Biology Test Questions
(Test Question complexity is given as EASY, MODERATE or HARD)
Cell Bio- Cell Theory
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1.Which statement about organisms is true? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
All organisms begin life as a single cell. (Answer)
All organisms are made up of a single cell.
All organisms have the same types of cells.
All organisms have cells that contain nuclei.
SC912.L.14.3- Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic
2. What process occurs when molecules diffuse freely across cellular membranes without expending
energy? (MODERATE)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Active transport
Endocytosis
Hitchhiking
Passive transport (ANSWER)
3. Chlorophyta are a phylum of singled-celled organisms that live in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Structures inside chlorophyta cells include nuclei, chloroplasts, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticuli, and
vacuoles.
Which word best describes chlorophyta cells? (EASY)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Eukaryotic (ANSWER)
Inorganic
Prokaryotic
Synthetic
Look at the cell diagram.
4. Which organelle is responsible for releasing energy for cellular use? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Chloroplast
Golgi Apparatus
Mitochondrion (ANSWER)
Ribosome
5. Andre observed an amoeba under a microscope. He saw several membrane-bound organelles,
including nuclei, and vacuoles.
What type of organism is the amoeba? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bacterium
Eukaryote (Answer)
Prokaryote
virus
Plant Structures and Functions
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A diagram of a cross-section of a flower is shown below. (Moderate)
6. What is the function of the structures in the stamen?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Deliver water to petals.
Produce and deliver pollen (ANSWER)
Produce food for the plant
Produce seeds from fertilized eggs
Brain
SC912.L.14.26
Use the diagram of the Human Brain below to answer questions 16 and 17.
7. Which letter labels the parietal lobe of the brain? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E
F
I
J (ANSWER)
8. What brain structure is labeled by the letter H?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Cerebellum (ANSWER)
Frontal lobe
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobe
Heart
SC912.L.14.36
Which factor often causes a decreased rate of blood flow through the human cardiovascular system?
(Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Build up plaque in arteries (ANSWER)
Large number of white blood cells
Adequate levels of oxygen in the blood stream
Consumption of water during physical activity
Plants
SC912.L.14.7
9. A stoma is a tiny opening in the leaf or stem of a plant.
Which action is NOT a function of the stoma? (HARD)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Absorb gases
Release water
Release gases
Produce oxygen (ANSWER)
Immune
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10 Which of the following describes the main role of the immune system in the human body? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
It transmits signals between organs, muscles, and the brain.
It breaks down food so its energy is easy for the body to extract.
It produces the immune cells and antibodies that fight infection. (ANSWER)
It removes waste products from the blood and expels them from the body.
Sepehr received a vaccine from her doctor before traveling overseas.
11. How did the vaccine help Sepehr? (Moderate)
A. The vaccine poisoned the bacteria in her body which caused most of the bacteria to die.
B. The vaccine traveled through her bloodstream capturing pathogens and delivering them to the
excretory system.
C. The vaccine increased the ability of her red blood cells to carry oxygen to the organs that make
up the immune system.
D. The vaccine introduced her immune system to a safe pathogen so her system could better
respond if it met the harmful form later. (Answer)
Evolution
SC912.L.15.1
Biologists believe that dolphins and whales share a common ancestor before they developed into many
different marine mammal species.
12. Which of the following is NOT evidence that supports this theory? (Easy)
A. Whales and dolphins have a very similar sequence of nucleotides in their chromosomal DNA.
B. Whales and dolphins go through a very similar sequence of events during fetal development.
C. Whales and dolphins use a very similar sequence of actions to prey on small schools of fish.
(ANSWER)
D. Whales and dolphins produce a very similar sequence of amino acids during protein synthesis.
Classification
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Look at the following chart.
Organism
Ring-tailed Lemur
Sea Cucumber
Cape Elephant
Mandrill
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Chordata
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Primates
Lemuridae
Lemur
catta
Echinodermata
Asterozo
Halothuroidae
Aspidochirotida
Stichopodidae
Holothuria
thomasi
Shrew
Chordata
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Macroscelidea
Macroscelididae
Elephantulus
edwardii
Chordata
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Primates
Cercopithecidae
Mandrillus
sphinx
13. Which two organisms are most closely related according to the classification key? (EASY)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sea Cucumber and Mandrill
Mandrill and Ring-tailed Lemur (ANSWER)
Sea Cucumber and Cape Elephant Shrew
Cape Elephant Shrew and Ring-tailed Lemur
14. Which of the following is NOT used to classify organisms based on evolutionary relationships?
(MODERATE)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Amino acid sequence
DNA sequences
Fossil records
Learned traits (ANSWER)
Macroinvertebrates are collected during water quality testing because many species are sensitive to
pollution. Each macroinvertebrate species is assigned a point value. Sensitive species are assigned more
points than species that are tolerant of pollution. After macroinvertebrates are collected from a stream,
the points for each species are added up to produce a number that shows the level of organism diversity
in the stream.
The graph below shows the results of macroinvertebrate studies in a stream in Maryland for 2 years.
(Moderate)
15. What conclusion can be drawn about the stream based on the graph?
A. Macroinvertebrate diversity has increased, so it is not likely that pollution has affected the
stream over the past two years.
B. Macroinvertebrate diversity has increased, so it is likely that pollution has affected the stream
over the past two years.
C. Macroinvertebrate diversity has decreased, so it is not likely that pollution has affected the
stream over the past two years.
D. Macroinvertebrate diversity has decreased, so it is likely that pollution has affected the stream
over the past two years. (ANSWER)
The classification chart below shows how closely related four species are to each other based on
physical characteristics.
16. According to the classification key, which two organisms should have the most similar nucleotide
sequences in their DNA? (moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
1 and 2
1 and 3 (ANSWER)
1 and 4
3 and 4
All animals are classified as members of the Animal kingdom.
17. Animals with backbones are classified as members of which phylum? (Hard)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Arthropoda
Chordata (Answer)
Echinodermata
Mollusca
Evolution – Origin of life
SC912.L.15.8
Biologists agree that the earliest forms of life must have been very simple organisms. They disagree
about where these earliest organisms first appeared.
18. Which place is Not considered as a possibility for the first appearance of these simple organisms?
(MODERATE)
A.
B.
C.
D.
In clouds of water vapor in the atmosphere
Inside the ice crystals that form permanent glaciers
In limestone cave systems deep within the lithosphere (ANSWER)
Near the hot water vents found on deep ocean volcanoes
Biologist’s hypothesis that the potential for life on Earth began when certain inorganic compounds
combined to form more complex molecules, which later became the building blocks of protein. (Hard)
19. Which molecules introduced the potential for life on Earth?
A. Amino acid (Answer)
B. Carbohydrates
C. Lipids
D. Salts
Evolution- Natural Selection
SC912.L.15.13
Genetic drift occurs when one form of a gene is passed on to fewer and fewer individuals over several
generations until the gene eventually disappears from the population’s gene pool.
20. What sentence about genetic drift is true? (HARD)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Genetic drift occurs most quickly in large populations.
Genetic drift occurs most quickly in small populations. (ANSWER)
Genetic drift cannot influence the physical characteristics of a population.
Genetic drift is activated when species need to become more fit for a particular environment.
Dr. Wells conducted a study to find out if parrots understand words they learn as opposed to just
mimicking sounds made by humans. She selected four African Grey parrots of similar age and speaking
ability and taught them to use words to identify colored shapes. All training sessions lasted 45 min. after
five days of training, all of the parrots could repeat the color and shape names correctly when a shape
was displayed. To test the parrots understanding of the words, the order and colors of the shapes were
changed in a follow-up experiment. Researchers familiar to the parrots, but did not participate in their
training sessions, each parrot separately from the other birds. One researcher play colored shapes for
the parrots to see. The other researcher recorded the parrots’ responses without seeing the shape
displayed. The researcher displayed six shapes in five colors for a total of 30 possible responses from
each parrot. The number of correct responses for each parrot showing in the table below:
Parrot
Number Correct by Color
Number Correct by Shape
Josie
10
8
Pepper
22
20
Davy
16
17
Kismo
27
25
Based on that data above, Dr. Wells concluded that parrots probably understand the meaning of many
of the words they speak.
21. Which test data provides the best evidence in support of this conclusion?
A. All of the parrots responded with the correct shape less often than the correct color.
B. All of the parrots responded with the correct color more often than the correct shape.
C. Josie and Davy responded incorrectly about both color and shape more often than is likely to
occur by chance.
D. Pepper and Kismo responded correctly about both color and shape more often than is likely to
occur by chance. (ANSWER)
Pepper and Kismo were taught in sessions that included a human teacher, and a researcher who
pretended to learn the words to describe the colored shapes alongside the parrots. Josie and Davy were
taught sessions that only showed a video of the same human teacher. Both sets of parrots learned the
same words in the same order from the teacher or the video.
After analyzing the data, Dr. Wells concluded that parrots or more likely to learn the meaning of words
when a live human is present during training.
22. Which of the following is a different conclusion that also supported by the test data? (HARD)
A. Parrots are not likely to understand any of the words that they learn by watching television or
movies.
B. Parrots have more difficulty learning the meaning of words that describe color than words that
describe shape.
C. Parrots are more likely to understand the meaning of words that they learn from a human in a
video presentation.
D. Parrots are more likely to understand the meaning of words that they learn when there are
other learners present. (ANSWER)
The final experiment was conducted by researchers were not present during the parrots training
sessions.
23. Why did the researchers unfamiliar with the parrots training conduct the final experiment?
(MODERATE)
A. This gave the trainers an opportunity to teach new parrots with the colored shapes.
B. This reduced the amount of data needed to find out why there are differences between the
parrots.
C. This eliminated the possibility that the trainers would introduce bias by giving parrots cues.
(ANSWER)
D. This allowed other researchers to offer their opinions about how well the parrots understand
words.
Biologists fear that global warming could cause the extinction of some animal species because they will
not be able to adapt to changing conditions.
24. Which species are most likely to survive the changing conditions brought about by global warming?
(Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Species specially adapted to a narrow climate niche
Species specially adapted to consume one kind of food
Species with the least amount of diversity among the individuals that make up their populations
Species with the greatest amount of diversity amount of diversity among the individuals that
make up their populations (ANSWER)
Dramatic changes to an environment can challenge a species’ ability to survive.
25. Which of these most helps a species to survive dramatic environment environmental changes?
(Easy)
A. Adaptation to a single food source
B. Isolation in a small geographic region
C. Diversity in genetic and physical characteristics (Answer)
D. Uniformity in genetic and physical characteristics
Wolves face harsh environment conditions during the long, cold winters in northern forests.
26. Which statement describes a way that harsh winters can improve the long term survival of the wolf
species?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Harsh winters often kill weaker wolves before they can reproduce. (ANSWER)
Harsh winters often cause wolves to hibernate in caves until spring arrives.
Harsh winters often require wolves to travel long distances to find fresh drinking water.
Harsh winters often mean that wolves must hunt for long periods of time without finding prey.
Heredity- Mendel’s Law
SC912.L.16.1
In 1866, Gregor Mendel published the results of experiments involving pea plants. In one experiment,
Mendel crossed plants that produce smooth, yellow peas plants that produced green, wrinkled peas.
Every pea in the first generation from this cross was yellow and smooth.
27. What conclusion you Mendel draw from this experience? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pea plants inherit traits from only one parent.
Pea plants not inherit traits from either parent.
Some inherited traits are dominant while other traits are recessive. (ANSWER)
Some traits are inherited, but a pea’s appearance is determined by the environment.
A mouse with black fur was crossed with a mouse with white fur. All of their offspring had black fur?
28. Based on the offspring produced by this cross, which statement appears true? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Black fur is a dominant trait. (ANSWER)
Black fur is a recessive trait.
Black fur is a sex-linked trait.
Black fur and white fur are co-dominant traits.
Audrey has a widow’s peak in her hairline and is homozygous for the trait. Daniel also has a widow’s
peak and is heterozygous for the trait. A widow’s peak is the dominant trait.
29. What is the probability that their child’s hairline will have a widow’s peak? (moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
25%
50%
75%
100% (Answer)
Heredity- DNA Replication
SC 912.L.16.3
29. During the cell cycle, which process copies from chromosomes? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Cytokinesis
DNA replication (ANSWER)
Fertilization
Mutation
30. Which statement about genetic mutations is true? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mutations never affect the expression of genes.
Mutations control the expression of genes and usually produce new species.
Mutations always affect the expression of genes and produce genetic disorders.
Mutations can affect the expression of genes, but they may not affect gene expression at all.
(ANSWER)
A zygote forms from the union of a male and a female gamete.
31. What process forms the embryo? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Maintenance
Meiosis
Mitosis (ANSWER)
Mutation
32. Which event is most likely to cause an inheritable genetic disorder? (Easy)
A. Somatic cells are produced with a missing or incorrect sequence in a part of a gene that
produces a single amino acid?
B. Gametes are produced with a missing or incorrect sequence in a part of a gene that produces a
single amino acid.
C. Somatic cells are produced with a missing or incorrect sequence in a part of a gene that controls
the activation of other gene sequences.
D. Gametes are produced with missing or incorrect sequences in the part of a gene that controls
the activation of other gene sequences. (ANSWER)
Use the information below to answer the next question.
Drew and Annabelle are asking 500 male and 500 female students to supply information about their
own eye color and that of both their parents. They want to find out if any patterns in the data suggest
that gender influences the inheritance of eye color.
They need to come up with a question to focus their investigation.
33. Which questions would be best for them to ask? (Moderate)
A. What are the main structures that make up the colored portion of the eyes in boys and girls?
(Moderate)
B. In what ways are boys different from their mothers, and in what ways are girls different from
their father?
C. How do differences in DNA sequences account for the great variation in eye color across a
population and their offspring?
D. Do boys tend to have the same eye color as their father, and do girls tend to have the same eye
color as their mother? (Answer)
After mitosis, each daughter cell has a complete copy of the genetic information in the original parent
cell.
34. This occurs because of which process? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Cellular respiration
DNA replication (Answer)
Protein synthesis
Passive transport
Heredity- Biotech.
SC912.L.16.10
Use the information below to answer the next 2 questions.
Drew and Annabelle are back for more investigating and are asking 500 male and 500 female
students to supply information about their own eye color and that of both their parents. They want to
find out if any patterns in the data suggest that gender influences the inheritance of eye color.
Julia thinks that some information about the genetic inheritance of eye color might help them
determine the best hypothesis for their investigation.
35. Which resource would have the most information about genetic inheritance and eye color?
(Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
A statistical report of the number of people that have each eye color.
A drawing in an anatomy textbook of the basic structures of the eye.
An article in a medical encyclopedia about genetic dominance in eye color (Answer)
A diagram of an X chromosome that shows the location of genes that control eye color
36. Which tools would be most helpful to Drew and Annabelle for analyzing the data? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
DVD recorder and player
Digital camera and printer
Questionnaire and copy machine
Computer and spreadsheet software (Answer)
Human Development
SC912.L.16.13
A scientist wants to study the effect of a new anti-nicotine treatment on pregnant women who smoke.
This treatment would help the women quit smoking without the use of nicotine has been proven to
harm unborn children.
37. Which option below would provide comparisons among smokers with the greatest accuracy in order
to determine the effectiveness of this treatment for pregnant women? (Moderate)
A. Compare the results of treated pregnant women to the results of treated men.
B. Compare the results of treated pregnant women to the results of untreated men.
C. Compare the results of treated pregnant women to existing data on untreated pregnant
women. (ANSWER)
D. Compare the results of treated pregnant women to the results of untreated women who are not
pregnant.
Cell bio- Mitosis vs. Meiosis
SC912.L.16.17
An acorn forms after an oak tree is pollinated.
38. Which process forms the oak tree from the acorn? (MODERATE)
A.
B.
C.
D.
meiosis
mitosis (ANSWER)
osmosis
photosynthesis
39. Which process could NOT be involved in asexual reproduction? (HARD)
A.
B.
C.
D.
binary fission
cloning
meiosis (ANSWER)
mitosis
Jeanna’s dog had four puppies and each one was a different color. This is due to a mechanism in meiosis
that occurs during the production of gametes.
40. Which mechanism in the process of meiosis accounts for the color variation? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
adaption
crossing over (ANSWER)
cytokinesis
mutation
41. Which process is least likely to cause genetic variation? (Moderate)
A. deletion of genes
B. duplication of genes
C. somatic cell division (Answer)
D. crossing over during meiosis
Ecology- Carrying Capacity
SC912.L.17.5
Hermit crabs are often found living inside the discarded shells of mollusks, such as periwinkles and
whelks, in intertidal zones. As the crab grows larger, it must find a bigger shell in which to live.
In one area, harvesters prefer to take only the largest periwinkles and whelks. These mollusks have
begun to limit their growth in response.
42. How is the response of the periwinkles and whelks likely to affect the population of hermit crabs?
(MODERATE)
A.
B.
C.
D.
The population of hermit crabs is likely to decrease in biomass and number. (ANSWER)
The population of hermit crabs is likely to increase in biomass and number.
The population of hermit crabs is likely to move onto land in search of other mollusks.
The population of hermit crabs is not likely to be affected by the response of the mollusks.
Eliezer drew the diagram of the organ system in the human body. He found one but especially helpful
because it provided pictures and descriptions that help draw the diagram correctly.
43. Which book did she find most helpful? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Anatomy textbook (ANSWER)
Mendel’s biography
medical dictionary
microbiology textbook
The diagram shows the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in an ecosystem.
44. Which factor is most likely to cause fluctuations in the size of the animal populations in the aquatic
portion of the ecosystem? (HARD)
A. the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water (ANSWER)
B. the amount of oxygen dissolved in the atmosphere
C. the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water
D. the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the atmosphere
European settlers introduced rabbits into the wild ecosystems of Australia. After a few decades the
rabbit population increased from two dozen to more than 10 million because the rabbits had few
natural predators were good at finding seeds and small plants to eat?
45. How did the introduction of rabbits affect wild ecosystems in Australia? (HARD)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Rabbits kept farmers from cultivating wild Australian ecosystems.
Rabbits restored the abiotic resources in wild Australian ecosystems.
Rabbits reduced the amount of biodiversity in wild Australian ecosystems. (ANSWER)
Rabbits raised the number of native species in wild Australian ecosystems.
The figure below shows population growth over time.
46. Using the figure, which of the following would be the best explanation for the reason the population
the population leveled off in the area labeled C? (EASY)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Gametes have completely ceased to be formed.
The number of organisms has reached the capacity of the ecosystem. (ANSWER)
Three-fourths of the population has been wiped out through predation.
All predators have been wiped out so there are no threats to the population.
47. How would a significant decrease in the pH of rainfall be likely to affect the biodiversity among
organisms in an ecosystem over time? (Moderate)
A. The number of species is likely to increase because most organisms thrive in highly acidic
conditions.
B. The number of species is likely to decrease because most organisms cannot survive in highly
acidic conditions. (ANSWER)
C. The number of species is likely to stabilize because most organisms are brought into balance by
highly acidic conditions.
D. The number of species is likely to remain unchanged because most organisms are unaffected by
highly acidic conditions.
Students working on a watershed project studied the impact of new home development on water
quality indicators in a local stream system. The students tested four sites that drain into their
watershed, as described below.
Site A: a small creek branch near an uninhabited housing development under construction.
Site B: a small creek branch far from development in a wilderness area.
Site C: a section of the main creek 5 miles upstream from a large, inhabited housing development.
Site D: a section of the main creek 0.1 mile downstream from a large, inhabited housing development.
Students tested water from all four sites for dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, fecal coliform bacteria, and
macroinvertebrate diversity. Students visited each site once a month for 8 months. After 8 months, the
students analyzed test data at all sites and compared water quality indicators at each site.
48. Which of the following would provide the most precise measurement of pH at the sites? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Electronic pH meter from an aquarium supplier. (Answer)
pH paper test strips from the chemistry lab at school.
Red onion juice made by the students using a food processor.
Red cabbage juice made by the students using a food processor.
The diagram shows a simple energy pyramid for an ecosystem. Producers are at the bottom of the
pyramid and secondary consumers are at the top of the pyramid. When nonbiodegradable pollutants
enter an ecosystem, they accumulate in organisms at each level of the pyramid.
49. At which level of the pyramid are species at greatest risk for reduced populations because they have
the highest accumulations of nonbiodegradable pollutants? (Hard)
A.
B.
C.
D.
1
2
3
4 (Answer)
SC912.L.17.9- Ecology – Trophic Levels
The diagram shows the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in an ecosystem.
50. Which process decreases the amount of carbon in the atmosphere while increasing the amount of
food for animals in the ecosystem? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
combustion
decomposition
photosynthesis (ANSWER)
respiration
Joey wrote four statements about carbon in his notebook.
51. Which statement about carbon is true? (moderate)
A. Carbon is a rare element so there are very few naturally occurring carbon compounds?
B. Carbon compounds form the basis of food webs and are found in the structures of all plants and
animals. (Answer)
C. Carbon is produced by living organisms and does not occur naturally in inorganic compounds or
elemental substances.
D. Carbon is a highly unstable substance because its atomic structure tends to break down into
simpler, smaller elements over time.
Photosynthesis is a process that forms the basis of food webs. Photosynthesis requires energy to occur.
52. What is the energy source for photosynthesis? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Electricity
Light (Answer)
Oxygen
water
SC912.L.17.20- Ecology -Human Impact
Manatees were declared endangered species in 1967. Since then, their numbers have continued to
decline by a wide range of conservation effort by environmental and government groups.
53. Which of the following is not largely responsible for the declining number of Manatees?
(MODERATE)
A. Slow moving manatees hit by speed boats are fatally wounded or killed on impact.
B. Large groups of manatees congregate in warm waters surrounding power plants on the Florida
coast. (ANSWER)
C. Human development along seagrass beds, mangroves, and salt marshes encroaches upon the
manatees’ habitat.
D. Fishing nets or lines tossed into the water caused gashes in manatees’ fins or tales, which in turn
may become infected.
Use the information below to answer the next two questions
Students working on a watershed project studied the impact of new home development on water
quality indicators in a local stream system. The students tested four sites that drain into their
watershed, as described below.
Site A: a small creek branch near an uninhabited housing development under construction.
Site B: a small creek branch far from development in a wilderness area.
Site C: a section of the main creek 5 miles upstream from a large, inhabited housing development.
Site D: a section of the main creek 0.1 mile downstream from a large, inhabited housing development.
Students tested water from all four sites for dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, fecal coliform bacteria,
and macroinvertebrate diversity. Students visited each site once a month for 8 months. After 8
months, the students analyzed test data at all sites and compared water quality indicators at each
site.
54. The students were looking for evidence of an impact on water quality by housing developments.
They decided the best experimental design would include data from a wilderness area in the watershed.
Why are they including tests at a wilderness site in their study? (Hard)
A. The data from the wilderness site will be used by the students for practice before they
analyze the data from the other sites.
B. The data from the wilderness site will be used by the students to determine if any animal
populations that live there are threatened or endangered.
C. The data from the wilderness site represents the control condition; the data from that site
will give the students baseline data that they can compare to the other sites.
D. The data from the wilderness site represents the control condition; the data from that site
will give the students baseline data that they can compare to the other sites. (Answer)
55. Turbidity is the measure of fine particulates suspended in water that cause it to look cloudy.
The turbidity at Site A was significantly higher that of the other three sites for the first six
months of data collection. Turbidity was lower in the seventh month, and began to approach
that of the other sites in the eighth month.
Which conclusion is supported by the trend of the data from the turbidity tests at Site A? (Hard)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Housing development cause turbidity to significantly increase in nearby creeks.
Housing developments cause turbidity to significantly decrease in nearby creeks.
Most of the construction near Site A occurred in the first six months of the study. (Answer)
Most of the construction near Site A occurred in the last two months of the study.
One hundred acres of wilderness were cleared for farming. A stream runs through the area and empties
into a natural lake.
56. How is erosion likely to affect the stream and lake soon after the land is cleared for farming?
(Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Soil will wash into the creek and increase the amount of sediment in the lake. (Answer)
Less organic debris will enter the creek, making the lake a better habitat for fish.
More sunlight will reach the stream, decreasing the amount of algae in the lake.
Water will flow faster through the creek and cause the lake to increase in depth.
Alexa replaced the batteries in his flashlight during a camping trip. He threw the old batteries out into
the forest.
57. If all his friends follow his example, what is eventually likely to happen? (Easy)
A.
B.
C.
D.
The batteries will attract lightning strikes that can start forest fires.
The batteries will turn into compost that can help forest plants grow.
The batteries will release pollutants into the groundwater that can poison organisms. (Answer)
The batteries will feed hungry animals and can disrupt relationships in a forest food web.
Biochemistry - Macromolecules
SC 912.L.18.1
Digestion is a process that includes chemical reactions. Saliva contains enzymes that lower the activation
energy necessary for these chemical reactions to take place.
58. How are the chemical reactions influenced by this reduction in activation energy? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
The reactions occur more quickly. (ANSWER)
The reactions occur more slowly.
The reactions increase the masses of the products.
The reactions decrease the masses of the products.
Hemoglobin is a biological molecule that holds oxygen in the red blood cells of the human body.
59. What type of biological molecule is hemoglobin? (HARD)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Carbohydrate
Lipid
Nucleic acid
Protein (ANSWER)
60. Which word best describes the role enzymes play in chemical reactions inside the human body?
(Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Catalyst (ANSWER)
Consumer
Product
Reactant
61. How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions involved in the digestion of food? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Enzymes increase the concentration of the reactants involved in the reactions.
Enzymes reduce the amount of energy the reactions must have in order to occur. (Answer)
Enzymes reduce the number of atoms needed in the products of the reactions.
Enzymes provide heat energy that speeds up the molecules involved in the reactions.
Cell Bio – photosyn and cell resp.
SC912.L.18.9
62. Which reaction describes photosynthesis? (Moderate)
A.
B.
C.
D.
6 H2O + 6 CO2 + light - C6H12O6 + 6 O2 (ANSWER)
C6H12O6 + 6 O2  6 H2O + 6 CO2 + light
6 H2O + C6H12O6 + light  6 CO2 + 6 O2
6 CO2 + 6 O2  6 H2O + C6H12O6 + light
63. Which statement describes a difference between the processes of photosynthesis and cellular
respiration? (Easy)
A. Photosynthesis produces energy, while cellular respiration consumes energy.
B. Photosynthesis transforms energy into food, while cellular respiration transforms food into
energy. (ANSWER)
C. Photosynthesis is an extracellular process, while cellular respiration is an intracellular process.
D. Photosynthesis is a process that does not require energy, while cellular respiration requires
energy to occur.
Biochemistry – Properties of water
SC912.L.18.12
64. Which sentence does NOT describe a property of water? (EASY)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Water transfers heat poorly. (ANSWER)
Water expands when it freezes.
Water is most dense when it is a cold liquid.
Water is a polar compound that dissolves many substances.
65. Which description of a property of water is not correct? (Hard)
A. Water is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom combined in a weak ionic bond,
which breaks down easily. (Answer)
B. Water is considered the universal solvent because the structure of its molecule allows it to
dissolve many substances.
C. Water changes phase over a small temperature range allowing it to be found in nature as a
solid, a liquid, and a gas.
D. Water molecules are negatively charged on one end and positively charged on the other which
allows water to attract some molecules and repel others.