Q&A Hero

Q: Hypotheses are a. often in the form of a statement. b. often expressed negatively. c. sometimes crude attempts to offer a possible explanation for observations. d. testable predictions. e. all of these.

Q: Of the following, which is the first explanation of a problem? (It is sometimes called an "educated guess.") a. principle b. law c. theory d. fact e. hypothesis

Q: Of the following, which term means the judging of information before accepting it as fact? a. Critical thinking b. Law c. Theory d. Fact e. Hypothesis

Q: The hierarchical system of nomenclaturea. allows diversity to be catalogued.b. organizes knowledge about species relationships.c. permits organisms to be identified.d. sorts organisms into groups.e. includes all of these.

Q: Which group includes all of the other groups? a. domain b. order c. family d. genus e. species

Q: The least inclusive of the taxonomic categories listed here is a. family. b. phylum. c. class. d. order. e. genus.

Q: The plural for genus is a. genus. b. geni. c. genera. d. gena. e. genae.

Q: A scientific name consists of which of the following? I. family name II. genus name III. species name a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and II e. II and III

Q: Which of the following are NOT eukaryotes? a. fungi b. bacteria c. plants d. animals e. protistans

Q: Which of the following groups are made up of almost exclusively decomposers? a. Plantae b. Fungi c. Animalia d. Monera e. Protista

Q: Members of what group are multicellular producers? a. Animalia b. Protista c. Fungi d. Plantae e. none of these are multicellular producers

Q: All of the following are domains of life except? a. Animalia b. Bacteria c. Archaea d. Eukarya e. none of these are domains of life

Q: Members of what domain are evolutionarily closest to eukaryotes? a. Animalia b. Protista c. Fungi d. Bacteria e. Archaea

Q: Which of the following lacks a nucleus? a. bacterial cell. b. fungus cell. c. animal cell. d. protist cell. e. all of these have a nucleus.

Q: Energy sources are needed for which of the following processes? I. reproduction II. growth III. development a. I and II b. I and III c. II only d. II and III e. I, II, and III

Q: The DNA molecule is most similar functionally to a a. pair of scissors. b. flashlight battery. c. computer memory chip. d. ballpoint pen. e. craft kit of ceramic tiles.

Q: Which of the following phrases would most likely be used in a discussion of homeostasis? a. respond to environmental stimuli b. limited range of variation c. rapid energy turnover d. cycle of elements e. structural and functional units of life

Q: About twelve to twenty-four hours after the previous meal, a person's blood-sugar level normally varies from 60 to 90 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood, though it may rise to 130 mg/100 ml after meals high in carbohydrates. That the blood-sugar level is maintained within a fairly narrow range despite uneven intake of sugar is due to the body's ability to carry out a. adaptation. b. inheritance. c. metabolism. d. homeostasis. e. all of these processes.

Q: Each cell is able to maintain a constant internal environment. This condition is called a. metabolism. b. homeostasis. c. physiology. d. adaptation. e. evolution.

Q: Homeostasis provides what kind of internal environment? a. positive b. relatively constant c. limiting d. changing e. chemical and physical

Q: The flow of nutrients through living organisms is best characterized as a. circular. b. a ladder. c. a web. d. one way. e. a funnel.

Q: No nonliving entity exhibits of possesses which of the following? a. energetic interactions. b. DNA. c. atoms. d. heat energy e. complexity

Q: On the illustration, "A" and "B" should be labeled respectively a. consumers; producers b. decomposers; producers c. producers; redistributors d. producers; consumers e. consumers; decomposers

Q: Which of the following do not depend directly on sunlight for energy? I. terrestrial producers II. animal consumers III. decomposers a. I only b. II and III only c. II only d. III only e. I and III

Q: DNA codes for the production of a. proteins. b. minerals. c. inorganic molecules. d. vital gasses. e. water.

Q: Organisms sense and respond to changes both inside and outside the body by way of a. metabolism. b. photosynthesis. c. receptors. d. catabolism. e. anabolism.

Q: The conversion of solar energy to chemical energy is known as a. metabolism. b. photosynthesis. c. chemosynthesis. d. catabolism. e. anabolism.

Q: Living organisms are different from inanimate objects because they a. react to environmental stimuli. b. exhibit very high levels of complexity. c. possess molecules of deoxyribonucleic acid. d. exhibit multiple levels of organization. e. possess or exhibit all of these

Q: Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of "life"? a. organization into cells b. response to environmental change c. reproduction d. inability to change e. using energy

Q: All organisms are alike in their a. requirements for energy. b. participation in one or more nutrient cycles. c. ultimate dependence on the sun. d. interaction with other forms of life. e. all of these.

Q: A(n) ____ property is a characteristic of a system that does not appear in any of its component parts. a. efferent b. emergent c. elective d. energetic e. living

Q: Living organisms are members of all of the levels listed below; however, rocks are components of a. the community. b. the population. c. the ecosystem. d. the biosphere. e. both the ecosystem and the biosphere.

Q: The level of organization where factors such as sunlight, rainfall, and temperature come into play is the a. digestive system. b. the flow of energy and recycling of nitrogen in a given area. c. plants producing oxygen in the Amazon basin is consumed by giraffes on the Serengeti. d. glucose. e. clown fish, sharks, and coral living together at the Great Barrier reef.

Q: The above figure represents a(n) a. atom. b. tissue. c. molecule. d. organ. e. cell.

Q: A community a. includes all populations of all species in a given area. b. features the living organisms interacting with the physical and chemical environment. c. is the sum of all places in Earth's atmosphere, crust, and waters where organisms live. d. includes members of only one species. e. is at a higher level of organization than an ecosystem.

Q: The level of organization represented in the figure is a(n) a. atom. b. tissue. c. molecule. d. organ. e. cell.

Q: In order to survive and reproduce, a cell needs a. an energy source. b. raw materials. c. a suitable environment. d. DNA. e. all of these.

Q: The most inclusive level of organization listed here is a(n) a. heart. b. carbon atom. c. DNA. d. a zebra. e. red blood cell.

Q: Which is the smallest unit of life that can exist as a separate entity? a. a cell b. a molecule c. an organ d. a population e. an ecosystem

Q: How many species become extinct each minute in the rainforests alone? a. 1. b. 2 c. 5 d. 10 e. 20

Q: The glandular organ represented by the letter "A" in the above figure is the ____ gland that makes/performs ____.a. hypothalamus; antidiuretic hormoneb. pituitary; follicle stimulating hormone productionc. adrenal gland; epinephrined. pancreas; insuline. none of these

Q: Refer to the figure below, and then answer the question that follows. Looking at the boxed portions of these two diagrams, it seems clear that all the areas where Earth gets very high rainfall (dark areas of top diagram) do not match precisely with places where we have tropical rainforests (black and white dotted portions of boxed area of bottom diagram). Propose a reason for this.

Q: Refer to the figure below, and then answer the question that follows.In this diagram, the blue heron is playing which role in the ecosystem when it eats the garter snake?A) primary consumer and second trophic levelB) secondary consumer and third trophic levelC) tertiary consumer and third trophic levelD) tertiary consumer and fourth trophic level

Q: Evaluate the similarities and differences between marine and freshwater ecosystems of the biosphere.

Q: Many animal rights activists and "Hunger Watch" groups have claimed that if beef cattle and other sources of meat were eliminated, more people could be fed. What is the ecological theory behind the argument that humans should eat a greater proportion of their food "lower in the food chain"? Also speculate about a situation in which this principle may be less applicable.

Q: From studying ecosystems and biomes, it may seem as if there is complete "bottom up" control, that the producers determine the life and success of the ecosystem. Yet closer examination shows "top down" control by the third trophic level is essential as well. Evaluate why this is so, citing at least one good example.

Q: You have been working with a marine biologist on a trip from Baltimore through the Chesapeake Bay, to the open ocean, and back to test salinity levels and the kinds of plankton that live in each sampled area. The marine biologist is very nearsighted and she cannot see more than a few feet without the eyeglasses she lost two days ago when out on the open ocean. She arises one morning late in the trip, with no idea where the ship is. But after an hour of hearing you report salinity readings that vary by as much as 1 percent, she says, "So, we're in the Chesapeake Bay?" How did she (correctly) make that conclusion based on the information provided?

Q: The tropical savannahs of Africa are a type of tropical ________.

Q: You are hiking with a friend and reach the peak of a mountain after a long climb. On your climb upward, you had a clear trail with a little grass and small shrubs along the way. But looking down the other side, you see lush vegetation and many broadleaf trees farther down the slope. Your friend wonders why there is such a big difference. What explanation can you offer your friend?

Q: The ozone layer is found in which layer of the atmosphere?

Q: A carnivore, such as a lion, that mainly eats herbivores, such as zebras and wildebeests, would be placed at which trophic level?

Q: An aquifer that may contribute some surface water is a/an ________ aquifer.

Q: Match the following.A) abundant trees; many woody and herbaceous plantsB) prairie; somewhat lower rainfall than forestsC) evergreen shrubs; rainy winters/dry summersD) conifers; low species diversityE) "treeless plain"; permafrostTemperate deciduous forest

Q: Match the following.A) abundant trees; many woody and herbaceous plantsB) prairie; somewhat lower rainfall than forestsC) evergreen shrubs; rainy winters/dry summersD) conifers; low species diversityE) "treeless plain"; permafrostChaparral

Q: Match the following.A) abundant trees; many woody and herbaceous plantsB) prairie; somewhat lower rainfall than forestsC) evergreen shrubs; rainy winters/dry summersD) conifers; low species diversityE) "treeless plain"; permafrostTemperate grassland

Q: Match the following.A) abundant trees; many woody and herbaceous plantsB) prairie; somewhat lower rainfall than forestsC) evergreen shrubs; rainy winters/dry summersD) conifers; low species diversityE) "treeless plain"; permafrostTaiga

Q: Match the following.A) abundant trees; many woody and herbaceous plantsB) prairie; somewhat lower rainfall than forestsC) evergreen shrubs; rainy winters/dry summersD) conifers; low species diversityE) "treeless plain"; permafrostTundra

Q: Overall, the abundance of life is higher in the coastal zones of marine ecosystems than the open ocean.

Q: Tropical rainforests are known for having high biodiversity but relatively poor soil.

Q: Hot weather is common to all deserts.

Q: The North American prairie and the Russian "steppes" are both temperate grasslands.

Q: Both the taiga and tundra are known for having permafrost soils.

Q: Areas near the equator tend to be wetter because of the combination of ocean evaporation and rising air.

Q: Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air.

Q: Scientists predict climate change related to CO2will increase temperatures over the next century but will have no effect on sea level or precipitation patterns.

Q: Recent evidence has shown chlorofluorocarbons have no effect on ozone.

Q: Most of the gases in the atmosphere are found in the troposphere.

Q: There would be roughly the same biomass of secondary consumers as tertiary consumers in an ecosystem.

Q: An animal that eats a primary consumer is categorized as being in the second trophic level.

Q: An animal that exclusively eats grasses would be both a primary consumer and an herbivore.

Q: Human industry is responsible for more nitrogen fixation worldwide than soil bacteria.

Q: Lakes and rivers account for slightly more available freshwater than groundwater does.

Q: Too much nutrient runoff, particularly from nitrogen fertilizers, can cause dead zones in bodies of water.

Q: Atmospheric N2is useless to plants.

Q: Respiration is the only major process through which carbon moves from organic molecules back to the atmosphere.

Q: Photosynthesis is the main process by which carbon dioxide moves from the atmosphere to biomass.

Q: The biotic factors in an ecosystem include all organic materials, living and nonliving.

Q: Which aquatic ecosystem is characterized by ocean tides and river flow stirring up nutrients and producing abundant life? A) the pelagic zone B) the intertidal zone C) estuaries D) coral reefs E) wetlands

Q: Oligotrophic lakes have: A) low oxygen concentrations in the summer. B) clear water with high production. C) clear water with low nutrient levels. D) high nutrient levels and high production by phytoplankton. E) the largest numbers and diversity of organisms.

Q: In lakes, rooted plants may grow in the ________ zone but no photosynthesizing life is found in the ________ zone. A) littoral; profundal B) profundal; pelagic C) littoral; pelagic D) benthic; profundal E) littoral; benthic