group
-independent variable - -variable that is being tested
a. the "if" part of an "if-then" hypothesis
b. plotted on the x axis
-dependent variable - -variable that is measured at the end of an experiment, the results
a. the "then" part an "if-then" hypothesis
b. plotted on the y axis
-organic compounds - -a. have carbon and hydrogen
b. organic molecules are larger than inorganic molecules
-carbohydrates - -sugars and starches
a. all _____________ are made from simple sugars (like glucose) and they supply energy
-lipids - -store energy and include fats, oils, and waxes
-proteins - -made from amino acids
a. _______ make the most of the chemicals used to build and run an organism's body
b. _______ are by far the most important of the other molecules
, c. the shape of them determines what they do
-enzymes - -catalysts made from proteins
a. affect the rates of chemical reactions
b. very high temps cause them to lose their shape, they cannot work properly
-homeostasis - -balanced state in an organism
-dynamic equilibrium - -a state of balance between continuing processes
-metabolism (maintainance of homeostasis) - -transport, nutrition, excretion, respiration,
growth, synthesis, regulation
-diffusion - -movement of molecules from high low concentrations, requires no energy
(passive transport)
-active transport - -requires the use of energy, low to high concentration (against flow of
diffusion)
-osmosis - -diffusion of WATER into or out of cell
-autotrophs - -make their own food
-heterotrophs - -eat other organisms
-photosynthesis - -carried out by plants, algae, blue-green bacteria (autotrophs)
radiant energy from sun -> bonds of sugar molecules
occurs on chloroplasts of plant cells
-stomates (holes) - -holes in leaves that let them exchange the gasses used in
photosynthesis
-guard cells - -open and close the stomates to keep the plant from dehydrating
-respiration - -gets the energy out of the food, photosynthesis only stores energy in food
(glucose)
-respiration - -takes energy form sugar molecules and places it in molecules of ATP (all
living things)
-ATP - -energy source of all living things
-aerobic respiration - -requires oxygen, yields more energy (ATP) for a molecule of sugar
than anaerobic respiration
-regulation - -coordination and control of other life functions
Exam Questions and Answers
observation - -what is seen or measured
-inference - -a conclusion based on observation or evidence
-hypothesis - -a prediction based on available evidence
a good __________ states both cause and effect
"if... then..."
-theory - -an explanation of natural events that is supported by strong evidence
- ______ tie together many scientific facts, hypothesis, and laws
- misconception: these are things of opinion and aren't proven
- a scientific ________ is supported by strong evidence
-controlled experiment - -compares the results of an experiment between two (or more)
groups
-experimental group - -group being tested or receiving treatment
-control group - -"normal" group, should be identical to experimental group in every way
except one, it doesn't receive the new treatment
-placebo - -a sugar pill or other "fake" treatment given to the control group
-independent variable - -variable that is being tested
a. the "if" part of an "if-then" hypothesis
b. plotted on the x axis
-dependent variable - -variable that is measured at the end of an experiment, the results
a. the "then" part an "if-then" hypothesis
b. plotted on the y axis
-organic compounds - -a. have carbon and hydrogen
b. organic molecules are larger than inorganic molecules
-carbohydrates - -sugars and starches
a. all _____________ are made from simple sugars (like glucose) and they supply energy
-lipids - -store energy and include fats, oils, and waxes
-proteins - -made from amino acids
a. _______ make the most of the chemicals used to build and run an organism's body
b. _______ are by far the most important of the other molecules
, c. the shape of them determines what they do
-enzymes - -catalysts made from proteins
a. affect the rates of chemical reactions
b. very high temps cause them to lose their shape, they cannot work properly
-homeostasis - -balanced state in an organism
-dynamic equilibrium - -a state of balance between continuing processes
-metabolism (maintainance of homeostasis) - -transport, nutrition, excretion, respiration,
growth, synthesis, regulation
-diffusion - -movement of molecules from high low concentrations, requires no energy
(passive transport)
-active transport - -requires the use of energy, low to high concentration (against flow of
diffusion)
-osmosis - -diffusion of WATER into or out of cell
-autotrophs - -make their own food
-heterotrophs - -eat other organisms
-photosynthesis - -carried out by plants, algae, blue-green bacteria (autotrophs)
radiant energy from sun -> bonds of sugar molecules
occurs on chloroplasts of plant cells
-stomates (holes) - -holes in leaves that let them exchange the gasses used in
photosynthesis
-guard cells - -open and close the stomates to keep the plant from dehydrating
-respiration - -gets the energy out of the food, photosynthesis only stores energy in food
(glucose)
-respiration - -takes energy form sugar molecules and places it in molecules of ATP (all
living things)
-ATP - -energy source of all living things
-aerobic respiration - -requires oxygen, yields more energy (ATP) for a molecule of sugar
than anaerobic respiration
-regulation - -coordination and control of other life functions
