Life Science Enrichment Quiz

1. Which three human-body systems coordinate to cause an arm to move?

Nervous, muscular, skeletal

Respiratory, muscular, digestive

Skeletal, circulatory, immune

Digestive, nervous, circulatory

Bones are moved by muscles which are triggered by nerves.

Explanation

Bones are moved by muscles which are triggered by nerves.

2. In this human gamete which structure stores most of the genetic information?

Mitochondrion

Lysosome

Nucleus

Tail

In this type of eukaryotic cell, the genetic information is inside the nucleus as DNA

Explanation

In this type of eukaryotic cell, the genetic information is inside the nucleus as DNA

3. Which of the following cell types is formed by meiosis?

Muscle cells

Sperm cells

Skin cells

Blood cells

Meiosis makes sex cells that are genetically unique.

Explanation

Meiosis makes sex cells that are genetically unique.

4. Which of the following pairs provides structural support for a human?

Skin and blood

Bones and muscles

Spine and heart

Brain and nerves

The skeletal structure and muscles provide the structural support for a person.

Explanation

The skeletal structure and muscles provide the structural support for a person.

5. Which of the following produces identical nuclei in cells?

Pollination

Mitosis

Osmosis

Fertilization

Mitosis is where a cell makes identical copies of its nucleus before dividing through cytokinesis.

Explanation

Mitosis is where a cell makes identical copies of its nucleus before dividing through cytokinesis.

6. Which of the following levels of organization best represents the sequence from smallest unit to largest?

Cell, organism, organ, tissue

Cell, tissue, organ, organ system

Cell, organism, tissue, organ system

Cell, tissue, organism, organ

The correct answer is cell, tissue, organ, organ system. This sequence represents the hierarchical organization of living things, starting with the basic unit of life (cell), followed by the grouping of cells with similar functions (tissue), then the combination of different tissues to form a structure with a specific function (organ), and finally the coordination of multiple organs to perform a larger function (organ system).

Explanation

The correct answer is cell, tissue, organ, organ system. This sequence represents the hierarchical organization of living things, starting with the basic unit of life (cell), followed by the grouping of cells with similar functions (tissue), then the combination of different tissues to form a structure with a specific function (organ), and finally the coordination of multiple organs to perform a larger function (organ system).

7. During photosynthesis in plants, what is the source of the carbon in the sugar molecule (C6H12O6)?

Carbon dioxide in the air

Carbon monoxide in the air

Carbon particles in the soil

Carbon particles in water

Photosynthesis is where plants take carbon dioxide form the air and water from the soil and make sugar and oxygen with the help of the sun's energy.

Explanation

Photosynthesis is where plants take carbon dioxide form the air and water from the soil and make sugar and oxygen with the help of the sun's energy.

8. As a person exercises, carbon dioxide (CO2 ) levels in the blood increase. This causes the nervous system to signal which of these systems to respond?

Digestive and immune

Immune and respiratory

Respiratory and circulatory

Circulatory and endocrine

The body needs to get the CO2 out and get more O2 in. Speeding the heart-rate and increasing breathing help to keep you alive.

Explanation

The body needs to get the CO2 out and get more O2 in. Speeding the heart-rate and increasing breathing help to keep you alive.

9. Which of the following sets of organisms would be found in a wetland ecosystem?

Tortoise, lizard, fly

Salamander, mosquito, frog

Moose, seal, lemming

Lion, giraffe, beetle

This is the only group that would actually be found in a wetland.

Explanation

This is the only group that would actually be found in a wetland.

10. An experiment is performed to determine whether increasing the amount of water given to plants affects the rate of plant growth. The scientist takes 5 of the same plant and waters each at a different rate each day. At the end of each day the scientist measures the overall growth of each plant. In this example, which is the "dependent variable"?

The scientist

The amount of water

The rate of growth

The hypothesis

The dependent variable is the thing that is measured as a result of what the scientist does. In this example, the scientist directly changes the amount of water in order to observe the changes in the rate of growth for each plant.

Explanation

The dependent variable is the thing that is measured as a result of what the scientist does. In this example, the scientist directly changes the amount of water in order to observe the changes in the rate of growth for each plant.

11. Which of the following processes allows the cells of an organism to use carbon from the environment?

Mitosis

Fertilization

Transpiration

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is where plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

Explanation

Photosynthesis is where plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

12. How is natural selection in the evolution of long necks in giraffes best explained?

Shorter-necked giraffes were killed by long-necked giraffes.

Giraffe necks grew longer because of the bone structure of the animals.

Giraffes with longer necks survived because they were better suited to the environment.

Long-necked giraffes mated only with other long-necked giraffes.

Survival of the fittest -- long necks mean better access to food and better chances of winning a mate.

Explanation

Survival of the fittest -- long necks mean better access to food and better chances of winning a mate.

13. The jackrabbit population sometimes decreases dramatically. One possible explanation for this decrease is that the coyote population has increased. This explanation is a scientific

Conclusion

Experiment

Hypothesis

Law

A hypothesis is an educated guess that must be tested and proven true/false.

Explanation

A hypothesis is an educated guess that must be tested and proven true/false.

14. An experiment is performed to determine whether increasing the amount of water given to plants affects the rate of plant growth. The scientist takes 5 of the same plant and waters each at a different rate each day. At the end of each day the scientist measures the overall growth of each plant. In this example, which is the "independent variable"?

The scientist

The amount of water

The rate of growth

The hypothesis

The independent variable is the thing that the scientist himself/herself directly changes. In this example, the scientist directly changes the amount of water given to each plant.

Explanation

The independent variable is the thing that the scientist himself/herself directly changes. In this example, the scientist directly changes the amount of water given to each plant.

15. Skeletal structures are common between two animals of different species. These structures probably exist because both species

Have a common food source.

Live in the same environment

Have survived until the present time

Are related to a common ancestor.

Common ancestry means that both animals looks similar because they evolved over time from the same animal species.

Explanation

Common ancestry means that both animals looks similar because they evolved over time from the same animal species.

16.

The loss of which trophic level would be most disastrous for the ecosystem?

Primary consumer

Secondary consumer

Apex consumer

Producer

If the producers all die out, then all of the other animals will run out of food as well.

Explanation

If the producers all die out, then all of the other animals will run out of food as well.

17. Fungi are an important part of a terrestrial ecosystem because they

Store energy.

Bond oxygen to sulfur.

Function as producers.

Recycle organic matter.

Fungi are decomposers. They recycle organic matter back into the soil.

Explanation

Fungi are decomposers. They recycle organic matter back into the soil.

18. A mineral supplement designed to prevent the common cold was given to two groups of people during a scientific study. After eight weeks, neither group reported a case of the common cold. Which of the following would have made the outcome of this study more valid?

Test only one group with 150 mg of the supplement.

Give the supplement to both groups for only 6 weeks.

Create a third group that receives 75 mg of the supplement.

Create a third group that does not receive the supplement.

This is called the "control group" -- the group that goes unchanged to compared results with.

Explanation

This is called the "control group" -- the group that goes unchanged to compared results with.

19. The diet of white-tailed deer consists primarily of shrubs. Sika are another species of deer that eat both grasses and shrubs. After an extended drought period, why might the sika population be favored over the white-tailed deer population?

Sika require less food than do the white-tailed deer.

Sika require more water than do the white-tailed deer.

Sika have more food sources than do the white-tailed deer.

Sika have fewer food sources than do the white-tailed deer.

Having food available is essential for survival of a species.

Explanation

Having food available is essential for survival of a species.

20. The purpose for giving a person a vaccine is to

Introduce chemicals that destroy viruses.

Stimulate an immune response.

Prevent inflammation.

Cure a disease.

Vaccines teach the immune system to react by mimicking a natural infection.

Explanation

Vaccines teach the immune system to react by mimicking a natural infection.

21.

Which layer most likely contains fossils of the most recently evolved organisms?

6

5

2

1

The most recent organism will most likely be in the top layer. The deeper you dig, the older the fossil.

Explanation

The most recent organism will most likely be in the top layer. The deeper you dig, the older the fossil.

22. Which of the following lacks a nucleus?

A plant cell

An animal cell

An amoeba

A virus

Plant cells, animal cells, and amoeba are all eukaryotic which means they have a nucleus. Not only does a virus lack a nucleus, but its not even a living cell at all.

Explanation

Plant cells, animal cells, and amoeba are all eukaryotic which means they have a nucleus. Not only does a virus lack a nucleus, but its not even a living cell at all.

23. The genetic material of an organism is composed of

Lipids

Proteins

Deoxyribonucleic acids

Complex carbohydrates

DNA is the genetic material for the organism and it is generally found inside the nucleus of the cell.

Explanation

DNA is the genetic material for the organism and it is generally found inside the nucleus of the cell.

24. The inheritance of a trait in humans is best described as being determined by

A single allele

One or more pairs of alleles

One pair of chromosomes

The sex chromosomes of the offspring

Humans receive one allele from mom and one allele from dad. These pairs of alleles determines which traits will be inherited by the baby.

Explanation

Humans receive one allele from mom and one allele from dad. These pairs of alleles determines which traits will be inherited by the baby.

25. Which of the following is a source of genetic variation within a species?

Cloning

Mutation

Selective breeding

Natural selection

Genetic mutations lead to genetic changes which leads to possible evolution.

Explanation

Genetic mutations lead to genetic changes which leads to possible evolution.

26. The following shows a marine food chain: Phytoplankton --> Zooplankton --> Herring --> Salmon The zooplankton in this food chain are

Primary producers

Primary consumers

Secondary consumers

Tertiary consumers

Producers turn light energy into chemical energy, primary consumers eat producers.

Explanation

Producers turn light energy into chemical energy, primary consumers eat producers.

27. Which of the following organelles use carbon dioxide to produce sugars?

Vacuoles

Ribosomes

Chloroplasts

Mitochondria

Photosynthesis happens in the chloroplasts of cells. This is how plants use light to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

Explanation

Photosynthesis happens in the chloroplasts of cells. This is how plants use light to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

28. Which of the following organelles releases energy from sugars?

Ribosomes

Vacuoles

Chloroplasts

Mitochondria

The mitochondria is the energy factory for the cell.

Explanation

The mitochondria is the energy factory for the cell.

29. In pigeons, the allele for normal feathers (F) is dominant to the allele for frizzy feathers (f). If a purebred, normal-feathered bird (FF) is crossed with a frizzy-feathered bird (ff), how many different feather phenotypes are possible in the offspring?

1

2

3

4

The only possible offspring genotype would be heterozygous (Ff) so the only possible phenotype would be normal feather.

Explanation

The only possible offspring genotype would be heterozygous (Ff) so the only possible phenotype would be normal feather.

30. A prediction was made that the best conditions for earthworm growth occur when there are fewer than five earthworms per cubic meter of soil. This prediction is called a

Law

Theory

Hypothesis

Conclusion

A hypothesis is an educated prediction that must be tested and proved true/false.

Explanation

A hypothesis is an educated prediction that must be tested and proved true/false.