Kansas State Assessment Life Science Review Quiz
1. Large scale clear-cutting of forests near a heavily populated area would most likely result in a local increase
in which atmospheric gas?
A. Oxygen
B. Sulfur dioxide
C. Nitrogen
D. Carbon dioxide
2. Scientific evidence indicates that the concentration of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere increased dramatically
approximately 2 billion years ago. Which event most closely coincides with this change in Earth’s
atmosphere?
A. Mammals appeared on land
B. Volcanic outgassing increased
C. Decay of organic matter increased
D. Photosynthetic organisms appeared
3. Which is the most learned and the least innate in male sparrows?
A. Singing patterns
B. Coloration of feathers
C. Location of food sources
D. Aggression during mating season
4. What is the primary form in which energy is first taken in by plants and the primary form in which energy is
first taken in by animals?
A. Plants: chemical energy, Animals: heat energy
B. Plants: light energy, Animals: chemical energy
C. Plants: heat energy, Animals: mechanical energy
D. Plants: electromagnetic energy, Animals: mechanical energy
5. A desert ecosystem gets two years of above average rainfall. As a result, there is more vegetation than
normal. Which effect on the desert ecosystem is most likely?
A. Carnivore populations will decrease as plants change landscape
B. Some animal species will go extinct as the plants take up more space
C. Herbivore populations will increase with more plants available
D. Animal populations will remain constant as plant populations increase independently
6. Which process in the water cycle directly increases in rate as the intensity of infrared solar radiation
increases in an area?
A. Runoff
B. Evaporation
C. Precipitation
D. Condensation
7. Which trait is most likely a result of artificial selection?
A. Thick fur on a polar bear
B. Green color of a tree snake
C. Hollow bones of most birds
D. Short legs on some dog breeds
8. Which trait is most likely a result of artificial selection?
A. Thick fur on a polar bear
B. Green color of a tree snake
C. Hollow bones of most birds
D. Short legs on some dog breeds
9. What are the individual strands of supercoiled DNA that are present during cell division?
A. Genes
B. Proteins
C. Nucleotides
D. Chromosomes
10. Cells store energy in the phosphate bond of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Which best describes the type f
energy stored in the bonds of an ATP molecule?
A. Nuclear Energy
B. Chemical Energy
C. Electrical Energy
D. Mechanical Energy
11. Which statement best describes why the cells that develop from a single fertilized egg can have different
forms and functions?
A. The DNA sequences are different in each type of cell
B. Selective parts of DNA are expressed in each type of cell
C. The DNA becomes more complex as each type of cell develops
D. Unnecessary parts of DNA are destroyed as each type of cell develops
12. Which best describes a permanent change in the genetic code in the cell of an organism?
A. Mutation
B. Replication
C. Translation
D. Degeneration
13. Evolutionary studies suggest that mammalian lungs and fish swim bladders evolved from the same
structure. Which term best describes the relationship between the mammalian lung and the fish swim
bladder?
A. Vestigial Structures
B. Analogous Structures
C. Homologous Structures
D. Heterozygous Structures
14. Which process is least likely to lead to the formation of a new species?
A. Random Mating
B. Genetic Mutation
C. Ecological Succession
D. Geographic Separation
15. Which will most likely happen when environmental conditions change over time faster than a species can
adapt?
A. The species will become extinct
B. The species will undergo random mutations
C. Individual organisms in the species will have reduced fertility
D. Individual organisms in the species will develop new adaptations
16. Which substance is a reactant in the cellular respiration process and a product in the photosynthesis
process?
A. Water (H2O)
B. Oxygen (O2)
C. Methane (CH4)
D. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
17. Which factor is most important in determining the carrying capacity of a plant population in an area?
A. Number of animal species
B. Availability of soil nutrients
C. Timing of animal migrations
D. Frequency of natural disasters
18. Which uses solar energy to synthesize food?
A. Virus
B. Algae
C. Yeast
D. Paramecia
19. Which equation shows the relationship between adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate
(ADP), and phosphate (P) when a demand for energy occurs within a cell?
A. ATP + energy  ATP + P
B. ADP  ATP + P + energy
C. ATP + energy  ADP + P
D. ATP  ADP + P + energy
20. Which is not an example of an animal’s behavioral response to cold weather?
A. A robin laying eggs in a nest
B. A caribou migrating southward
C. A snake sunning itself on a rock
D. A chipmunk storing food in its burrow
21. Exercise causes the body to produce excess heat. Which physical reaction maintains homeostasis during
exercise?
A. Decreasing the heart rate
B. Decreasing the respiration rate
C. Increasing blood flow to the skin
D. Increasing blood flow to the brain
22. Which organism goes through incomplete metamorphosis during its life cycle?
A. Bird
B. Frog
C. Butterfly
D. Grasshopper