Q: Which of the following equations correctly represents the process of photosynthesis carried out by autotrophic protists?

$6 \mathrm{CO}_2 + 6 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \mathrm{C}_6\mathrm{H}_{12}\mathrm{O}_6 + 6 \mathrm{O}_2$

Question 1

Which of the following best explains why protists are considered a paraphyletic group?

Accepted Answer

They include some, but not all, descendants of their most recent common ancestor.

Question 2

Which of the following is a direct result of primary endosymbiosis in eukaryotic evolution?

Accepted Answer

The formation of mitochondria from engulfed proteobacteria.

Question 3

A patient presents with recurring fever and chills after returning from a trip to a tropical region. Blood tests reveal infection by a protist. Which of the following is the most likely cause and vector of this disease?

Accepted Answer

Plasmodium, transmitted by Anopheles mosquito.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the ecological role of autotrophic protists in aquatic food webs?

Accepted Answer

They are primary producers that convert solar energy into chemical energy.

Question 5

Which structure is used by amoeboid protists for both locomotion and feeding, and what is the term for this structure?

Accepted Answer

Pseudopodia; also called 'false feet'.

Question 6

A harmful algal bloom occurs in a coastal region, leading to fish kills and shellfish poisoning. Which group of protists is most commonly responsible for this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Dinoflagellates

Question 7

Which of the following statements about sexual and asexual reproduction in protists is correct?

Accepted Answer

Sexual reproduction involves meiosis and fusion of gametes, leading to genetically variable offspring.

Question 8

Which of the following equations correctly represents the process of photosynthesis carried out by autotrophic protists?

Accepted Answer

$6 \mathrm{CO}_2 + 6 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + 	ext{light energy} ightarrow \mathrm{C}_6\mathrm{H}_{12}\mathrm{O}_6 + 6 \mathrm{O}_2$

Question 9

Which of the following protists is capable of switching between autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition depending on environmental conditions?

Accepted Answer

Euglena

Question 10

The Irish potato famine was caused by a protist belonging to which group, and what was the name of the organism?

Accepted Answer

Stramenopila; Phytophthora infestans

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the process of endosymbiosis that led to the origin of chloroplasts in protists?

Accepted Answer

A eukaryotic cell engulfed a cyanobacterium, which became a photosynthetic organelle.

Question 12

Which of the following protists is responsible for causing dysentery in humans, and what is the primary mode of transmission?

Accepted Answer

Entamoeba histolytica; contaminated water or food

Question 13

Which of the following is a key advantage of sexual reproduction in protists, especially in environments with rapidly evolving pathogens?

Accepted Answer

It increases genetic variation, enhancing the ability to adapt to changing environments.

Question 14

Which of the following protists moves primarily by means of cilia and possesses both a mouth pore and an anal pore?

Accepted Answer

Paramecium

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the process of binary fission in protists?

Accepted Answer

A type of asexual reproduction where a single cell divides into two genetically identical daughter cells.

Question 16

Which of the following protist lineages is characterized by the presence of a test (shell) made of calcium carbonate and uses pseudopodia for movement?

Accepted Answer

Rhizaria (foraminiferans)

Question 17

Which of the following best explains why multicellularity is considered to have evolved independently in several eukaryotic lineages?

Accepted Answer

Different groups of protists, plants, and fungi developed multicellularity through distinct evolutionary events.

Question 18

A scientist is studying a protist that has two flagella of unequal length, is photosynthetic, and is a major component of marine phytoplankton. To which lineage does this protist most likely belong?

Accepted Answer

Stramenopila (diatoms)

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the alternation of generations in protists?

Accepted Answer

A life cycle that alternates between multicellular haploid and multicellular diploid stages.

Question 20

Which of the following organelles is responsible for removing excess water from freshwater protists such as Paramecium?

Accepted Answer

Contractile vacuole

Protists: Diversity, Structure, and Importance

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