PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1 (SCIENTIFIC METHOD)
1) Which structure is best observed using a compound light microscope?
a) The inner surface of a mitochondrion
c) A DNA sequence
b) A virus
d) A cell
2) Why do scientists consider any hypothesis valuable?
a) A hypothesis can be used to explain a conclusion even if it is disproved by the experiment.
b) A hypothesis requires no further investigation if it is proved by the experiment.
c) A hypothesis requires no further investigation.
d) A hypothesis may lead to further investigation even if it is disproved by the experiment.
3) To locate a specimen on a prepared slide with a compound microscope, a student should begin with the lowpower objective rather than the high-power objective because the
a) Portion of the specimen that can be observed under low power is less than the portion that can be
observed under high power.
b) Field of vision is smaller under low power than under high power.
c) Field of vision is larger under low power than under high power.
d) Specimen does not need to be stained for observation under low power but must be stained for
observation under high power.
4) The effect of pH on a certain enzyme is shown in the graph below.
At what pH would the enzyme be most effective?
a) Between 5 and 7
b) Below 5
c) Between 8 and 10
d) Above 10
5) A slide of human blood cells was observed in focus under the low-power objective of a compound light
microscope that had clean lenses. When the microscope was switched to high power, the image was dark
and fuzzy. Which parts of the microscope should be used to correct this situation?
a) Objective and fine adjustment
c) Diaphragm and fine adjustment
b) Diaphragm and ocular
d) Nosepiece and coarse adjustment
6) An investigation was designed to determine the effect of ultraviolet light on mold spore growth. Two groups
of mold spores were grown under identical conditions, except one group was exposed only to ultraviolet light,
while the other group was grown in total darkness. In this investigation, the group of mold spores grown
without receiving any ultraviolet light is known as the
a) Dependent variable
b) Limiting factor
c) Control
d) Hypothesis
7) A scientist tested a hypothesis that white-tailed deer would prefer apples over corn as a primary food source.
The findings of the test, in which the scientist claimed that the deer preferred apples, were published.
Which research technique, if used by the scientist, might result in this claim being questioned?
a) The scientist observed 200 deer in various natural settings, but none in captivity.
b) The scientist observed 300 deer in various locations in captivity, but none in natural settings.
c) The scientist observed four deer in different locations at various times of the day.
d) The scientist observed a total of 500 deer in 20 different locations at various times of the day.
8) Diagrams, tables and graphs are used by scientists mainly to
a) Organize data
c) Design a research plan
b) Predict the independent variable
d) Test a hypothesis
9) To separate leaf pigments, a biologist should use
a) A dichotomous key
b) Dissection
c) Chromatography
d) An electronic balance
10) The diagram below shows a portion of a graduated cylinder.
What is the volume of the liquid in this cylinder?
a) 22 mL
b) 24 mL
c) 25 mL
d) 26 mL
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2 (LIFE FUNCTIONS)
11) Which two activities in the chart below best describe the process of transport?
A Walking from one place to another
a) A and C
B
Inhaling air into the trachea
C
Absorbing glucose into the villi
D
Distributing nutrients by means of blood vessels
b) B and C
c) C and D
d) A and D
12) Nutrition involved those activities by which organisms:
a) Remove cellular waste products
b) Obtain and process materials needed for other activities
c) Exchange gases with their environment
d) Absorb and circulate materials
13) The energy an organism requires to transport materials and eliminate wastes is obtained directly from
a) DNA
b) Starch
c) Hormones
d) ATP
14) By which process is the potential energy of organic molecules transferred to a form of energy that is usable
by the cells?
a) Digestion
b) Hydrolysis
c) Photosynthesis
d) Respiration
15) Which term is defined as all the chemical reactions that are required to sustain life?
a) Metabolism
b) Nutrition
c) Regulation
d) Synthesis
16) Which substances are necessary for the synthesis of most materials in an organism?
a) Hormones
b) Carbohydrates
c) Antibodies
d) Enzymes
17) When a person does strenuous exercise, small blood vessels (capillaries) near the surface of the skin increase
in diameter. This change allows the body to be cooled. These statements best illustrate:
a) Synthesis
b) Homeostasis
c) Excretion
d) Locomotion
18) As a result of their metabolic activities, many organisms produce harmful substances. These substances are
eliminated by the process of
a) Ingestion
b) Secretion
c) Pinocytosis
d) Excretion
19) A graphic organizer is represented in the diagram below.
The letter X most likely represents the term:
a) Regulation
b) Excretion
c) Growth
d) Transpiration
20) Which life activity is not required for the survival of an individual organism:
a) Nutrition
b) Reproduction
c) Respiration
d) Synthesis
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 3 (BIOCHEMISTRY AND ENZYMES)
21) Molecules A and B come in contact with the cell membrane of the same cell. Molecule A passes through the
membrane readily, but molecule B does not. Which statement could describe molecules A and B?
a) Molecule A is a protein, and molecule B is a fat.
b) Molecule A is an amino acid, and molecule B is a simple sugar.
c) Molecule A is a simple sugar, and molecule B is a starch.
d) Molecule A is a starch, and molecule B is a simple sugar.
22) Which characteristic allows enzymes to function in a specific way?
a) Enzymes are long, complex fats.
b) Each enzyme is made up of four subunits.
c) Each enzyme has a characteristic shape.
d) Enzymes are complex compounds composed of starch.
23) Which statement concerning simple sugars and amino acids is correct?
a) They are both needed for the synthesis of larger molecules.
b) They are both stored as fat molecules in the liver.
c) They are both building blocks of starch.
d) They are both wastes resulting from protein synthesis.
24) An enzyme and four different molecules are shown in the diagram below.
The enzyme would most likely affect reactions involving:
a) Molecule A, only
c) Molecules A and C
b) Molecule C, only
d) Molecules B and D
25) Which substance could be represented by the letter X in the diagram below?
a) Water
b) Carbon Dioxide
c) Carbohydrates
26) The diagram below illustrates a biochemical process that occurs in organisms.
The substance labeled “catalyst” is also known as
a) An inorganic compound
b) A hormone
c) An enzyme
d) An antibody
d) Ozone
27) A process that occurs in the human body is shown in the diagram below.
What would happen if a temperature change caused the shape of the active site to be altered from its
optimal shape.
a) The dipeptide would digest slower or not at all.
b) The amino acids would combine slower or not at all.
c) The amino acids would combine faster.
d) The dipeptide would digest faster.
28) Which statement describes all enzymes?
a) They absorb oxygen from the environment.
b) They provide energy for chemical reactions.
c) They control the transport of materials.
d) They affect the rate of chemical reactions.
29) The diagram below provides some information concerning proteins.
Which phrase is represented by A?
a) Sequence of amino acids
b) Sequence of ATP molecules
c) Sequence of starch molecules
d) Sequence of simple sugars
30) The diagram below represents a process that occurs within a cell in the human pancreas.
This process is known as
a) Energy production
b) Replication of DNA
c) Digestion by enzymes
d) Protein synthesis
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 4 (CELLS AND CELL TRANSPORT)
31) While viewing a slide of rapidly moving sperm cells, a student concludes that these cells require a large
amount of energy to maintain their activity. The organelles that most directly provide this energy are
known as
a) Ribosomes
b) Vacuoles
c) Mitochondria
d) Chloroplasts
32) Which letter indicates a cell structure that directly controls the movement of molecules into and out of the
cell?
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D
33) In a cell, information that controls the production of proteins must pass from the nucleus to the
a) Chloroplasts
b) Cell membrane
c) Ribosomes
d) Mitochondria
34) The diagram below represents a cell in water. Formulas of molecules that can move freely across the cell
membrane are shown. Some molecules are located inside the cell and others are in the water outside the
cell.
Based on the distribution of these molecules, what would most likely happen after a period of time?
a)
b)
c)
d)
The concentration of O2 will increase inside the cell.
The concentration of CO2 will remain the same inside the cell.
The concentration of O2 will remain the same outside the cell.
The concentration of CO2 will decrease outside the cell.
35) Which of the following would be least affected by defective receptor proteins on a cell membrane?
a) Nerve signals
b) Hormone action
c) Diffusion
36) A biologist observed a plant cell in a drop of water and illustrated it as in diagram a. He added a 10% salt
solution to the slide, observed the cell, and illustrated it as in diagram B.
The change in appearance of the cell resulted from more
a) salt flowing out of the cell than into the cell.
b) salt flowing into the cell than out of the cell.
c) water flowing into the cell than out of the cell.
d) water flowing out of the cell than into the cell.
37) In a cell, all organelles work together to carry out:
a) Metabolic processes
c) Information storage
b) Diffusion
d) Active Transport
38) Which statement regarding the function of the cell membrane of all organisms is not correct?
a) The cell membrane controls the movement of molecules into and out of the cell.
b) The cell membrane forms a boundary that separates the cellular contents from the outside
environment.
c) The cell membrane forms a barrier that keeps all substances that might harm the cell from entering
the cell.
d) The cell membrane is capable of receiving and recognizing chemical signals.
39) The diagram below represents the movement of a large molecule across a membrane.
Which process is best represented in this diagram?
a) Gene manipulation
c) Active transport
b) Diffusion
d) Protein building
40) All of the cell shapes shown in the diagrams below have the same volume. Which form could absorb
nutrients most efficiently and quickly?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Practice Questions 5 (Photosynthesis & Respiration)
41) The equation below represents a summary of a biological process.
Carbon dioxide + water → glucose + water + oxygen
This process is completed in:
a) Ribosomes
b) Chloroplasts
c) Cell membranes
d) Mitochondria
42) ATP is a compound that is synthesized when:
a) Chemical bonds between carbon atoms are formed during photosynthesis.
b) Digestive enzymes break amino acids into smaller parts.
c) Energy stored in chemical bonds is released during cellular respiration.
d) Energy stored in nitrogen is released, forming amino acids.
43) The size of the openings in leaves through which gases move in and out is controlled by the
a) Guard cells
b) Organelles
c) Chromosomes
d) Chloroplasts
44) Organisms that have the ability to use an atmospheric gas to produce an organic nutrient are known as
a) Autotrophs
b) Herbivores
c) Carnivores
d) Decomposers
45) Cellular respiration in humans occurs in
a) The cells of the digestive system, only
b) All the cells of the body
c) red blood cells, only
d) the cells of the lungs, only
46) The flow of energy through an ecosystem involves many energy transfers. The diagram below summarizes
the transfer of energy that eventually powers muscle activity.
Sun → Food → ATP → Muscle Activity
A
B
C
The process of cellular respiration is represented by:
a) Arrow B, only
b) Arrows A, B, and C
c) arrow A, only
d) Arrow C, only
47) In the demonstration shown below, which process performed by the peas when they start to grow causes the
drop of liquid to move to the left?
a) Photosynthesis
b) Digestion
c) Cellular respiration
d) Protein synthesis
48) A green plant is kept in a brightly lighted area for 48 hours. What will most likely occur if the light
intensity is reduced slightly during the next 48 hours?
a) Glucose production inside each plant cell will increase.
b) The rate at which nitrogen is used by the plant will increase.
c) Photosynthesis will stop completely.
d) The rate at which oxygen is released from the plant will decrease.
49) Leaves of green plants contain openings known as stomates, which are opened and closed by specialized ells
allowing for gas exchange between the leaf and the outside environment. Which phrase best represents the
net flow of gases involved in photosynthesis into and out of the leaf through these openings on a sunny day.
a) Water and ozone move in; carbon dioxide moves out.
b) Carbon dioxide and oxygen move in; ozone moves out.
c) Carbon dixode moves in; oxygen moves out.
d) Oxygen moves in; nitrogen moves out.
50) Arrows A, B, and C in the diagram below represent the processes necessary to make the energy stored in
food available for muscle activity.
Food → Simpler Molecules → Mitochondria → ATP in muscle cells
A
B
The correct sequence of processes represented by A, B, and C is
a)
b)
c)
d)
Synthesis → Active transport → Excretion
Diffusion → synthesis → Active transport
Digestion → Excretion → Cellular respiration
Digestion → Diffusion → Cellular respiration
C