Exam 1 Flashcards
Chapters 1-5
Which is not a unifying theme in biology?
a. systems biology
b. emergent properties
c. inductive reasoning
d. reductionism
e. genomics
reductionism
Which correctly orders the levels of biological organization from smallest to largest?
a. cells, organelles, organ system, community, ecosystems
b. molecules, organism, population, communities, biosphere
c. molecules, cells, tissues, ecosystems, communities
d. organelles, cells, population, biosphere, ecosystems
e. cells, organs, population, ecosystems, communities
molecules, organism, population, communities, biosphere
All of the gray squirrels that inhabit an oak forest is an example of a(n) _____.
a. ecosystem
b. biosphere
c. community
d. population
Population
Which scientific study is an example of a systems biology approach?
a. measuring the effect of an invading insect that eats oak leaves on the numbers of oak trees and, subsequently, on the number and types of decomposer fungi in the soil
b. discovering the structure of an enzyme that is important in digestion of protein
c. comparing the microscopic structure of leaves of two different species of magnolias
d. measuring the reproductive rate of emperor penguins during exceptionally warm and exceptionally cold years
e. comparing the DNA sequence of two closely related plants and inferring their evolutionary histories
measuring the effect of an invading insect that eats oak leaves on the numbers of oak trees and, subsequently, on the number and types of decomposer fungi in the soil
The many blood vessels in elephants’ ears help them cool their bodies by radiating heat. Which statement about this radiated energy is accurate?
a. The original source of the energy is the sun.
b. The energy will be recycled through the ecosystem.
c. The radiated energy will be trapped by predators of the elephants.
d. More energy is radiated in cold conditions than in hot conditions.
e. More energy is radiated at night than during the day.
The original source of the energy was the sun.
Imagine that you have just discovered a new multicellular microscopic organism in a pond. It is propelled by external cilia. What can you say about the evolutionary relationships of this organism?
a. The presence of cilia shows that it is more closely related to Paramecium than to humans.
b. The presence of cilia shows that it shares a common ancestor with Paramecium and humans.
c. It is probably closely related to pond algae.
d. It is probably most closely related to prokaryotes.
e. The presence of cilia demonstrates the diversity, but not the unity, of life.
The presence of cilia shows that it shares a common ancestor with Paramecium and humans.
Examine the figure and predict which species pair has the most similar DNA sequence.
a. vegetarian finch and common cactus finch
b. small tree finch and common cactus finch
c. woodpecker finch and small tree finch
d. vegetarian finch and large ground finch
wood pecker finch and small tree finch
An experimental study is conducted to determine whether a new drug reduces high blood pressure. The change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure values of the participants represents the _____.
a. independent variable
b. dependent variable
c. hypothesis
d. theory
e. control group
dependent variable
In this figure, what is the dependent variable, the response to the variables being tested?
a. the presence or absence of moonlight
b. the mouse coat color
c. the number of mice caught
d. the color of the soil
the number of mice caught
These data are from two enclosures: one with light-colored soil (left), and one with dark-colored soil (right). How many dark brown mice were caught in the light-colored soil enclosure on a moonlit night?
12
17
19
37
19
What combination of independent variables led to the highest predation level in enclosures with light-colored soil?
A. light brown coat with no moon
B. light brown coat with full moon
C. dark brown coat with full moon
D. dark brown coat with no moon
dark brown coat with no moon
Galápagos finches are good examples of _____.
A. the results of natural selection
B. hierarchy
C. communities
D. chemical cycling
the results of natural selection
Biological science cannot be done without _____.
a. evolution
b. data
c. hierarchy
d. DNA
e. communities
data
Chloroplasts receiving instructions from the nucleus is an example from what level of biological organization?
a. biosphere
b. tissue
c. organelle
d. cell
e. molecule
organelle
Which is not an example of biological interaction?
a. Two species of finch compete for food.
b. Information from the nucleus travels to a ribosome.
c. Chlorophyll absorbs light.
d. A bird lays an egg.
e. none of the above
none of the above
Which could have occurred due to evolution?
a. different kinds of algae having different kinds of chlorophyll
b. DNA containing four bases
c. populations including many individuals
d. an individual’s blood sugar varying over time
different kinds of algae having different kinds of chlorophyll
Which property is shared by living things but not with a rock?
reproduction
evolutionary adaptation
energy processing
regulation
all of the above
all of the above
A change in which level of biological organization would probably have the farthest-reaching consequences?
biosphere
molecule
organelle
population
organism
biosphere
Based on the periodic table shown here, which elements will most likely form an ionic bond?
a. Na and Cl, and Li and F
b. C and O
c. N and O
d. Si and Cl
e. all of the above
Na and Cl, and Li and F
Based on the periodic table shown here, which elements will most likely form a covalent bond?
a. Na and Cl
b. C and O
c. N and O
d. Si and Cl
e. H and H
H and H
Titanium has an atomic number of 22. How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in an isotope of titanium with mass number of 48?
p = 22, n = 26, e = 22
p = 11, n = 26, e = 11
p = 11, n = 11, e = 70
p = 11, n = 22, e = 48
p = 22, n = 22, e = 48
p = 22, n = 26, e = 22
What do elements with atomic numbers 6, 14, and 22 have in common?
a. same number of electrons
b. same atomic mass
c. same number of valence electrons and will form the same number of covalent bonds
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
same number of valence electrons and will form the same number of covalent bonds
What type of bond is very prevalent in lipids and gives lipids their hydrophobic properties?
polar covalent
nonpolar covalent
strong ionic
weak ionic
hydrogen
nonpolar covalent
An atom of oxygen has an atomic number of 8. How many electrons are in the first, second, and third electron shells, respectively?
a. 2, 3, 3
b. 2, 6, 0
c. 8, 0, 0
d. 0, 4, 4
e. none of the above
2, 6, 0
What numbers must be placed as coefficients in the blanks for the chemical reaction below in order to ensure that matter is conserved?
Fe3O4 + __C → __Fe + __CO
1; 1; 1
4; 3; 4
2; 1; 2
3; 4; 3
0; 3; 4
4; 3; 4
Carbon-14 dating works for fossils up to about 75,000 years old. Most dinosaurs went extinct 65.5 million years ago. Can 14C be used to date dinosaur bones?
a. Yes; the bones continued to take in 14C, even after the dinosaur died.
b. No; the 14C present in the dinosaur when it died would decay too much to be measured after 65.5 million years.
c. No; 14C can only be used to date dinosaur teeth, which are much stronger than bones.
d. Yes; the bones contained 14C when the dinosaur died, so 14C can be used to determine the fossil’s age.
No; the 14C present in the dinosaur when it died would decay too much to be measured after 65.5 million years.
235U can date back 704 million years, will that be able to date a 65.5 million old fossil?
a. Yes; after 65.5 million years, only about one-tenth of the 235U would have decayed, leaving plenty to measure in the fossils.
b. No; the dinosaurs went extinct too recently to use a radioisotope with a half-life of 704 million years.
c. No; only about one-tenth of the 235U would have decayed after 65.5 million years, not leaving enough to measure in the fossils.
d. Yes, but only for dinosaurs that lived more than 704 million years ago.
Yes; after 65.5 million years, only about one-tenth of the 235U would have decayed, leaving plenty to measure in the fossils.
What would an electron holding extra energy be useful for?
a. powering a biochemical process that requires energy
b. storing energy for a time
c. stabilizing a lipid molecule
d. a and b
e. a and c
a and b
You find a bacterium growing in pure oil, containing the usual hydrophobic lipids. This organism must be very good at breaking down _____.
polar covalent bonds
hydrogen bonds
ionic bonds
nonpolar covalent bonds
all of the above
nonpolar covalent bonds
A person carefully walking on a slippery sidewalk is most like which kind of bond?
ionic
polar covalent
hydrogen
hydrogen
Which of the following is a product of photosynthesis that is a reactant in a campfire?
glucose
sunlight
oxygen
water
all of the above
oxygen
Think of squirrels entering and leaving a room as an analogy for a chemical reaction. When is the room at equilibrium?
a. when equal numbers of squirrels are entering and leaving the room
b. when all of the squirrels in the room leave
c. when as many squirrels enter as there is space in the room
d. when the door is shut
when equal numbers of squirrels are entering and leaving the room
Which of the following food items is like a compound?
a. a glass of pure water
b. a sandwich containing ham, lettuce, and tomato
c. an ice cube
d. a plain baked potato
e. an ear of corn
a sandwich containing ham, lettuce, and tomato
Which of the following is a trace element in the human body?
C
O
N
P
H
P
Which of the following indirectly determines the bonds that an atom can form?
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
Protons
What are the four emergent properties of water that are important for life?
cohesion, expansion upon freezing, high heat of evaporation, capillarity
cohesion, moderation of temperature, expansion upon freezing, solvent properties
moderation of temperature, solvent properties, high surface tension, capillarity
heat of vaporization, high specific heat, high surface tension, capillarity
polarity, hydrogen bonding, high specific heat, high surface tension
cohesion, moderation of temperature, expansion upon freezing, solvent properties
Water shows high cohesion and surface tension and can absorb large amounts of heat because of large numbers of which type of bonds between water molecules?
strong ionic bonds
nonpolar covalent bonds
polar covalent bonds
hydrogen bonds
weak ionic interactions
hydrogen bonds
Water has an unusually high specific heat. What does this mean?
a. At its boiling point, water changes from liquid to vapor.
b. A large amount of heat is required to raise the temperature of water.
c. Ice floats in liquid water.
d. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than pure water.
e. Floating ice can insulate bodies of water.
A large amount of heat is required to raise the temperature of water.
If water was treated with molecules that reduce or remove surface tension, which of the following would occur?
a. Treated water droplets would form a thin film instead of beading on a waxed surface.
b. Treated water would form smaller droplets when dripping from a sink.
c. Water striders would sink.
d. All of the above would occur.
e. Only a and c would occur.
All of the above would occur.
In a glass of old-fashioned lemonade, what is the solvent?
lemon juice
sugar
water
lemonade mixture
ice
Water
Skin is coated with a hydrophobic glycolipid. What would happen if this glycolipid were not present?
a. Water would be lost from skin cells more quickly.
b. Skin would swell when swimming.
c. Skin would wrinkle more.
d. a and b only
e. a, b, and c
a and b only
What is the concentration of hydroxide ions in a solution where pH = 10?
1 × 10–10 M
1 × 1010 M
1 × 104 M
1 × 10–4 M
1 × 10–7 M
1 × 10–4 M
Compared to an acidic solution at pH 5, a basic solution at pH 8 has _____.
a. 1,000 times more hydrogen ions
b. 1,000 times fewer hydrogen ions
c. 100 times fewer hydrogen ions
d. the same number of hydrogen ions but more hydroxide ions
e. 100 times fewer hydroxide ions
1,000 times fewer hydrogen ions
Which of the following acts as a pH buffer in blood?
carbonic acid
bicarbonate ion
carbonate ion
hydroxide ion
a and b
a and b
Figure 3.12 looks at the effect of ocean acidification on coral growth. Does more CO2 in the atmosphere change the solution that is the ocean and thus affect coral?
a. No; more atmospheric CO2causes adecreasein the amount of CO32– in seawater, leading to faster reef growth.
b. Yes; more CO2 causes anincreasein the amount of CO32–in seawater, leading to slower reef growth.
c. No; more atmospheric CO2 causes anincreasein the amount of CO32–in seawater, leading to faster reef growth.
d. Yes; more CO2 causes adecreasein the amount of CO32–in seawater, leading to slower reef growth.
Yes; more CO2 causes a decrease in the amount of CO32– in seawater, leading to slower reef growth.
In a glass of cola, what is the solute?
the glass
sugar
water
gas bubbles
ice
sugar
To neutralize a given volume of household bleach, you would need a similar volume of what solution?
wine
battery acid
tomato juice
beer
rainwater
battery acid
If you were working with a protein that needed a certain pH to work, what would you need in the solution containing the protein?
salt
acid
buffer
carbon dioxide
buffer
If you were a fish in a pond in the winter in Minnesota, for what property of water would you be most grateful?
high heat of fusion
high specific heat
hydrogen bonding
cohesion
adhesion
hydrogen bonding
If you were a spider gliding across a pond in the summer in Virginia, for what property of water would you be most grateful?
high heat of fusion
high specific heat
cohesion
adhesion
cohesion
You are looking at your dinner plate and see small circles in the aqueous meat juices on your plate. What word best applies to the circles?
cohesive
hydrophobic
solute
pH
None of the above apply.
hydrophobic
Which of the following explains how a pool of water can crack a boulder sitting in it during freezing weather?
expansion of the water when it freezes
corrosion of the minerals in the boulder
adhesion of the water to the minerals in the boulder
a and b
a and c
expansion of the water when it freezes
What was the first organic molecule to be synthesized in the laboratory?
ammonium cyanate
hydrogen cyanide
urea
acetic acid
methane
urea
What type of chemical bond joins a functional group to the carbon skeleton of a large molecule?
covalent bond
hydrogen bond
ionic bond
double bond
disulfide bond
covalent bond
Which functional group is not found in biological organic molecules?
amino
hydroxyl
carboxyl
cyanate
phosphate
cyanate
Which functional group behaves as an acid in organic molecules?
amino
carboxyl
carbonyl
sulfhydryl
hydroxyl
carboxyl
Which functional group behaves as a base in organic molecules?
amino
carboxyl
carbonyl
sulfhydryl
hydroxyl
amino
What type of isomer is propanal compared to acetone?
cis-trans isomer
structural isomer
enantiomer
none of the above
structural isomer
Which type of molecule may contain sulfhydryl groups?
carbohydrate
DNA
protein
all of the above
Protein
The table below gives the molar ratios of some of the products from Stanley Miller’s abiotic synthesis of organic molecules experiment. What is the molar ratio of serine?
1 mole of serine per mole of glycine
3.0 × 10–2 moles of serine per mole of glycine
3.0 × 10–2 moles of glycine per mole of serine
1 mole of serine per 3.0 × 10–2 moles of glycine
3.0 × 10–2 moles of serine per mole of glycine
The table below gives the molar ratios of some of the products from Stanley Miller’s abiotic synthesis of organic molecules experiment. Which amino acid is present in higher amounts than glycine?
serine
methionine
alanine
serine and methionine
alanine
Based on these results, how many molecules of methionine are present per mole of glycine?
1.08 × 10–70 molecules
1.8 × 10–3 molecules
1.08 × 10–21 molecules
6.02 × 10–23 molecules
1.08 × 10–21 molecules
The synthetic atmosphere in this experiment contained H2S instead of water vapor. Which of these amino acids could not have been produced in Miller’s original abiotic synthesis experiment?
serine
methionine
alanine
glycine
methionine
What kind of bond would be present in a completely flat section of a biological molecule?
single bond
double bond
triple bond
b or c
a or c
b or c
You could describe enantiomers by analogy with which part(s) of your body?
your heart
your two feet
your left lung
one of your thumbnails
your two feet
The disappearance of which functional group would most adversely affect protein shape?
carbonyl
carboxyl
sulfhydryl
phosphate
hydroxyl
sulfhydryl
If you swapped a methyl group for every phosphate group in a DNA molecule,
the molecule would fall apart.
no significant change would occur.
the DNA would become RNA.
none of the above would occur.
the molecule would fall apart.
Which functional group is most important for cellular energy?
phosphate
sulfhydryl
hydroxyl
carbonyl
carboxyl
phosphate
Which of the following can carbon-based molecules do because of the versatile bond structures formed by carbon?
make three-dimensional shapes
branch
have mirror-image versions
all of the above
all of the above
What kinds of biological molecules were Miller and Urey able to produce abiotically?
amino acids
hydrocarbons
formaldehyde
hydrogen cyanide
all of the above
all of the above
Which of the following contains the most molecules?
a mole of water
a mole of a gas
a mole of protein
a mole of methyl groups
none of the above
none of the above
Polymers are made of monomer subunits that are joined by what type of bonds?
ionic bonds
covalent bonds
hydrogen bonds
hydrophobic bonds
covalent bonds
Which polysaccharide has the greatest number of branches?
cellulose
chitin
amylose
amylopectin
glycogen
glycogen
A polysaccharide you are studying contains unbranched β glucose molecules and cannot be digested by humans. Which polysaccharide are you studying?
cellulose
DNA
chitin
starch
glycogen
Cellulose
Lipids cannot be considered polymers because
a. they contain polar covalent bonds.
b. their structure includes carbon rings.
c. they can be artificially created.
d. their monomers are connected via ionic bonds.
e. they are not composed of monomer subunits.
they are not composed of monomer subunits.
The chemical bonds present in a molecule contribute to the properties of the molecule. Carbon is an unusual atom in that it can form multiple bonds. Which statement is not true?
a. A carbon-to-carbon cis double bond is the type found in nature and is associated with cardiovascular health.
b. A carbon-to-carbon trans double bond that is made artificially in food processing is associated with poor cardiovascular health.
c. A carbon-to-carbon double bond in the cis configuration creates a bend in the hydrocarbon chain.
d. Saturated fats are those that have carbon-to-carbon double bonds and are associated with good health.
Saturated fats are those that have carbon-to-carbon double bonds and are associated with good health.
All lipids
are made from glycerol and fatty acids.
contain nitrogen.
have low energy content.
are acidic when mixed with water.
do not dissolve well in water.
do not dissolve well in water.
Sickle-cell disease is caused by a mutation in hemoglobin that changes a charged amino acid to a hydrophobic amino acid. Where in the protein would you expect to find this charged amino acid?
on the exterior surface of the protein
in the interior of the protein, away from water
at the active site, binding oxygen
at the heme-binding site
on the exterior surface of the protein
Which is a function of a molecule that is not a protein?
a. helps make up membranes
b. carries the code for translation from the nucleus to the ribosome
c. binds to hormones (hormone receptor)
d. can be a hormone
e. speeds chemical reactions
carries the code for translation from the nucleus to the ribosome
How does RNA differ from DNA?
a. DNA encodes hereditary information; RNA does not.
b. DNA forms duplexes; RNA does not.
c. DNA contains thymine; RNA contains uracil.
d. all of the above
DNA contains thymine; RNA contains uracil.
Scan along the aligned sequences, letter by letter, noting any positions that vary from species to species. How many amino acids differ between the monkey and the human sequences?
2
6
b
10
8
How many amino acids differ between the gibbon and the human sequences?
1
2
6
8
2
What percent of monkey β-globin amino acids are identical to the human sequence? (This is called the percent identity between the monkey and human β-globin sequences. Note: 146 amino acids total.)
5.48%
94.5%
95.9%
98.6%
94.5%
From the β-globin alignment, identify the best hypothesis relating humans to monkeys and gibbons.
a. Monkeys are more closely related to humans than gibbons are because monkeys’ β-globin sequence has the lower percent identity with humans.
b. Both monkeys and gibbons are equally unrelated to humans because neither monkeys nor gibbons have the exact same β-globin sequence as humans.
c. Both monkeys and gibbons are equally related to humans because they both have less than a 10% difference in β-globin sequence with humans.
d. Gibbons are more closely related to humans than monkeys are because the gibbon β-globin sequence is a closer match with the human sequence.
Gibbons are more closely related to humans than monkeys are because the gibbon β-globin sequence is a closer match with the human sequence.
If you wanted to make a computer that would hold information, basing it on a biological molecule, which molecule would be the best choice?
DNA
carbohydrate
lipid
saccharide
glycerol
DNA
If you heat a cell to a moderately higher temperature than it is normally used to, which molecule will stop working first?
RNA
DNA
protein
lipid
carbohydrate
protein
In which pair does the first molecule determine the structure of the second?
DNA, protein
RNA, carbohydrate
Lipid, DNA
DNA, RNA
a and d
a and d
If you were designing a cell to store a large amount of energy, which molecule(s) would you pack into it?
protein
lipid
carbohydrate
a and c
b and c
b and c
If you wanted to extract the heaviest component of a membrane, you would need a protocol to extract
sterols.
phospholipids.
glycerol.
fatty acids.
none of the above.
phospholipids
If you wanted to design a new industrial catalyst based on something biological, which molecule would you use?
fatty acid
lipid
DNA
protein
chitin
protein
If you substituted alanine for glycine in a protein, how much change to the protein’s structure would you expect?
a. little change, since these are both hydrophobic amino acids
b. much change, since one has a large side chain and the other a small side chain
c. some change, since one contains S and the other does not
d. little change, since amino acid identity doesn’t have much effect on protein function
little change, since these are both hydrophobic amino acids