What would be the expected effect on plants if the atmospheric CO2 concentration was
doubled?
A) All plants would experience increased rates of photosynthesis.
B) C3 plants would have faster growth; C4 plants would be minimally affected.
C) C4 plants would have faster growth; C3 plants would be minimally affected.
D) C3 plants would have faster growth; C4 plants would have slower growth.
Use the following information to answer the questions below.
A spaceship is designed to support animal life for a multiyear voyage to the outer
planets of the solar system. Plants will be grown to provide oxygen and to recycle
carbon dioxide. Since the spaceship will be too far from the sun for photosynthesis, an
artificial light source will be needed.
What wavelengths of light should be used to maximize plant growth with a minimum of
energy expenditure?
A) full-spectrum white light
B) green light
C) a mixture of blue and red light
D) UV light
Every morning at the same time, John went into the den to feed his new tropical fish.
After a few weeks, he noticed that the fish swam to the top of the tank when he entered
the room. This is an example of _____.
A) cognition
B) imprinting
C) classical conditioning
D) operant conditioning
Which molecules shown above contain a carbonyl group?
A) A and B
B) B and C
C) B, C, and D
D) C and D
Which of the following characteristics are expected in the first animals to have
colonized land?
1. were probably herbivores (ate photosynthesizers)
2. had four appendages
3. had the ability to resist dehydration
4. had lobe-finned fishes as ancestors
5. were invertebrates
A) 3 only
B) 3 and 5
C) 1, 3, and 5
D) 1, 2, 3, and 4
How would a terrestrial centipede most likely benefit from the ability to close its
spiracles? Closing spiracles would _____.
A) allow the centipede to move more quickly
B) allow the centipede to retain more moisture in its tissues
C) allow the centipede to stay warmer
D) allow more oxygen from the environment to reach the centipede’s tissues
A researcher is setting up an experiment to measure basal metabolic rate in prairie voles
(Microtus ochrogaster“a small rodent). Which of the following would be the best set of
conditions for the voles immediately before and during the measurement?
A) House the animals in a cage with plenty of food and water to avoid stress; conduct
measurements in a warmer room than the room where housed.
B) House the animals in a cage with plenty of food and water to avoid stress; conduct
measurements in a room the same temperature as the room where housed.
C) House the animals in a cage with no food for a few hours before measurement;
conduct measurements in a colder room than the room where housed, and exercise the
voles.
D) House the animals in a cage with no food for a few hours before measurement;
conduct measurements in a room the same temperature as the room where housed.
Use the following information to answer the question(s) below.
Trichoplax adhaerens (Tp) is the only living species in the phylum Placozoa.
Individuals are about 1 mm wide and only 27 μm high, are irregularly shaped, and
consist of a total of about 2000 cells, which are diploid (2n = 12). There are four types
of cells, none of which are nerve or muscle cells, and none of which have cell walls.
They move using cilia, and any “edge” can lead. Tp feeds on marine microbes, mostly
unicellular green algae, by crawling atop the algae and trapping it between its ventral
surface and the substrate. Enzymes are then secreted onto the algae, and the resulting
nutrients are absorbed. Tp sperm cells have never been observed, nor have embryos
past the 64-cell (blastula) stage.
What do animals ranging from corals to monkeys have in common?
A) a mouth and an anus
B) number of embryonic tissue layers
C) type of body symmetry
D) presence of Hox genes
The sodium-potassium pump is called an electrogenic pump because it _____.
A) pumps equal quantities of Na+ and K+ across the membrane
B) contributes to the membrane potential
C) ionizes sodium and potassium atoms
D) is used to drive the transport of other molecules against a concentration gradient
All chordates studied to date, except tunicates, share a set of _____.
A) 13 Hox genes
B) 5 Dlx genes
C) 9 Otx genes
D) 7 FOXP2 genes
Sexual reproduction in eukaryotes increases genetic variation. In prokaryotes,
transformation, transduction, and conjugation are mechanisms that increase genetic
variation. A fundamental difference between the generations of genetic variation in the
two domains is:
A) Eukaryotes are able to generate mutations in response to environmental stress while
prokaryotes only generate random variation.
B) Eukaryotic variation occurs primarily within a single generation while prokaryotic
variation occurs over many generations.
C) Crossing over is a major mechanism in creating genetic variation in prokaryotes
while independent assortment is a major mechanism is eukaryotes.
D) Eukaryotic genetic variation occurs with vertical gene transfer while prokaryotic
genetic variation occurs with horizontal gene transfer.
Your friend is wary of environmentalists’ claims that global warming could lead to
major biological change on Earth. Which of the following statements can you use in
response to your friend’s suspicions?
I) We know that atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased over the past 150 years.
II) Through measurements and observations, we know that carbon dioxide levels and
temperature fluctuations are directly correlated, even in prehistoric times.
III) Global warming could have significant effects on agriculture in the United States.
A) only I
B) only II
C) only III
D) I, II, and III
Hershey and Chase set out to determine what molecule served as the unit of inheritance.
They completed a series of experiments in which E. coli was infected by a T2 virus.
Which molecular component of the T2 virus actually ended up inside the cell?
A) protein
B) RNA
C) ribosome
D) DNA
Consider this pathway: epinephrine → G protein-coupled receptor → G protein →
adenylyl cyclase → cAMP. The second messenger in this pathway is _____.
A) cAMP
B) G protein
C) adenylyl cyclase
D) G protein-coupled receptor
Use the following information to answer the question(s) below.
The Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excels (n = 17), is native to tropical rain forests of
South America. It is a hardwood tree that can grow to over 50 meters tall, is a source of
high-quality lumber, and is a favorite nesting site for harpy eagles. As the rainy season
ends, tough-walled fruits, each containing 8-25 seeds (Brazil nuts), fall to the forest
floor. Brazil nuts are composed primarily of endosperm. About $50 million worth of
nuts are harvested each year. Scientists have discovered that the pale yellow flowers of
Brazil nut trees cannot fertilize themselves and admit only female orchid bees as
pollinators. The agouti (Dasyprocta spp.), a cat-sized rodent, is the only animal with
teeth strong enough to crack the hard wall of Brazil nut fruits. It typically eats some of
the seeds, buries others, and leaves still others inside the fruit, which moisture can now
enter. The uneaten seeds may subsequently germinate.
Orchid bees are to Brazil nut trees as ________ are to pine trees.
A) breezes
B) rain droplets
C) seed-eating birds
D) squirrels
One mole of the compound above would weigh how many grams? (Note: The atomic
masses, in daltons, are approximately 12 for carbon, 1 for hydrogen, and 16 for
oxygen.)
A) 29
B) 30
C) 60
D) 150
In a simple synapse, neurotransmitter chemicals are received by _____.
A) the postsynaptic membrane
B) the presynaptic membrane
C) axon hillocks
D) cell bodies
A farmer uses triazine herbicide to control pigweed in his field. For the first few years,
the triazine works well and almost all the pigweed dies; but after several years, the
farmer sees more and more pigweed. Which of these explanations best explains what
happened?
A) The herbicide company lost its triazine formula and started selling poor-quality
triazine.
B) Natural selection caused the pigweed to mutate, creating a new triazine-resistant
species.
C) Triazine-resistant pigweed has less-efficient photosynthesis metabolism.
D) Triazine-resistant weeds were more likely to survive and reproduce.
In marine sponges, intracellular digestion of peptides is usually immediately preceded
by _____.
A) hydrolysis
B) phagocytosis
C) absorption
D) secretion
Which of the following statements regarding extinction is (are) correct?
I) Only a small percentage of species is immune from extinction.
II) Extinction occurs whether humans interfere or not.
III) Extinctions can even be caused indirectly by humans.
A) only I
B) only II
C) only III
D) only II and III
Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the future
distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?
A) Remove, to the mineral soil, all of the organisms from an experimental plot and
monitor the colonization of the area over time in terms of both species diversity and
abundance.
B) Look at the climatic changes that occurred since the last Ice Age and how species
redistributed as glaciers melted, then make predictions on future distribution in species
based on past trends.
C) Compare and contrast the flora and fauna of warm/cold/dry/wet climates to shed
light on how they evolved to be suited to their present-day environment.
D) Quantify the impact of man’s activities on present-day populations of threatened and
endangered species to assess the rate of extirpation and extinction.
In some cells, there are many ion electrochemical gradients across the plasma
membrane even though there are usually only one or two proton pumps present in the
membrane. The gradients of the other ions are most likely accounted for by _____.
A) cotransport proteins
B) ion channels
C) pores in the plasma membrane
D) passive diffusion across the plasma membrane
The following questions refer to this hypothetical situation.
A female fly, full of fertilized eggs, is swept by high winds to an island far out to sea.
She is the first fly to arrive on this island and the only fly to arrive in this way.
Thousands of years later, her numerous offspring occupy the island, but none of them
resembles her. There are, instead, several species, each of which eats only a certain type
of food. None of the species can fly and their balancing organs (halteres) are now used
in courtship displays. The male members of each species bear modified halteres that are
unique in appearance to their species. Females bear vestigial halteres. The ranges of all
of the daughter species overlap.
In each fly species, the entire body segment that gave rise to the original flight wings is
missing. The mutation(s) that led to the flightless condition could have _____.
A) duplicated all of the Hox genes in these flies’ genomes
B) resulted in paedomorphosis
C) altered the expression of a Hox gene
D) originated in another species
After the drought of 1977, researchers on the island of Daphne Major hypothesized that
medium ground finches that had large, deep beaks, survived better than those with
smaller beaks because they could more easily crack and eat the tough Tribulus cistoides
fruits. If this hypothesis is correct, what would you expect to observe if a population of
these medium ground finches colonizes a nearby island where Tribulus cistoides is the
most abundant food for the next 1000 years? Assume that (1) even the survivors of the
1977 drought sometimes had difficulty cracking the tough T. cistoides fruits and would
eat other seeds when offered a choice; and (2) food availability is the primary limit on
finch fitness on this new island.
A) evolution of yet larger, deeper beaks over time
B) evolution of smaller, pointier beaks over time
C) random fluctuations in beak size and shape
D) no change in beak size and shape
Three lab groups carried out an experiment to identify the correct molarities for five
solutions. Each unknown contained one of the following sucrose concentrations: 0.0 M,
0.2 M, 0.4 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M, and 1.0 M. Each data entry represents the average of 3
sample replications of 1 cm3 sweet potato cubes expressed as percent change in mass
after an overnight (24 hr) soak in the unknown solutions. From the data given, which
statement most accurately describes what is occurring in response to a particular
unknown solution.
A) Unknown solution E contains the highest concentration of sucrose and the change in
mass is due to the active transport of sucrose into the cell in exchange for water
molecules.
B) Osmosis of water molecules from unknown solution A likely caused the increase in
mass observed.
C) Passive transport of sucrose out of the potato cells explains the change in mass
observed for unknown solution F.
D) Unknown solution C represents a sucrose molarity slightly lower than the molarity
of sweet potato cells, thus water is transported out of the cells.
The primary role of oxygen in cellular respiration is to _____.
A) yield energy in the form of ATP as it is passed down the respiratory chain
B) act as an acceptor for electrons and hydrogen, forming water
C) combine with carbon, forming CO2
D) combine with lactate, forming pyruvate
Homologous pairs of chromosomes align opposite of each other at the equator of a cell
during _____.
A) mitosis metaphase
B) meiosis metaphase I
C) meiosis telophase II
D) meiosis metaphase II
Fight-or-flight reactions include activation of the _____.
A) parathyroid glands, leading to increased metabolic rate
B) anterior pituitary gland, leading to cessation of gonadal function
C) adrenal medulla, leading to increased secretion of epinephrine
D) pancreas, leading to a reduction in the blood sugar concentration
A population of ground squirrels has an annual per capita birth rate of 0.06 and an
annual per capita death rate of 0.02. Calculate an estimate of the total number of
individuals added to (or lost from) a population of 1000 individuals in one year.
A) 120 individuals added
B) 40 individuals added
C) 20 individuals added
D) 400 individuals added
In the process of transcription, _____.
A) DNA is replicated
B) RNA is synthesized
C) proteins are synthesized
D) mRNA attaches to ribosomes
Concerning growth in genome size over evolutionary time, which of these is LEAST
associated with the others?
A) orthologous genes
B) gene duplications
C) paralogous genes
D) gene families
The primary function of the corpus luteum is to _____.
A) nourish and protect the egg cell
B) maintain progesterone and estrogen synthesis after ovulation has occurred
C) stimulate the development of the mammary glands
D) support pregnancy in the second and third trimesters
Which of the following graphs best illustrates the growth curve of a small population of
rodents that has increased to a static carrying capacity?
A)
B)
C)
D)