Life Science Flashcards
In which biome do lichens grow and thrive the best?
Tundra
A parsec is equal to about how many light years?
3 and ¼ light years
In what specific tissue of the common adult house cat are red blood cells primarily produced?
Bone marrow
What element is most directly involved with the binding of oxygen in the hemoglobin molecule?
Iron
Which of the following is a vitamin: lysine, lactose, cholesterol, riboflavin?
Riboflavin
What is the specific name for the type of solar eclipse of the Sun that causes a symmetrical ring of sunlight?
Annular
What significant discovery was made from a fossil found in Canada believed to represent a missing link?
Represents a missing link between fish and land vertebrates
What is one of the MAIN ways of preventing Brucellosis in humans?
Consume only pasteurized dairy products
Which of the following is the BEST example of a heterozygous condition?
The matching alleles for a certain physical characteristic are different
How many chromosomes will a typical human egg cell have after meiosis 1?
23
What is the anatomical term for the nerves that conduct messages from the eyes to the brain?
Optic
What is the scientific name for the veins that return oxygen-rich blood to the heart?
Pulmonary
If you notice a red-ringed rash similar to a bull’s-eye, which disease could you expect to have?
Lyme disease
Which of the following is NOT true about Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is treated with anti-viral drugs
Which blood cell plays the most central role in regulating the immune system?
Lymphocyte
Which neurotransmitter is common and excitatory in mammals?
Acetylcholine
Which vitamin is an antioxidant found in high amounts in vegetable oils and nuts?
Vitamin E
Thyroid disease is typically thought of as what type of disease?
A metabolic disease
To which phylum do organisms with large amounts of chitin belong?
Arthropoda
What is the MOST readily available energy store during normal human cellular conditions?
ATP
Under which type of biological molecule would insulin be categorized?
Proteins
What gland is the primary production site of epinephrine?
Adrenal gland
Which of the following is the BEST example of how evolution progresses?
Certain mutations improve an organism’s offspring’s chances to survive and reproduce in different environments
Order the following from the part nearest to the START to the END of the human digestive system: ileum, esophagus, duodenum, jejunum.
Esophagus; duodenum; jejunum; ileum
What type of burn damages the outer layer of keratin and is referred to as a full-thickness burn?
3rd degree
What is the name of the fluid that forms beneath the blister in a 2nd degree burn?
Serum
What cellular organelle helps match the tRNA to the correct place on the mRNA?
Ribosome
In what part of a eukaryotic cell are the basic parts of ribosomes manufactured?
Nucleolus
What structure of the human eye regulates the amount of light that enters?
Pupil
What type of light receptor is most densely populated at the fovea?
Cones
What insect is the most used in experiments studying genetics?
Fruit fly
Why are fruit flies popular in genetic studies?
They are cheap to maintain, produce many offspring, and have a short time between generations
What organ produces bile in the human body?
Liver
Into what organ does the gall bladder release bile?
Small intestine
Antibodies are composed of what?
Amino acids
What is the BEST description for the genetic makeup of a white flowering parent plant if white is dominant?
Heterozygous
Which fabric would most easily be colored by dyes containing polar molecules?
Wool
Which of the following is NOT one of the 24 essential elements needed by the human body?
Cesium
What is the BEST explanation for the function of nuclear pores?
To allow substances such as mRNA to leave the nucleus
What nucleotide is present in DNA but not RNA?
Thymine
Which type of scientist would most likely use a coronagraph?
Astronomer
The coronagraph is used to study what celestial object?
The Sun
Which kind of microscope is used to view the surface of objects to reveal minute details?
Scanning electron microscopy
A small human lymphocyte and a red blood cell are both about how many micrometers across?
8
What BEST describes the property of light as a transverse wave restricted to certain planes?
Polarization
What is the term for the points where leaves are attached in the stem of a higher plant?
Nodes
What is the scientific term for the stalk of a leaf that joins the leaf to the node?
Petiole
Which types of scientists would most likely use the PCR method?
Geneticist
What is the term for the oxygen released by plants during photosynthesis?
Water
Which organisms are considered to have no true tissues?
Sponges
What BEST describes why all mammalian nucleated non-sex cells have the same chromosomes yet function differently?
Different genes are turned on and off as cells mature
What would be the number of chromosomes in a normal human skin cell after mitosis without cytokinesis?
92
What is the term for the front transparent covering of the human eye?
Cornea
Order the following human vertebral bone types from UPPERMOST to LOWERMOST: sacral, lumbar, cervical, thoracic.
Cervical; thoracic; lumbar; sacral
What type of nucleic acid carries a complementary copy of a gene from DNA to the cytoplasm?
Messenger RNA
What organelle modifies and packages proteins received from the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
Golgi
The ability to interbreed and produce sexually competent offspring is characteristic of what taxonomical level?
Species
What is the scientific term for the symbiosis where both organisms benefit?
Mutualism
What is the name for the basic five-carbon sugar present in both DNA and RNA?
Ribose
What percentage of Tommy and Jean’s children would be expected to have blue eyes if blue is recessive?
50%
What is the basic five-carbon sugar present in slightly different forms in both DNA and RNA nucleotides?
Ribose
Ribose is essential for the structure of nucleotides in RNA.
Assuming blue eyes are recessive, what percentage of Tommy and Jean’s children would be expected to have blue eyes?
50%
Which type of microscope passes negatively charged particles through a thin specimen to produce an image at high magnification?
Transmission electron microscopy
What is the scientific name for the instrument used to separate substances of different densities in solution?
Centrifuge
Which group of organic compounds is often added to foods to enhance flavors and is found in sweet-smelling flowers?
Esters
Honey is considered hygroscopic because it: W) is very dense for a sugar X) loses water to its environment Y) _______ Z) expands rapidly on heating.
Attracts water from the air
As a tree ages, what happens to the secondary phloem?
It is lost as part of the bark and does not accumulate in great quantities.
If an order of plants has floral parts usually arranged in multiples of 4 or 5, what structure will it most likely have?
Vascular bundles arranged in a ring and a taproot
What type of virus has the FDA approved to be sprayed on certain foods as a preservative against bacterial contamination?
Bacteriophage
Why are high salt environments difficult for organisms to survive in?
Salt causes an osmotic imbalance leading to excessive loss of water from cells.
In the given ecosystem, name the secondary consumer: A plant is eaten by a rabbit, the rabbit is eaten by a wolf, and the scraps are eaten by a hawk.
Wolf
What is the approximate circumference of a U.S. nickel?
6.28 centimeters
What symbiotic relationship is characterized by one organism benefiting while the other is harmed?
Parasitism
What is the scientific ecological term for the sea otter’s role in the ecosystem after over-hunting led to an overabundance of sea urchins?
Keystone species
Why did Gary only ever see white flowers after planting a pot of white flowers for many generations?
The original plant was homozygous but Gary cannot know for sure whether it is a dominant or recessive color.
What are the values of n and s at the beginning of metaphase in mitosis if 2n is the content of chromosomes?
2n AND 4s
What is the common name for the area in the human heart’s right atrium that sets the rate of heartbeats?
Pacemaker
Where is the human spleen located?
Upper left abdomen just under the lower left ribs.
Which cells are the sugar transporting cells of the phloem in flowering plants?
Sieve tube cells
Name the plants or plant groups that produce true flowers from the following: sphagnum moss; fern; monocots; pine tree; cactus.
Monocots and cactus
What is the main difference between bryophytes and tracheophytes?
Tracheophytes have vessels to transport materials
Tracheophytes include plants like ferns and flowering plants, while bryophytes include mosses and liverworts.
Complete the sentence: The alternative forms of a gene at the same locus on homologous chromosomes are called _______.
alleles
Alleles can be dominant or recessive.
What are the three fused bones that make up the human pelvic girdle on each side?
ilium, ischium, and pubis
These bones contribute to the structure of the pelvis.
What are rings of muscle which close body openings such as the lips called?
sphincters
Sphincters control the passage of substances through openings in the body.
The myofilaments of muscles consist primarily of two proteins. What are these proteins?
actin and myosin
These proteins are essential for muscle contraction.
In the study of the human body, what term describes a blood-filled sac formed by an outpouching in an arterial or venous wall?
aneurysm
Aneurysms can lead to serious health issues if they rupture.
What French scientist is considered the father of paleontology?
George Cuvier
Cuvier is known for establishing extinction as a fact and developing the comparative method in paleontology.
Which anatomy-based term is associated with lower animals?
Galen
Galen was an ancient physician whose work influenced biology and anatomy for centuries.
What percentage of the atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide?
.03%
This percentage is often cited in discussions about climate change and greenhouse gases.
What process in all living things releases carbon dioxide as a waste product?
Respiration
Respiration is a vital process for energy production in cells.
List the taxonomic breakdown of living things from least specific to most specific.
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
This hierarchy is essential for the classification of organisms.
In biology, what is the word used to describe the appearance of an individual without regard to its hereditary constitution?
Phenotype
Phenotype refers to observable traits, which can be influenced by the environment.
The chromosomes responsible for characteristics other than sex are known as what?
Autosomes
Autosomes are non-sex chromosomes that carry genes for various traits.
Fill in the blank: The genetic term for a situation when a part of a chromosome is broken off is called _______.
Chromosomal breakage
This can lead to genetic disorders or variations.
What is the term used to describe the appearance of an individual without JOTYPE?
Phenotype
Phenotype refers to the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an individual, as determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences.
What are the chromosomes responsible for characteristics other than sex called?
Autosomes
Autosomes are non-sex chromosomes that determine various traits and characteristics in an organism.
What genetic term describes the situation when a part of a chromosome is broken off?
Chromosomal Deletion
Chromosomal deletion involves the loss of a segment of DNA from a chromosome, which can lead to various genetic disorders.
Which of the following is NOT a cell organelle?
1) mitochondrion
2) lysosome
3) cytoplasm
4) endoplasmic reticulum
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm is the gel-like substance within the cell membrane that contains organelles, but it is not classified as an organelle.
Which of the following are skin receptors in humans that are sensitive to heat?
1) end organs of Kraus
2) Meissner’s corpuscles
3) end organs of Ruffini
4) Pacinian corpuscles
End organs of Ruffini
End organs of Ruffini are specialized receptors in the skin that respond to heat and are involved in the sensation of warmth.
Fill in the blank: Glucose is broken down into which acids in the first stage of cellular respiration? _______
Pyruvic acid
Pyruvic acid is the end product of glycolysis, the first step in cellular respiration where glucose is metabolized.
What is the name of the process by which oil glands in mammalian skins secrete oils?
HOLOCRINE SECRETION
Holocrine secretion involves the entire cell disintegrating to release its substance.
An individual with three X chromosomes is likely to be:
AN ABNORMAL FEMALE
This condition may lead to various developmental issues.
Who is considered the father of Taxonomy?
CAROLUS LINNAEUS
Linnaeus developed the system of binomial nomenclature.
In the first stage of photosynthesis, light energy is used to:
SPLIT WATER
This process is known as photolysis.
One-celled algae enclosed in minute two-part silic shells are called:
DIATOMS
Diatoms are a major group of phytoplankton.
Osmoregulation is concerned with:
FLUID BALANCE
Osmoregulation involves maintaining the proper balance of salts and water in organisms.
What are diatoms?
A unicellular algae with a unique silica cell wall
A type of microalgae known for their unique silica cell walls.
Osmoregulation is concerned with _______.
control of the body’s water content
Which of the following is not an arachnid? a) lobster, b) scorpion, c) black widow spider, d) tick
lobster
Which of the following is not found in blood? a) fibrinogen, b) glucose, c) urea, d) glycogen
glycogen
The proof that plants can grow and reproduce using only inorganic nutrients comes from _______.
hydroponics
Water molecules enter plant epidermal cells by _______.
osmosis
What molecule is the energy source for virtually all of the work done by the cell?
ATP
