CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND RESEARCH
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The science of ____ explains the origin of life, the persistence of life, and studies the changes in living
things.
a.
nanotechnology
b.
mathematics
c.
biology
d.
chemistry
e.
pharmacology
2. It is through ____ that we further our knowledge of living things.
a.
ideologies
b.
biological research
c.
philosophy
d.
ethics
e.
logic
3. The difference between living and nonliving matter depends not only on the kinds of atoms and
molecules present, it also depends on ____.
a.
their electrons
b.
their chemical interactions
c.
their compounds
d.
their organization and interactions
e.
their chemical complexity
4. Living organisms must gather energy and materials from their surroundings to ____.
a.
build new biochemicals
b.
grow
c.
maintain and repair their parts
d.
produce offspring
e.
all of these
5. A cell is minimally defined by which of the following:
a.
an organized chemical system.
b.
specialized molecules.
c.
a nucleus.
d.
a membrane.
e.
an organized chemical system and specialized molecules surrounded by a membrane.
6. The lowest level of biological organization that can survive and reproduce is the ____.
a.
proton
b.
DNA
c.
nucleus
d.
tissue
e.
cell
7. As long as a cell has access to a usable energy source, has the necessary raw materials, and is in
appropriate environmental conditions, the cell will:
a.
survive and reproduce.
b.
stay in stasis.
c.
not be in homeostasis.
d.
remain dormant.
e.
no longer be emergent.
8. Emergent properties are
a.
characteristics of nonliving matter.
b.
exclusive to atoms but not molecules.
c.
neither exclusive to molecules nor compounds.
d.
characteristics that depend on the level of organization of matter but do not exist at lower
levels of organization.
e.
exclusive to multicellular organisms.
9. Bacteria and protozoans are ____.
a.
multicellular organisms
b.
unicellular organisms
c.
both unicellular and multicellular organisms
d.
the sole organisms of the oceans
e.
precursors to cells
10. Every population of animals has an age structure. The individuals that make up the population are all
of a specific age, but individuals do not have an age structure. Age structure is an example of a(n)
_____.
a.
emergent property.
b.
environmental property.
c.
hierarchical property.
d.
organizational property.
e.
cellular property.
11. A group of organisms of the same species that live together in the same place make up a(n) ____.
a.
cell
b.
ecosystem
c.
tissue
d.
population
e.
biosphere
12. All the populations of different organisms that live in the same place form a(n) ____.
a.
ecosystem
b.
community
c.
biosphere
d.
organ
e.
population
13. The highest level of the hierarchy of life is the ____.
a.
population
b.
biosphere
c.
ecosystem
d.
multicellular organism
e.
cell
14. Which of the following is NOT a logical hierarchy of biological organization?
a.
cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms
b.
family, order, class, phylum, kingdom
c.
cells, molecules, organelles, tissues, systems
d.
molecules, cells, tissues, organ systems, populations
e.
organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere
15. A(n) ____ includes the community and the nonliving environmental factors with which it interacts.
a.
community
b.
biosphere
c.
ecosystem
d.
multicellular organism
e.
earth
16. Destruction of forest ecosystems in Brazil affects the amount of CO2 taken up from the atmosphere. In
consequence, altered levels of atmospheric CO2 may affect the climate in the American midwest. A
person who studies these types of interactions would probably be called a(n) _____.
a.
biosphere biologist
b.
community biologist
c.
ecosystem biologist
d.
physiological ecologist
e.
population biologist
17. The most fundamental and important molecule that distinguishes living systems from nonliving matter
is ____.
a.
DNA
b.
deoxyribonucleic acid
c.
glucose
d.
fructose
e.
a and b only
18. ____ is a large, double-stranded, helical molecule that contains instructions for assembling a living
organism from simpler molecules.
a.
RNA
b.
DNA
c.
ATP
d.
NADPH
e.
Protein
19. ____ contain DNA, but are not considered to be alive because they cannot reproduce independently of
their host.
a.
Prions
b.
Eukaryotes
c.
Prokaryotes
d.
Viruses
e.
Cells
20. The information in DNA is copied into molecules of ____.
a.
lipid
b.
carbohydrates
c.
hydrogen peroxide
d.
oxygen
e.
RNA
21. What molecule carries out most of the activities of life, including the synthesis of all other biological
molecules?
a.
carbohydrate
b.
lipid
c.
protein
d.
nucleic acid
e.
carbon
22. Metabolism describes the ability of a cell or organism to:
a.
extract energy from its surroundings.
b.
maintain itself.
c.
grow.
d.
reproduce.
e.
all of these
23. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are examples of ____.
a.
anabolism
b.
catabolism
c.
synthesis
d.
metabolism
e.
cleavage
24. Living systems have the capacity to detect environmental changes and compensate for them through
controlled responses. This is possible because living systems have ____.
a.
diverse and varied receptors
b.
nerves
c.
photoreceptors
d.
hormones
e.
sensitivity
25. Maintaining your body’s internal temperature within narrow tolerable range is one example of:
a.
sebaceous glands working to lower your body temperature.
b.
stasis.
c.
homeostasis.
d.
compensation.
e.
hydrolysis.
26. While running on a treadmill, your heart rate will increase and your breathing will be deeper and more
rapid. Among other things, this helps ensure that your muscles get adequate supplies of O2 as you
exercise. These changes are the result of _____.
a.
compensatory mechanisms
b.
developmental mechanisms
c.
emergent properties
d.
homeostatic mechanisms
e.
multicellularity
27. The process by which parents produce offspring is called:
a.
reproduction.
b.
homeostasis.
c.
compensation.
d.
feeding.
e.
artificial selection.
28. Inheritance
a.
is the process by which genetic information is transmitted to offspring.
b.
occurs only in animals.
c.
is a process by which proteins are transmitted to offspring.
d.
is not a biological process.
e.
is the process by which genetic information is transmitted to offspring and occurs only in
animals
29. A series of programmed changes encoded in DNA, through which a fertilized egg divides into many
cells that ultimately are transformed into an adult organism, is known as ____.
a.
inheritance
b.
compensation
c.
homeostasis
d.
transformation
e.
development
30. The sequential stages through which individuals develop, grow, maintain themselves, and reproduce
are known as the ____.
a.
life cycle
b.
transformation
c.
catabolic reactions
d.
anabolic reactions
e.
central dogma
31. Populations of all organisms change from one generation to the next because their DNA changes over
time. This is known as:
a.
artificial selection.
b.
biological evolution.
c.
natural selection.
d.
artificial selection and natural selection only
e.
developmental selection.
32. Our understanding of the evolutionary process reveals that:
a.
all organisms change through time.
b.
all populations are related through a shared ancestry.
c.
evolution has produced the spectacular diversity of life on Earth.
d.
development has produced the spectacular diversity of life on Earth.
e.
all organisms change through time and all populations are related through a shared
ancestry
33. In the mid-nineteenth century Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace observed many organisms.
Based on these observations they arrived to an explanation on how populations change through time.
They termed it:
a.
evolution.
b.
natural selection.
c.
creationism.
d.
natural evolution.
e.
genetics.
34. Biological evolution according to Darwin and Wallace states that
a.
organisms produce numerous offspring, but environmental factors limit the number of
reproducing survivors.
b.
heritable variations allow some individuals to outcompete others.
c.
the offspring of successful individuals inherit the favorable characteristics of their parents.
d.
a and b
e.
a, b, and c
35. DNA is
a.
composed of protein and lipid subunits.
b.
organized into functional units called genes.
c.
organized into functional units called chromosomes.
d.
organized into functional units called ribosomes.
e.
organized from information contained in proteins.
36. Mutations
a.
are the basis of variability among individuals.
b.
are the basis of homogeneity in a population.
c.
are always bad for populations.
d.
are always good for populations.
e.
are always harmful for individuals.
37. Mutations
a.
can be beneficial.
b.
can be harmful.
c.
can be neutral.
d.
can be beneficial, harmful or neutral.
e.
can evolve within an individual.
38. Adaptations
a.
are characteristics that arise during an organism’s lifetime and that help an organism
survive longer or reproduce more.
b.
occur primarily in the form of useful molecules.
c.
are characteristics that arise via natural selection and that help an organism survive longer
or reproduce more.
d.
are characteristics that mainly enhance feeding.
e.
are characteristics that arise during an organism’s lifetime and that help an organism
survive longer or reproduce more and are characteristics that arise via natural selection and
that help an organism survive longer or reproduce more.
39. Cryptic coloration means
a.
males and females look different.
b.
blending with the background.
c.
camouflage.
d.
standing out against a background.
e.
blending with the background and camouflage
40. Why have scientists developed classification systems?
a.
To arrange living and dead organisms into groups reflecting their relationships and
evolutionary origins.
b.
To make sense of the past and present diversity of life on Earth.
c.
To help scientists distinguish two different groups of organisms with the same common
name.
d.
To arrange living and dead organisms into groups that reflect their relationships and
evolutionary origins and to make sense of the past and present diversity of life on Earth.
e.
To arrange living and dead organisms into groups that reflect their relationships and
evolutionary origins, to make sense of the past and present diversity of life on Earth, and
to help scientists distinguish two different groups of organisms with the same common
name.
41. A group of organisms in which the individuals are so closely related in structure, biochemistry, and
behavior that they can successfully interbreed is a(n) ____.
a.
kingdom
b.
class
c.
order
d.
species
e.
genus
42. A group of similar species that share the most recent common ancestry is a(n) ____.
a.
kingdom
b.
class
c.
order
d.
genus
e.
species
43. A randomly selected group of organisms from a family would show more genetic and anatomical
variability than a similar group randomly picked from a _____.
a.
class
b.
genus
c.
order
d.
phylum
e.
kingdom
44. The scientific name of an organism is composed of two names. The first part identifies the ____ while
the second part designates the ____.
a.
genus; species
b.
species; genus
c.
genera; genus
d.
phylum; species
e.
family; genus
45. Scientific names
a.
are always written in all capital letters and in italics.
b.
are always written in italics in lower case.
c.
are always written in lower case and underlined.
d.
are always written in italics with both genus and species capitalized.
e.
are always written in italics with only the genus capitalized.
46. Which of the following scientific names is written in the correct format?
a.
Canis Familiaris
b.
Canis Lupus
c.
Canis latrans
d.
canis Familiaris
e.
c. Latrans
Use the figure above for the following question(s).
47. Which of the following represents a kingdom?
a.
Animalia
b.
Chordata
c.
Canis
d.
Canidae
e.
Mammalia
48. In the illustration, which group is the most inclusive group?
a.
Canis familiaris
b.
Animalia
c.
Chordata
d.
Mammalia
e.
Eukarya
49. In the illustration, which group is the least inclusive?
a.
Canis familiaris
b.
Animalia
c.
Chordata
d.
Mammalia
e.
Canidae
50. The group that is the most inclusive and has recently been added to the classification scheme is ____.
a.
kingdom
b.
protista
c.
eukarya
d.
domain
e.
eukarya and domain
51. Which of the following pairs would be classified as prokaryotes?
a.
Animalia and Plantae
b.
Bacteria and Archaea
c.
Fungi and Plantae
d.
Bacteria, Archaea and Fungi
e.
Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
52. A cell that is observed under the microscope is found to have its DNA enclosed in a nucleus, and has
other specialized internal compartments. The cell is a(n) ____.
a.
prokaryote
b.
bacterium
c.
eukaryote
d.
E. coli
e.
P. aureus
53. A researcher in a lab finds a microscopic organism that has no nucleus, but has distinctive structural
molecules and mechanisms of photosynthesis. The organisms are abundant in virtually every habitat
on Earth. The researcher has identified an organism belonging to the domain ____.
a.
Bacteria
b.
“Protist”
c.
Eukarya
d.
Animalia
e.
Amoeba
54. A researcher in a lab finds a microscopic organism that is a producer. The organisms are found in
extreme environments (i.e., hot springs). The researcher has identified an organism belonging to the
domain ____.
a.
Bacteria
b.
Archaea
c.
Eukarya
d.
Animalia
e.
Amoeba
55. A student encounters an organism that resembles a plant and whose cells contain a nucleus. The
organism is most likely classified as a(n) ____.
a.
Bacteria
b.
Archaea
c.
Eukarya
d.
Animalia
e.
Amoeba
56. This kingdom includes the algae that are used to make sushi rolls.
a.
Plantae
b.
Fungi
c.
Animalia
d.
“Protist”
e.
Bacteria
57. The pages of your textbook consist mainly of material made by multicellular, photosynthetic
organisms that function as producers in ecosystems. These organisms belong to the kingdom ____.
a.
Plantae
b.
Fungi
c.
Animalia
d.
“Protist”
e.
Bacteria
58. Shitake mushrooms are decomposers that break down biological molecules from dead organisms.
These organisms belong to the ____ kingdom.
a.
Plantae
b.
Fungi
c.
Animalia
d.
“Protist”
e.
Bacteria
59. Cats, dogs, and fish are consumers that have the ability to move actively from one place to another.
These organisms belong to the ____ kingdom.
a.
Plantae
b.
Fungi
c.
Animalia
d.
“Protist”
e.
Bacteria
60. The most fundamental grouping in the classification of living organisms is the _____.
a.
class
b.
genus
c.
family
d.
order
e.
species
61. The observations you make and experimental data you collect in your biology laboratory class are
examples of:
a.
statistical analysis.
b.
hypothesis building.
c.
biological dogma.
d.
model systems.
e.
biological research.
62. An approach in which scientists make observations about the natural world, develop tentative
explanations about what they observe, and then test those explanations by collecting more information
is referred to as ____.
a.
science
b.
education
c.
the scientific method
d.
the method
e.
the biological method
63. If a biologist searches for explanations about natural phenomena solely to satisfy his or her curiosity
and advance our collective knowledge of living systems, then, this researcher is a(n):
a.
applied researcher.
b.
basic researcher.
c.
general researcher.
d.
simple researcher.
e.
scientist.
64. Applied researchers conduct their work to:
a.
solve specific practical problems.
b.
solve any problem they face.
c.
answer all questions.
d.
advance our collective knowledge of living systems.
e.
prove hypotheses.
65. If a researcher collects basic information on biological structures or the details of biological processes,
then the researcher’s approach is considered to be:
a.
science.
b.
scientific.
c.
descriptive science.
d.
not scientific.
e.
science and scientific only
66. When conducting descriptive research, a scientist primarily uses:
a.
control data.
b.
data.
c.
experiments.
d.
observational data.
e.
experimental data.
67. When a student manipulates a system under study, he or she is collecting:
a.
empirical data.
b.
experimental data.
c.
observational data.
d.
data.
e.
facts.
68. You are studying an ecosystem in your campus; after a solid base of carefully observed and described
facts, your next step would be to:
a.
make more observations.
b.
share your data with others.
c.
design an experiment.
d.
wait for instructions.
e.
make a hypothesis.
69. Hypotheses that are falsifiable fall within the realm of:
a.
science.
b.
history.
c.
not science.
d.
philosophy.
e.
English.
SHORT ANSWER
70. You are at a stage in your research in which you must design an experiment to test your hypothesis.
What factors must you include to insure that your experimental data is good valid data?
71. Explain the need for a null hypothesis, especially in ecology and evolution. What does a null
hypothesis accomplish?
72. Why do scientists use model organisms?
73. What are the contributions of Beadle, Tatum, Watson, and Crick to biology? What techniques did they
use to revolutionize biological science?
74. Scientific theories are of fundamental importance in science. Explain the difference between the term
“theory” as employed in science versus “theory” as employed in everyday language.
MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE
If the statement is true, answer “T“. If the statement is false, answer “F” and make it correct by
changing the underlined word(s) and writing the correct word(s) in the answer blank(s).
75. Populations can be described in terms of their diversity and stability
76. Although Darwin and Wallace understood the central importance of heritability among organisms to
the process of evolution, they could not explain how new variations arose or how they were passed to
the next generation.
77. The example of an adaptation provided by the rock pocket mice illustrates the observation that genetic
differences often develop between individuals.
78. Protists do not constitute a kingdom because they do not share a unique common ancestor.
79. If the results of a set of experiments match predictions, the hypothesis must be rejected or revised.
80. Much of our understanding of how large organisms respond to environmental variation is based on
using model species.
81. Temperatures in all animal species are regulated primarily by behavioral mechanisms.
ESSAY
82. Use the following organisms to describe energy flow and nutrient cycling: fungal decomposer,
caterpillar, deciduous tree, and carnivorous bird.
83. How you keep body temperature from dropping below its optimal level and how Anolis lizards
regulate body temperatures is different in some ways but not others. Explain.