Question 1

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of emergent properties in biological systems?

Accepted Answer

A population of bacteria can evolve antibiotic resistance, even though individual bacteria cannot.

Question 2

A scientist is testing the effect of a new fertilizer on plant growth. She keeps the amount of sunlight, water, and soil type the same for all plants, but varies the amount of fertilizer. In this experiment, which is the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

Plant growth

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the difference between covalent and ionic bonds?

Accepted Answer

Covalent bonds involve sharing electrons, while ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons.

Question 4

A solution has a hydrogen ion concentration of $$1 	imes 10$$^{-5}$$ M. What is its pH?

Accepted Answer

$$5$$

Question 5

Which functional group is present in all amino acids and acts as a base by accepting H+?

Accepted Answer

Amino group

Question 6

A researcher uses a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to study a cell. What is the main advantage of using TEM over a light microscope?

Accepted Answer

TEM provides higher resolution images of internal cell structures.

Question 7

Which of the following best explains why ice floats on water?

Accepted Answer

Hydrogen bonds in ice form a lattice that spaces molecules farther apart.

Question 8

A red blood cell is placed in a solution and swells until it bursts. Which term best describes the solution?

Accepted Answer

Hypotonic

Question 9

During DNA replication, which enzyme is responsible for synthesizing short RNA primers needed to start the process?

Accepted Answer

Primase

Question 10

Which process best describes the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration?

Accepted Answer

Osmosis

Question 11

A mutation changes a codon from UAU (tyrosine) to UAA (stop codon). What type of mutation is this?

Accepted Answer

Nonsense mutation

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of negative feedback in biological systems?

Accepted Answer

High blood glucose stimulates insulin release, which lowers blood glucose.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the law of independent assortment?

Accepted Answer

Genes located on different chromosomes are inherited independently.

Question 14

A woman who is a carrier for an X-linked recessive disorder and a man who is unaffected have a son. What is the probability that their son will have the disorder?

Accepted Answer

$$0.5$$

Question 15

Which equation correctly represents the relationship between free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and temperature?

Accepted Answer

$$\Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S$$

Question 16

Which process produces the most ATP during cellular respiration?

Accepted Answer

Oxidative phosphorylation

Question 17

Which of the following mechanisms increases genetic variation during meiosis?

Accepted Answer

Crossing over between homologous chromosomes

Question 18

A plant cell is placed in a solution with a higher solute concentration than its cytoplasm. What will happen to the cell?

Accepted Answer

It will lose water and plasmolyze.

Question 19

Which enzyme is responsible for relieving strain ahead of the replication fork during DNA replication?

Accepted Answer

Topoisomerase

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why C4 and CAM plants are more efficient than C3 plants in hot, dry environments?

Accepted Answer

They have adaptations that minimize water loss and reduce photorespiration.

Comprehensive Study Notes: Foundations of Biology I

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