august regents 2014

Question 1

1. A function of cell membranes in the humans is the…
2. synthesis of amino acids
3. production of energy
4. replication of genetic material
5. recognition of certain chemicals

Answer 1

1.a function of cell membranes in humans is the recognition of certain chemicals. Cell membranes contain embedded protein molecules known as receptors. The function of the receptors is to recognize the shapes of other chemicals such as hormones and neurotransmitters that are necessary for the control of life functions in the cell and bind to these chemicals

Question 2

2. Forests, mountains, rivers, and marshes are examples of the wide variety of ecosystems in New York State. The diversity of these ecosystems is most likely the result of
3. The fairly of abiotic conditions in these regions
4. interactions between producers and decomposers
5. increased efforts to protect endangered species
6. lack of competition between the heterotrophs living there

Answer 2

Answer:1. The diversity of these ecosystem is most likely the result of the variety of abiotic conditions in these regions. Abiotic factors are those environmental conditions not linked to the activities of living things. Examples of abiotic factors include soil minerals, rock, water salinity, temperature, and many others. These factors promote or limit of survival of species

Question 3

3. Which statement best describes the organelles in a cell?
4. all organelles are involved directly with communication between cells
5. organelles must work together and their activities must be coordinated
6. organelles function only when there is disruption in homeostasis
7. each organelle must function independently of the others in order to maintain homeostasis

Answer 3

Answer:2 organelles must work together and their activities must be coordinated. Organelles are sub cellular structures that are specialized to carry out metabolic functions (respiration, nutrition, regulation, excretion, and communication) in the cell. In order for it to survive, it must maintain homeostasis.

Question 4

4. A substance directly involved in cellular communication within the human body is
5. antibody
6. antibiotic
7. hormone
8. starch

Answer 4

Answer: 3. Hormones are proteins specialized to stimulate metabolic activities in target tissues. Hormones are produced in the endocrine system glands and transported throughout the body via bloodstream. Hormones are transported into the cell where they communicate with the nucleus and cause specific metabolic activities to occur.

Question 5

5. Three organ systems that are directly used when a human runs: circulatory, muscular, and skeletal system.
   Which system should also be included in the list?
6. immune system
7. reproductive system
8. digestive system
9. nervous system

Answer 5

Answer:4. The nervous system is involved in neural activities such as conscious decision making, motor coordination, reflex, autonomic control of the rates of breathing and heartbeat. This allows the body to maintain homeostasis while under the stress of physical activity.

Question 6

6. In a pine forest, there are different species of birds known as warblers that are able to coexist on the same pine trees. The Cape May warblers feed on insects located on the tips of the highest pine branches. The yellow-rumped warblers feed on insects on lower branches of the same trees. The different locations for these two species of warblers indicate they have different
7. niches
8. ecosystems
9. methods of asexual reproduction
10. methods of selective breeding

Answer 6

Answer: 1. An environmental niche is the role played by an organism in its environment. When two species inhabit the same environmental niche, competition for limited sources can result in competition and often elimination of one of the two species.

Question 7

7. A human skin cell co gains 46 chromosomes. A frog sperm cell contains 12 chromosomes. Which pair of numbers shows the chromosome number of normal gamete from each of the species?
8. human 46; frog 12
9. human 46; 24
10. human 23, frog 24
11. human 23; frog 12

Answer 7

Answer: 4. In order to determine the number of chromosomes found in the normal gametes of these species, halve the numbers given for humans and use the n number given for frogs.

Question 8

8. According to the theory of biological evolution, most present day species of organisms
9. developed from similar, smaller prehistoric animals
10. have always existed in the for, they have today
11. developed from fossils of the other organisms
12. descended from earlier, different species of organisms

Answer 8

Answer: 4. According to the theory of evolution, most present day species of organisms descended from earlier pm different species of organisms. The modern theory of biological evolution, which is based on the nineteenth century work of British naturalist, Charles Darwin and has been augmented by the work of scientists in the 150 years, since modern species developed by from earlier ancestral species. These ancestral species bore many genetic traits that were different from those of modern species. This fact is supported by fossil evidence that shows modern species share biochemical traits among prehistoric ancestors.

Question 9

9. Corn seeds with identical genetic information were planted on two adjacent farms. The corn plants on one farm were well fertilized and grew large, while the plants on the other farm were not given fertilizer and did not grow as large. The best explanation for these observations is that
10. crops grow differently in different climates
11. corn plants all contain mutated genes that made them grow
12. environmental conditions affect gamete expression
13. plants on one farm had different genes from the plants on the other farm

Answer 9

Answer: 3. single independent variable in this experiment is the presence or absence of fertilizer in two corn fields. Fertilizer contains inorganic compounds known to be important to plant growth. Although corn seeds and corn plants that grew from the seeds had identical genetic info concerning potential size of plant, the plants grew differently. The absence of fertilizer prevented full expression of the genes and inhibited the growth potential of the plants

Question 10

10. The male red-winged back bird defends its territory and uses loud vocalizations to attract a mate. Such behavior directly beefing these birds because it results in
11. increased competition for food
12. greater reproductive success
13. reduced biodiversity
14. global stability

Answer 10

Answer: 2. Territorial and mating behaviors in birds and other species help to ensure continuation of the species snd the passage of genes for favorable traits from one generation to the next

Question 11

11. Extinction occurs when the environment changes and
12. species can reproduce successfully
13. an individual has adaptive characteristics insufficient to allow survival
14. all members of a species are no longer living
15. one individual produces some offspring that evolve into a new specie

Answer 11

Answer: 3. Extinction may be defined as a condition which all members which all members of a species are eliminated from earth. Species extinction has occurred many times in earths 4 billion year history, usually due to stability of a species to adapt to changing environmental conditions

Question 12

12. All the info necessary for growth, development, and eventual reproduction of sexually producing animals is present in
13. sperm cells only
14. egg cells only
15. zygotes
16. either sperm cells or egg cells

Answer 12

Answer: 3. A zygote results when a sperm and egg unite.

Question 13

13. Which activity does not require energy?
14. contraction of muscle tissue
15. protein synthesis in a cell
16. active transport in minerals
17. movement of water in a membrane

Answer 13

Answer: 4.

Question 14

14. An alternative to the use of insecticides to combat the Mediterranean fruit fly is the Sterile Insect Technique. SIT involves the sterilization of male insects by radiation, which prevents the formation of functional make gametes. When these male insects mate with female insects of the same species, the result would be that
15. only female offspring would be produced
16. no offspring would be produced
17. the offspring would have a reduced number of chromosomes
18. offspring would no longer be sterile

Answer 14

Answer: 2. The function of the SIT technique results in the formation of nonfunctional male gametes in these offspring. Any fusion between a sterile make gamete and normal female gamete would result in an u fertilized egg.

Question 15

15. The main function of the human reproductive system is to
16. provide immunity essential for the survival of each individual in a population
17. provide cells that are necessary for the survival of the species
18. produce chemical messages that are necessary for nerve cell development
19. control the passage of nutrients into and out of a developing fetus

Answer 15

Answer: 2. Both male and female reproductive systems produce speak cells and egg cells that fuse to produce fertilized eggs

Question 16

16. Sheep were the first species of mammals to be cloned. Which first statement about cloned sheep is correct?
17. different kinds of body cells in a cloned sheep contain different DNA
18. cloned sheep cannot produce offspring if they are mated with noncloned sheep
19. two sheep cloned from the same parent cannot mate and have offspring
20. many cells in cloned sheep have two identical nuclei instead of a nucleus

Answer 16

Answer: 3. Cloning is a lab technique in which offspring are produced using the genome of a single parent organism. Part of this genome determines the sex of both parent and clones. So if two clones are produced from a female parent, both clones will be female. If the parent is male both clones will be male. Whether clones or not, it is impossible for two mammals of the same sex to mate and successfully produce offspring by means of sexual reproduction

Question 17

17. In a sexually reproducing species, evolution could occur as a result of
18. modification of genes in body cells
19. modification of genes in sex cells
20. increased reproduction among individuals with identical chromosomes
21. recombination of genes in cells reproducing by mitosis

Answer 17

Answer: 2. When a gene mutation occurs within the DNA of the sex cell, the mutation may be passed on to an offspring resulting from fertilization by sperm or egg of that cell. If the mutation produces a trait that gives the offspring some selective advantage, the trait may be widely spread through the species and drive an evolutionary process in that species.

Question 18

18. An increase in the level of hormone A causes an increase in the level of hormone B. The increase in the level of hormone B then causes a decrease in the level hormone A. This process in an example of
19. a failure to maintain homeostasis
20. breakdown of chemicals
21. disruption in cellular coordination
22. feedback mechanism

Answer 18

Answer: 4. The process describes two hormones that interact to control each other’s secretion rates. As the concentration of hormone A increases, the secretion of hormone B increases. As the concentration of hormone B increases, the secretion of hormone A decreases. As the concentration of hormone A decreases, the secretion of hormone B decreases. The concentration of one hormone feeds back to the endocrine tissues produces the other hormone, creating an interaction known as feedback loop. Feedback loops assist organisms to maintain homeostatic balance in their changing environments.

Question 19

19. Human population growth has led to a reduction in the populations of predators throughout natural ecosystems across the United States. Scientists consider the loss of these predators to have a
20. positive effect, because an increase in their prey helps maintain stability in the ecosystem
21. positive effect, because predators usually eliminate the species they prey on
22. negative effect since predators have always made up a larger portion of our food supply
23. negative effect because predators gave an important role in maintaining stable ecosystems

Answer 19

Answer: 4. Predators such as wolves, hawks, snakes, and other predatory animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians play an important role in its ecosystem by reducing the number of herbivorous species that might over stress the environment if their numbers were not held in check by three predators. when predators are eliminated from the ecosystem, their herbivorous prey organisms tend to overproduce, stripping the ecosystem of edible plant life and thereby creating an i balance that destabilizes the ecosystem

Question 20

20. Which environmental change would cause the greatest reduction in the biodiversity of a large organism?
21. building a new home
22. building a new store in a shopping mall
23. wide spread use of pesticides
24. widespread of recycling programs

Answer 20

Answer: 3. Pesticides ads chemical agents that are poisonous to insects and other species. Although pesticides are used to eliminate only insect pests, their toxicity can actually sicken, kill, and impair the reproductive systems of unintended victims such as fish, amphibians, birds , and species including humans.

Question 21

21. Fossils can be best used to provide information that could be used in a study of
22. evolutionary relationships
23. dynamic equilibrium
24. selective breeding
25. cell specialization

Answer 21

Answer: 1. Fossils are the inanimate prehistoric remain, impressions, products of long extinct species. The modern theory of biological evolution postulates that modern species developed from earlier prehistoric species. This theory is supported by fossil evidence that shows modern species share many physical and biochemical traits in common with their prehistoric ancestors.

Question 22

22. The bottom of Onandaga Lake in upstate New York contains a large amount of pollutants. One proposal to clean the lake bottom required the pollutants be removed and store nearby. People who live near the proposed storage sites are opposed to this plan. The officials who must decide on proposal will examine both the benefits and risks of the plans. The decision made by the officials will most likely involve
23. increased industrialized
24. direct harvesting
25. an increase in finite resources
26. consideration of trade offs

Answer 22

Answer: 4. Providing a plan to remove pollutants from natural water sources such as the lake would general,t be considered a positive development for the environment. Choosing to store the pollutants can affect humans.

Question 23

23. The increased use of turbines and solar collectors to generate electric power will
24. negatively affect ecosystems by increasing biodiversity
25. negatively a,get the chemical composition of soil and water
26. reduce the amount of pollution that comes from the burning of fossil fuels
27. increase oil consumption for business and industry

Answer 23

Answer: 3. Wind turbines and solar collectors take advantage of renewable sources of energy (sun, wind) to provide alternatives to fossil fuels for generation of electrical power.

Question 24

24. Antibiotics are substances used to help fight an infection of Streptococcus, a bacterium that causes strep throat. Overuse of these antibiotics can
25. prevent future infections by these pathogens
26. cause a decrease in the production of enzymes
27. allow organic molecules to be synthesized
28. select for resistant organisms

Answer 24

Answer: 4. Statistically likely to include a few individual bacteria that randomly mutated in a manner that gives take a genetic resistance to a particular antibiotic. Overuse can have the unintended effect of selecting for antibiotic resistant strep and other infectious bacteria in the body.

Question 25

25. An allergic reaction to certain types of natural, unprocessed foods such as peanuts is caused by
26. lack of digestive enzymes
27. response to specific antigens
28. micro organisms living within the food
29. high levels of carbon dioxide in the air

Answer 25

Answer: 2. Living things and their products produce specific proteins or antigens that can trigger the body’s immune system response. This response involves the production of histamines that cause the swelling and irritation of the body’s mucous membranes that constitute an allergic reaction

Question 26

26. A variety of pear tree, known as Bradford, was originally introduced into the eastern United States in the 1960s. Today, this tree is crowding out other plants in these states. This situation better illustrates
27. unintentional negative effect of altering an ecosystem
28. how a foreign species is controlled in the eastern United States
29. introduction of a foreign species does not affect food webs
30. serious environmental consequences can be avoided by importing a foreign species

Answer 26

Answer: 1. Invasive species compete with native trees, shrubs, and wild flowers for light, soil, minerals, growing space, and other limited resources. These negative effects are intended consequences of introducing the invasive species to the United States.

Question 27

27. A growing mass of plastic garbage is collecting in an area of the Pacific Ocean. This is caused by plastic garbage that is discarded by people, and it ends up in rivers that carry it to the ocean. Over time, ocean currents cause it to accumulate in this area of the Pacific. Currently, the mass is estimated to cover an area of ocean twice the size of Texas. As these plastics slowly break down, chemicals enter the wafer and can enter ocean organisms that we might eventually use for food. This sequence of events illustrates that
28. humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, consumption, and technology
29. human activities that degrade ecosystems result in an increase in diversity of ecosystems
30. when humans alter ecosystems by adding specific organisms. Serious consequences could result
31. industrialization brings a reduced demand for fossil and nuclear fuel

Answer 27

Answer: 1. Plastic containers made from petroleum and the prides they contained are consumed in frat numbers by human population. Often thee plastic containers are indiscriminately discarded instead of being responsibly recycled. The situation described, as well as more and more common solid waste landfills, are testaments to these human activities.

Question 28

28. Which organic compounds would be the best to analyze in order to determine if two species are closely related?
29. fats
30. starches
31. sugars
32. proteins

Answer 28

Answer: 4. Proteins are synthesized in organisms in accordance with specific instructions from the organisms’ DNA. These DNA instructions ate passed from generation to generation via the life function of reproduction. The more closely related two species are, the more similar DNA will be and, by extension, their proteins.

Question 29

29. Letter A in the pyramid represents
30. scavengers
31. producers
32. carnivores
33. herbivores

Answer 29

Answer: 2. Ecosystem energy is often presented as a pyramid. The pyramid illustrates that the total amount of energy in naturally occurring food webs are greatest among the producers in an ecosystem , which are shown at level A. Total energy is substantially less among primary consumers (herbivores) which are shown at level B. Total energy is reduced still further among the secondary consumers (carnivores) , which are shown at level C and D of the pyramid.

Question 30

30. A student wants to test the hypothesis that an acidic environment will decrease enzyme activity. In the experiment, the student used an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and bubbles of oxygen. To test the hypothesis, the student should collect data in the number of oxygen bubbles produced at different
31. temperatures
32. pH levels
33. enzyme concentrations
34. concentrations of hydrogen peroxide

Answer 30

Answer: 2. The acidity of the experimental setups is the independent variable in this study and is the only condition that should vary in experimental and control setups. All other conditions should be constant in all setups.