Lecture Three - Major Groups of Organisms

Question 1

Given the characteristics of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, which features do you except to find in the common ancestor of all life? Select all that apply:
A) ribosomes
B) nucleus
C) DNA
D) cell wall
E) mitochondria

Answer 1

A) ribosomes & C) DNA

Question 2

You learned two important differences between prokaryotic organisms: unlike Archaea, Bacteria have an extra component to their cell walls (pepitdoglycan), and they have no spaces between or within genes in their DNA (no introns). Given these differences, what features do you except to find in Eukaryotes?
A) an extra component of their cell wall
B) introns

Question 3

The mold on the strawberries is live fungus. The fungus is obtaining nutrients (food) from the strawberry. How is the fungus doing this?
A) it is eating the strawberry the same way a human would
B) it is digesting the strawberry on the outside of its cells
C) it is using the strawberry for photosynthesis

Answer 3

B) it is digesting the strawberry on the outside of its cells

Question 4

Your classmate is confused about how to decide whether or not an organism is a protist. Briefly explain what you would tell your classmate and be sure to indicate the features you would look for to place it in a Domain of life, and how you would differentiate it from other major groups in that Domain (think Kingdoms here).

Answer 4

I would tell my classmate that protist are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms. I would tell them to consider features like its cell structure, nutrition method (autotroph or heterotroph), and mobility. To differentiate them from other kingdoms, I would tell them to look at specific traits unique to plants, animals and fungi’s like cell wall composition and reproduction methods

Question 5

Which of the following are eukaryotes? Select all that apply:
A) protists
B) archaea
C) fungi
D) plants
E) animals
F) bacteria

Answer 5

A), C), D), & E)

Question 6

Protists are:
A) plants
B) fungi
C) animals
D) a diverse group of eukaryotes

Answer 6

D) a diverse group of eukaryotes

Question 7

True or False?
Kingdoms Protista is a grouping that is currently used by biologists

Answer 7

False

Question 8

Which of the following categories of taxonomic classification is the broadest?
A) family
B) class
C) genus
D) phylum

Answer 8

D) phylum

Question 9

If the phytoplankton at the bottom of a bottom-up controlled food chain begin to decrease, what will happen at the other trophic levels?
A) they will increase because of less competition
B) they will decrease
C) some will increase and some will decrease

Answer 9

B) they will decrease

Question 10

Where on Earth is organic carbon located?
A) the atmosphere
B) living organisms
C) the ocean floor
D) sedimentary rock of marine origin

Answer 10

B) living organisms

Question 11

Which of the following features do you except to find in the common ancestor of all current life on Earth? Select all that apply:
A) ribosomes
B) a nucleus
C) peptidoglycan
D) mitochondria
E) genetic material
F) introns

Answer 11

A), & E)