This exam is protected by copyright to the Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University and to Dr.
Ronald K. Chesser. This exam can not be copied as a whole or in part for purposes of sale.
Ecology & Environmental Problems
BIOL 1305 --- Dr. Ron Chesser
1st Exam – Spring Semester 2004
FORM 3
Instructions: mark the correct answer on the scan-tron for the following questions.
1. An event in the 20th Century (1900’s) than most significantly slowed the growth
rate of the world’s population was: (a) AIDS, (c) World War II, (d) penicillin, (e)
rice famine (blight) in China.
2. Models that offer broad, fundamental explanations of many observations are
called: (a) science, (b) theories, (c) supermodels, (d) observations, (e) truths.
3. The ability to do work is defined as: (a) a job, (b) labor, (c) energy, (d) evolution,
(e) none of the above.
4. The product of force times distance is called: (a) speed, (b) direction, (c) math,
(d) work, (e) none of the above.
5. The smallest unit of a compound is a: (a) molecule, (b) ingredient, (c) teaspoon,
(d) dodecahedron, (e) piece.
6. 186,000 miles (300,000 km) per second is: (a) the speed of the space shuttle, (b)
the speed of a penny falling from the Empire State Building, (c) the speed of
sound, (d) the speed of rockets, (e) none of the above.
7. Electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom are arranged in: (a) eggs, (b) yolks,
(c) shells, (d) clams, (e) nuts.
8. The atoms of each element have a unique number of: (a) protons, (b) neutrons,
(c) electrons, (d) isotopes, (e) none of the above.
9. Atomic number is: (a) the number of protons, (b) the number of protons and
electrons, (c) the number of protons and neutrons, (d) the number of protons,
neutrons and electrons, (e) the number of electrons.
10. Atomic weight is: (a) the number of protons, (b) the number of protons and
electrons, (c) the number of protons and neutrons, (d) the number of protons,
neutrons and electrons, (e) the number of electrons.
11. In general, scientists worldwide agree that: (a) the earth is becoming warmer, (b)
the earth is becoming cooler, (c) the earth’s temperature is not changing, (d) that
taxes are too high, (e) none of the above.
12. Absolute zero degrees is: (a) the freezing point of water, (b) the freezing point of
fossil fuels, (c) when all movement stops, (d) when all life ceases, (e) none of the
above.
13. The amount of energy in the universe: (a) is increasing, (b) is declining, (c) is not
changing, (d) changes with the seasons, (e) none of the above.
14. The amount of matter in the universe: (a) is increasing, (b) is declining, (c) is not
changing, (d) changes with the seasons, (e) none of the above.
15. In the USA today about half of the energy we produce: (a) is lost as heat, (b) is
sold to Mexico, (c) is stolen by other countries, (d) is lost as lightening, (e) none
of the above.
16. After the singularity was achieved, the universe was begun as: (a) the Big Bang,
(b) the Enormous Explosion, (c) the Big Crunch, (d) the Warp Factor One, (e) the
Big Fusion.
17. Some scientists advocate that the universe can not continue expanding and will
collapse upon itself. This is known as: (a) the Big Bang, (b) the Enormous
Explosion, (c) the Big Crunch, (d) the Warp Factor One, (e) the Big Fusion.
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This exam is protected by copyright to the Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University and to Dr.
Ronald K. Chesser. This exam can not be copied as a whole or in part for purposes of sale.
18. The study of the relationships between heat, work, and energy of a system is
called: (a) hydrodynamics, (b) thermocoupling, (c) ecology, (d) thermodynamics,
(e) none of the above.
19. When atoms of an element have different atomic mass, but the same atomic
number, they are: (a) ions, (b) isotopes, (c) undergoing fusion, (d) radioactive, (e)
none of the above.
20. When atoms of an element have the same atomic mass and atomic number, but
different numbers of electrons, they contain: (a) ions, (b) isotopes, (c)
compounds, (d) radioactive elements, (e) none of the above.
21. The most populous country on earth is: (a) the United States of America, (b)
India, (c) China, (d) Mexico, (e) Japan.
22. The fastest growth rate of the human population is occurring on which continent?
(a) Asia, (b) Europe, (c) North America, (d) Africa, (e) Australia.
23. Occam’s principle states that when you have more than one explanation for an
observation you should: (a) flip a coin, (b) choose the cheapest one, (c) choose
the simplest one, (d) choose neither and re-test, (e) none of the above.
24. A statement, concept or theory that is widely accepted but has not been
rigorously tested is: (a) a hypothesis, (b) a dissertation, (c) a law, (d) dogma, (e)
prosthesis.
25. The “Laws” of inheritance were derived by (perhaps by “cooking the books” a
little): (a) Charles Darwin, (b) Isaac Newton, (c) Gregor Mendel, (d) Albert
Einstein, (e) none of the above.
26. The “Laws” of Thermodynamics were derived by: (a) Charles Darwin, (b) Isaac
Newton, (c) Gregor Mendel, (d) Albert Einstein, (e) none of the above.
27. A typical scientific manuscript contains each of the following sections except: (a)
Methods and Materials, (b) Results, (c) Discussion, (d) literature cited
(bibliography), (e) Speculation.
28. Which is an example of “Experimenter Effect”? (a) The mars mission did not find
life on mars, (b) the tobacco company’s scientists reported no health effects of
smoking, (c) Lysenko did not believe in genetics, (d) the polio vaccine was
developed, (e) none of the above.
29. Typically, once accepted, one does not question: (a) theories, (b) science, (c)
faith, (d) hypotheses, (e) none of the above.
30. An electron and a neutron walk into a bar to have a couple of beers. Upon
leaving the electron received a bill for $2.00 while the neutron’s beer was free.
The electron complained, “Why was his free?” The bartender replied, (a) “He has
no charge.”, (b) “He is so negative.”, (c) “He is so positive.”, (d) “I’m a free
radical.”, (e) “He’s broke.”
31. An atom of a particular element has 3 protons, 4 neutrons, and 5 electrons. Its
atomic weight is: (a) 3, (b) 4, (c) 5, (d) 7, (e) 12.
32. Use of Albert Einstein’s equation E=mc2 to build the atomic bomb is an example
of: (a) technology, (b) scientific method, (c) thermodynamics, (d) none of the
above, (e) all of the above.
33. An icicle is hanging from the eave of a house. You don’t stand under it because
you know the icicle has what kind of energy? (a) frozen, (b) thermodynamic, (c)
kinetic, (d) potential, (e) none of the above.
34. When the icicle breaks loose you run because the icicle now has what kind of
energy? (a) phonetic, (b) kinetic, (c) potential, (d) dynamic, (e) none of the
above.
35. In 1798 Thomas Malthus warned that England was heading toward a crisis
because: (a) of the American Revolution, (b) human populations were increasing
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This exam is protected by copyright to the Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University and to Dr.
Ronald K. Chesser. This exam can not be copied as a whole or in part for purposes of sale.
arithmetically and resources were declining, (c) human populations were not
changing but that resources were declining, (d) human populations were
increasing geometrically (exponentially) while resources were increasing only
arithmetically, (e) none of the above.
36. When the number of births exceeds the number of deaths in a population, (a) it is
at its carrying capacity, (b) it exceeds its carrying capacity, (c) the population is
declining, (d) the population is nearing extinction, (e) none of the above.
37. When growth of a population is progressively faster each generation, the growth
rate is: (a) exponential, (b) logistic, (c) regressive, (d) kinetic, (e) none of the
above.
38. When growth of a population is dependent on the number of individuals that can
survive in that ecosystem, the growth is: (a) exponential, (b) logistic, (c)
regressive, (d) kinetic, (e) none of the above.
39. The proportion (percentage) of young people (age 1 – 12) in a population will be:
(a) higher in industrialized countries than in developing countries, (b) higher in
developing countries than in industrialized countries, (c) no different in
industrialized and developing countries, (d) almost zero in developing countries,
(e) none of the above.
40. Which of the following is the use of biomass fuel? (a) fusion, (b) fission, (c) fossil
fuel, (d) burning wood, (e) all of the above.
41. Combining atoms of two different elements to form a new element is: (a) fusion,
(b) fission, (c) fossil fuel, (d) fire, (e) all of the above.
42. We can use E=mc2 to estimate the amount of energy released in fission and fusion
because, (a) mass is converted into energy, (b) energy is converted into mass, (c)
mass is gained, (d) the speed of light has changed, (e) none of the above.
43. The correct sequence for the scientific method is: (a) observation, hypothesis,
testing (experimentation), repetition, theory, (b) hypothesis, observation,
testing, theory, repetition, (c) observation, theory, hypothesis, testing,
repetition, (d) observation, theory, testing, repetition, hypothesis, (e) none of
the above.
44. A scientific hypothesis MUST be: (a) correct, (b) incorrect, (c) profitable, (d)
morally acceptable, (e) falsifiable.
45. A scientific theory is: (a) just a fuzzy belief, (b) law, (c) supported by many
repeated tests, (d) faith, (e) none of the above.
46. Weight is: (a) gravity acting upon mass, (b) equal to mass, (c) equal to matter, (d)
the speed of light times mass, (e) none of the above.
47. “Energy can be transferred from one system (or state) to another, but can not be
created or destroyed.” This is a statement of: (a) The first law of
thermodynamics, (b) second law of thermodynamics, (c) third law of
thermodynamics, (d) fourth law of thermodynamics, (e) none of the above.
48. Energy moves from a state of higher to lower utility, is a statement of: (a) The
first law of thermodynamics, (b) second law of thermodynamics, (c) third law of
thermodynamics, (d) fourth law of thermodynamics, (e) none of the above.
49. The amount of disorder (randomness) in a system is: (a) philanthropy, (b) canopy,
(c) entropy, (d) agony, (e) stasiopatry.
50. Reflection of thermal energy from the sun back to earth from man-made pollution
in the atmosphere is called: (a) suntan, (b) the melatonin effect, (c) microwaves,
(d) the outhouse effect, (e) none of the above.
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