Campbell’s Biology, 9e (Reece et al.)
Chapter 40 Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function
The dependence of function on structure is a key idea in Chapter 40, and the Test Bank questions refer
to many of the specific anatomical features described in the book. The importance of homeostatic loops,
with sensors and effectors operating via feedback mechanisms, is also of considerable interest in the
questions. Energy transfer and bioenergetics further highlight the connection between structure and
function.
Multiple-Choice Questions
1) When the temperature of the outside air exceeds their internal body temperature, jackrabbits living in
hot, arid lands will
A) dilate the blood vessels in their large ears to transfer more body heat to the environment.
B) constrict the blood vessels in their large ears to reduce transfer of external heat to the blood in their
ears.
C) increase motor movements to find a sunny area to maximize heat transfer into their bodies.
D) increase pigmentation in their ears, darkening them to maximize their capacity to take up heat.
E) begin involuntary shivering of their skeletal muscles in order to generate more metabolic heat.
2) If thermoregulation is considered to be a secondary function of the large ears of jackrabbits, then the
primary function of the ears is
A) to optimize nutrient intake through the thin, permeable surfaces on the ears.
B) to alter the rate of gas exchange, based on the adjustable radius of the ears’ blood vessels.
C) to detect predators by using the large size and flexible positioning of the external ears to channel
sound waves into the ear canal.
D) to protect offspring from bright sunlight by the positioning of the ears to cast the maximum shadows.
E) to protect against pathogens by having a thick, waxy surface on the ears.
3) Which choice best describes a reasonable mechanism for animal structures becoming better suited
over evolutionary time to specific functions?
A) Animals that eat the most food become the most abundant.
B) Animals that restrict their food intake will become less abundant.
C) Animals with mutations that give rise to effective structures will become more abundant.
D) Animals with inventions that curtail reproduction will become more abundant.
E) Animals with parents that continually improve their offspring’s structures will become more
abundant.