ANSWER KEY
Review for Biology Spring Semester
Directions: Use your notebook, class material and textbook as you answer the following
questions.
BCR (presented in class)
1. Scientists have developed new species of plants and animals that can be mass
produced for human consumption. Many of these new species were developed using
the process of selective breeding, also known as artificial selection. Discuss the
differences in the process of artificial selection and natural selection. Are there
benefits to using one over the other? Explain your stance.
Artificial selection is the process of picking and choosing which traits you want to be
seen in a particular individual. Scientists use it to grow GMO foods and to breed
organisms that would naturally not interbreed with one another. In nature, only
individuals belonging to the same species can mate and produce fertile offspring.
2. In a prairie ecosystem, there are foxes, grass, prairie dogs, and ferrets. There exists
a balance within this ecosystem and these organisms take on particular roles.
Ferrets and foxes are carnivores, prairie dogs are herbivores, and the grass
population is autotrophic. Design a food web that includes all the organisms of this
ecosystem. Predict what would happen in the event that the ferrets and grass were
wiped out.
In the event that all the grasses disappeared, all other organisms would eventually
die off. The grass is a producer and provides energy for all the other organisms in
the environment. If the ferrets were to be wiped out, the foxes would slowly die off
because they would not have as much food available.
Skills and Processes
1. A scientist is performing an investigation funded by a company. Which of these would be
least likely to produce biased data?
A. making the results please the company paying for the research
B. being open minded and honest throughout the research project
C. using only the data that supports the hypothesis
D. using personal opinions to decide the results of the research
2.
The table provides data on the population growth of bacteria over time.
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Which graph best represents the population growth of bacteria over time?
A
C
B
D
Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
3. Compare prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Be sure to describe the storage of genetic material
and reproductive strategies of each.
Prokaryotes= do not have a nucleus/reproduce quickl/Examples= bacteria
Eukaryotes= have a nucleus/reproduce more slowly/Examples= plant & animal cells
4.
Describe what mitosis is and why it is a critical cell process.
Mitosis is a process that is needed for growth, development, and repair. It is a type of
asexual reproduction that produces a clone of the parent cell. It starts with one “parent”
cell and produces 2 daughter cells that are identical to that parent cell and each other.
5.
Describe or diagram each of the following methods of asexual reproduction: binary fission,
budding, and vegetative.
Type of
Illustration
Description
Example
Genetic make up
Asexual
of adult and
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Reproduction
offspring
Binary Fission
See #6
Budding
See p. 236 or
research
Hydra
reproduction
Splitting of
Bacteria
one cell into
two
New
Hydra
individual
begins to
grow off of
the parent
organism;
will
eventually
fall off and
live
independently
or will stay
attached to
the parent
Identical
Identical
6.
A student observes a unicellular organism under a microscope. After a while, the organism
begins to split into two cells, as shown in the diagram.
Which of these best describes the process shown in the diagram?
A. binary fission
B. meiosis
C. osmosis
D. sexual reproduction
7.
Reproductive cells are produced during
A. mitosis
B. meiosis
C. fertilization
D. budding
8.
Compare mitosis and meiosis: purpose, number of parents involved, number of offspring
produced at the end of the process, and resulting chromosome number in each cell produced
(diploid =2n/ haploid =n)
Mitosis= cell growth, reproduction, and repair/one parent/2 daughter cells that are
identical/2n2n
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Meiosis= production of gametes, or sex cells/two parents/4 cells produced that are
haploid/2nn/reduction in chromosome number
9.
Which of these would not occur during meiosis?
A. formation of a zygote
B. chromosomes crossing-over
C. production of gametes
D. reduction in number of chromosomes
10. Diagram crossing over and explain its effect.
Crossing-over occurs during meiosis and results in genetic variation. The
chromosomes on the left have a different genetic make-up than those on the right.
11. Explain how fertilization increases genetic variation within the zygote.
Fertilization increases genetic variation because there is the joining of the egg and
sperm, so there is a mixture of genetic material.
12. Sea stars are genetically different from each other and from their parents. These genetic
differences are the result of
A. mitosis
B. cloning
C. sexual reproduction
D. asexual reproduction
13. Using the diagram, describe reproduction in angiosperms.
The anther is
where eggs are
where meiosis
(pollen and egg).
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where the pollen is produced. The ovary is
stored. Both the ovary and the anther are
occurs, producing the sex cells of the plant
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Mendelian Genetics
14. In humans, the allele for long eyelashes is dominant (L) and the allele for short eyelashes is
recessive (l). A female who is heterozygous for long eyelashes and a male with short
eyelashes have a child.
What is the probability that their offspring will have short eyelashes?
A. 0%
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. 75%
Ll
Ll
ll
ll
Use the information below to answer the next two questions.
In a species of fly, the allele for red eyes (R) is dominant to the allele for brown eyes (r).
Red eye color in the flies is not sex-linked. Students crossed male and female flies that had
red eyes and recorded the eye color of their offspring. Their data are shown below.
15. Using the data in the table, what is the approximate ratio of red eyed offspring to brown
eyed offspring?
A. 1:1
B. 2:1
C. 3:1
D. 4:1
16. Explain why sex-linked traits are more often expressed in males.
Males only have one X chromosome, so if mom gives them the affected X chromosome,
they automatically have whatever the sex-linked trait is. For example, colorblindness.
Males will either have a sex-linked trait or they won’t.
17. A color blind female marries a man with normal vision. They have three children: two
boys and a girl. Both of the boys are colorblind. Use a Punnett square to show the possible
genotypes. Show the genetic pattern using a pedigree.
Protein Synthesis
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18. Which of these represents the structure of messenger RNA?
A.
B.
C.
D.
19. What is a gene?
A gene is a segment of DNA that codes for a protein.
20. Which of these statements best explains how genes and proteins are related?
A. Genes are segments of DNA that code for proteins.
B. Proteins are segments of DNA that code for genes.
C. Genes are the building blocks of proteins.
D. Proteins are the building blocks of genes.
21. Explain how proteins are made by using information from RNA (be sure to include DNA,
mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA).
mRNA= the messenger/takes the message from the DNA in the nucleus out into the
cytoplasm
tRNA= transfer RNA/reads the message from mRNA and grabs the needed amino acids
rRNA= ribosomal RNA/located at the ribosome/links the amino acids together to make
the necessary protein
22. Which of the following is correctly matched with its function?
A. rRNA - contains codes to make new ribosomes
B. DNA - carries the amino acids to the ribosomes
C. tRNA - combines with proteins to make up ribosomes
D. mRNA - carries genetic codes from nucleus to the ribosomes
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23. Which of these treatments would result in a mutation
in some of the bacteria?
A. adding salt water to the culture
B. changing the pH of the culture
C. increasing the temperature of the culture
D. exposing the culture to ultraviolet radiation
24. Which of these explains why the skeletal structures of the seal's flipper and the monkey's
arm are similar?
A. Seals and monkeys have a common ancestor.
B. Seals and monkeys have identical DNA sequences.
C. All of the same genetic mutations occurred in seals and monkeys.
D. All of the same vitamins are used for bone formation in seals and monkeys.
25. Researchers are studying slider turtles. Slider turtles hatch on the beach. The researchers
discovered that larger baby turtles were more likely to survive than smaller baby turtles.
They hypothesized that the larger turtles could move more quickly toward the water than
the smaller turtles, reducing their exposure to predators.
The survival advantage for the larger baby turtles is a result of
A. natural selection.
B. gene splicing.
C. mutualism.
D. commensalism.
26. Scientists have found many similarities in the proteins of turtles and sharks. These
similarities suggest that turtles and sharks
A. have stopped evolving
B. have a common ancestor
C. have all the same DNA sequences
D. have the same number of chromosomes
BCR
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27. Scientists are studying how four species of deer are related. The
scientists believe that Species 1 is the common ancestor. The
four species have some traits in common. They also have traits
that are unique to their species. Scientists used the process of
gel electrophoresis to study the relatedness of the four deer
species. The results of their gel electrophoresis study are shown
below.
Describe how three species of deer evolved from the common
ancestor. In your response, be sure to
 identify which species is most closely related to the
common ancestor; explain your answer using the results of
their gel electrophoresis
o species 1 and 3 are most closely related because they
have the most bands in the same place
 identify and describe the process that leads to the
development of different species
o natural selection/evolution led to this
28. Scientists can insert and remove nucleotides from a DNA strand. Which of these identifies
this process?
A. base pairing
B. gene splicing
C. DNA synthesis
D. DNA transcription
29. A scientist cloned a goat. Which of these is a true statement about the cloned goat?
A. It has new genes and traits.
B. It lacks the genes for reproduction.
C. It has genes that are identical to the original goat.
D. It looks the same as the original goat but has different genes
30. Identify beneficial and/or harmful effects of:
 gene splicing
 recombinant DNA
 cloning.
All of these processes can cause mutations, death, or malfunctioning within the organism
Ecology
31. Complete the following table on symbiotic relationships
Symbiotic Relationship General Description
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Example: include how the
organisms are affected
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mutualism
Both organisms are benefited
commensalism
One organism benefits, the other is
neither benefited or harmed
Parasitism
One organism benefits, the other is
harmed
Tick on a deer
Predator-Prey
One organism benefits, the other is
killed
Lion and Zebra
Birds cleaning the mouths
of the crocodiles
Barnacles on a whale
32. Corals are marine animals that often live in tropical seas. Many types of corals have
unicellular algae living in their tissues. The algae provide up to 98 percent of the corals'
food. The corals provide protection and inorganic nutrients for the algae.
Algae leave the coral when the water is too warm. What kind of factor is temperature on
this relationship?
A. biotic
B. abiotic
C. parasitic
D. commensalistic
33. The deer tick feeds on the blood of the
red squirrel, deer, and deer mouse.
Which of these best describes the role of
the deer tick in the forest food web?
A. parasite
B. producer
C. carnivore
D. omnivore
34. When gypsy moth caterpillars hatch, which population benefits first?
A. red oak
B. deer tick
C. blue jay
D. carpenter ant
35. An ecosystem contains organisms interacting with each other and their physical
environment. Which of these is the best indicator of a healthy ecosystem?
A. There are few decomposers.
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B. There are many different species.
C. There are few herbivores.
D. There is a large population of only one species
36. Rain forests are often cleared to provide land for farming. Which of these outcomes is the
most immediate effect of this practice on the global environment?
A. an increase in acid rain
B. depletion of the ozone layer
C. the decreased production of food
D. an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels
37. Black skimmers are water birds that live along coastal beaches, bays, estuaries, and
marshes. They fly just above the surface of the water using their lower jaw to catch small
fish, shrimp, and other small crustaceans.
These birds nest in simple, unlined depressions in the sand. Scientists have
observed a decline in the number of nests. Some causes of this decline
include a lack of suitable nesting sites, beach erosion, and human
disturbances.
When people approach their nests, the birds become aggressive and chase away intruders.
Other animals, like crows, will take advantage of the unprotected nests and feed on the
eggs.
Which of these best describes the effects of human disturbance on the black skimmer's
eggs?
A. a biotic factor
B. an allele
C. a niche
D. an abiotic factor
38. A continued decrease in black skimmer populations will most likely lead to
A. a decrease in scavenger populations
B. an increase in producer populations
C. a decrease in decomposer populations
D. an increase in prey animal populations
39. Describe succession and give an example.
Succession is when life returns to an area. For example, where there is a volcano, there
will need to be time allowed for simple plant life to come back before other organisms
will.
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