Contemporary Biology
Exam Practice Tests
Course Introduction
Contemporary Biology provides an introduction to the key concepts, discoveries, and technological advances that define modern biological science. The course explores topics such as cell theory, genetics, evolution, ecology, and biotechnology, while highlighting their relevance to everyday life and current societal challenges. Emphasis is placed on a scientific approach to understanding living systems, the interplay between biology and technology, and the ethical considerations of recent advances. Through lectures, case studies, and hands-on activities, students gain insights into how biological research informs decisions relating to health, environment, and policy in the twenty-first century.
Recommended Textbook
Biology The Core 2nd Edition by Eric J. Simon
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
12 Chapters
718 Verified Questions
718 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/2091 Page 2
Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Science of Life
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41669
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the smallest unit of life?
A) An atom
B) A molecule
C) A cell
D) An organism
Answer: C
Q2) The amount of fat does not affect the frequency of the size of cells found in cookies.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) The scientific method ________.
A) is a rigid methodology that must be precisely followed to ensure validity
B) is a rough recipe for answering questions, but the steps need not be performed in the same order as outlined
C) is undertaken only by trained scientists in a controlled laboratory setting
D) is the means by which absolute truth can be uncovered
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41670
Sample Questions
Q1) Something with a pH of 5 would be ________.
A) acidic
B) basic
C) neutral
D) alkaline
Answer: A
Q2) What will be accomplished by lowering the activation energy of a reaction?
A) The reaction will proceed more slowly.
B) The reaction will proceed more quickly.
C) The reaction will stop completely.
D) The reaction will reverse.
Answer: B
Q3) Water "beads up" on synthetic fabric such as polyester but binds to cotton.What is the most likely explanation for this?
A) Polyester is not a naturally occurring substance, whereas cotton is a naturally occurring substance.
B) Polyester is more flexible than cotton.
C) Polyester fibers are thinner than cotton fibers.
D) Polyester is nonpolar, whereas cotton is polar.
Answer: D
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: The Cell: The Fundamental Unit of Life
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41671
Sample Questions
Q1) What evidence would support the hypothesis that larger cells evolved in part by engulfing other,smaller cells?
Answer: Eukaryotic cells have several organelles (nucleus,mitochondria,chloroplasts)that contain a double membrane and have their own DNA.The DNA of the mitochondria and chloroplasts are arranged in plasmids,resembling the DNA of bacteria.They even divide like bacteria.Their smaller size,double walls and plasmid DNA suggest they were absorbed by endocytosis,but instead of being digested,they were assimilated as powerhouse organelles.The symbiotic relationship evolved to the point where they became a single organism.Additionally,the smaller and simpler prokaryotic cells were on the planet for 2 billion years before the larger,more complex eukaryotic cells appeared,giving them sufficient time to evolve.
Q2) Which of the following is not located in the nucleus?
A) Chromosomes
B) Nucleolus
C) DNA
D) Endoplasmic reticulum
Answer: D
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: Energy and Life
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41672
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements about heat is false?
A) It can be a measurement of the inefficiency of an energy conversion.
B) It is a form of kinetic energy.
C) It is a highly organized form of energy.
D) It increases the amount of entropy of the system.
Q2) Identify the stage (or stages)of cellular respiration that occurs entirely outside of the mitochondria.
A) Citric acid cycle
B) Electron transport chain
C) Glycolysis
D) All of the above
Q3) Which of the following is a common energy currency in living cells that powers most living organisms?
A) Sunlight
B) Heat
C) ATP
D) Phosphate
Q4) What does it mean to "fix" carbon,and during which stage of photosynthesis is carbon fixed?
Q5) Explain why mitochondria are often called "the powerhouse of the cell."
Page 6
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 5: Chromosomes and Inheritance
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41673
Sample Questions
Q1) Human white blood cells are often multinucleated (in other words,have more than one nucleus).How many chromosomes would be present in a white blood cell with two nuclei?
A) 46
B) 92
C) 184
D) It varies depending on gender.
Q2) What specifically separates during meiosis II?
A) Homologous chromosomes
B) Sister chromatids
C) The cytoplasm
D) The genome
Q3) Is an individual with the XXY combination of chromosomes anatomically male or female?
A) Male
B) Female
Q4) A common form of chemotherapy used to kill cancer cells is to administer drugs that disrupt cell division.Why might this also result in anemia,hair loss,and sores in the stomach and on the skin?
Q5) Which phase of meiosis is most similar to mitosis,and why?
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Dna: the Molecule of Life
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41674
Sample Questions
Q1) Can one gene make different proteins?
A) Yes, by splicing the resulting mRNA differently (i.e., removing different exons)
B) Yes, by modifying the original DNA
C) No, because one gene can code for only a single protein
D) No, because genes do not make proteins
Q2) The PCR technique doubles the amount of DNA in a sample in each cycle.If you started the PCR technique with two fragments of double-stranded DNA,calculate how many double-stranded DNA fragments you would you have after four cycles.
A) 8
B) 16
C) 32
D) 64
Q3) Which genes are responsible for your overall structure,such as how many legs you have and where they develop?
A) Oncogenes
B) Proto-oncogenes
C) Growth factor genes
D) Homeotic genes
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
8
Chapter 7: Darwinian Evolution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41675
Sample Questions
Q1) The oldest fossils typically are found in the ________ sediments.
A) upper
B) lower
C) coarser
D) finer
Q2) Individuals with variations that make them best suited to their environment are,on average,more likely to ________.
A) evolve
B) change over time
C) survive and reproduce
D) be larger
Q3) According to the phylogenetic tree above,which bear is most closely related to the sun bear?
A) The sloth bear
B) The brown bear
Q4) If a changing environment increases rates of evolution,why do we see an increase in extinction rates following rapid global catastrophes?
Q5) What is the fundamental difference between the processes of microevolution and macroevolution?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: Biodiversity 1: Microscopic Organisms
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
58 Verified Questions
58 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41676
Sample Questions
Q1) What are the main steps of biogenesis,in the correct order?
A) Polymers, monomers, self-replicating molecules, first cells
B) Self-replicating molecules, monomers, polymers, first cells
C) Monomers, self-replicating molecules, polymers, first cells
D) Monomers, Polymers, self-replicating molecules, first cells
Q2) HIV,the virus that causes AIDS in humans,does not infect other animals,but only certain cells in the human body.Why?
Q3) Which was first on the planet,prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
A) Eukaryotes
B) Prokaryotes
C) They both appear in the fossil record at about the same time.
D) It is unknown.
Q4) Which is not a method bacteria use to generate new combinations of genes?
A) Transformation
B) Transduction
C) Binary fission
D) Conjugation
Q5) Describe all the possible forms of nucleic acids found in viruses.
Q6) Why is there no cure for prion-related diseases?
Page 10
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Biodiversity 2: Fungi and Plants
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
58 Verified Questions
58 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41677
Sample Questions
Q1) What characteristic do plants,algae,and some bacteria have in common that is not shared with fungi or animals?
A) They have cell walls.
B) They can do photosynthesis.
C) They contain mycorrhizae.
D) They have spores.
Q2) Which is not a characteristic of the gymnosperms?
A) Cones
B) Seeds
C) Pollen
D) Flowers
Q3) Fern sperm are ________,which is why ferns are dependent on water for reproduction.
A) amoeboid
B) ciliated
C) flagellated
D) None of these
Q4) Name four ways roots benefit a plant.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Biodiversity 3: Animals
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41678
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the main difference between amphibians and reptiles?
A) Reptiles are tied to water for reproduction, while amphibians have amniotic eggs that can survive on dry land.
B) Amphibians are tied to water for reproduction, while reptiles have amniotic eggs that can survive on dry land.
C) Neither are tied to water for reproduction.
D) There is little difference between amphibians and reptiles.
Q2) Which of the following is human's closest living relative?
A) Gibbons
B) Gorillas
C) Chimpanzees
D) Baboons
Q3) Which one of the following is a defining characteristic of animals but not of plants?
A) Autotrophic
B) Heterotrophic
C) Eukaryotic
D) Prokaryotic
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Chapter 11: Human Body Systems
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
67 Verified Questions
67 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41679
Sample Questions
Q1) Which are the thinnest blood vessels?
A) Bronchioles
B) Capillaries
C) Arterioles
D) Venules
Q2) What is the key step in spermatogenesis that allows for unlimited sperm production? This step is not present in oogenesis,and therefore only a finite number of eggs could be produced.
Q3) What is the part of the kidney where urine is formed?
A) The nephron
B) The ureter
C) The liver
D) The blood vessels
Q4) What is the name of the tubes that run from the kidneys to the bladder?
A) Fallopian tubes
B) Urethras
C) Nephrons
D) Ureters
Q5) Describe the two separate metabolic needs that are met when a full-grown person eats a balanced diet.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Ecology
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/41680
Sample Questions
Q1) Environmentalism is ________.
A) the study of ecosystems
B) a philosophical and social movement concerned with preserving the environment
C) a collection of citizens and scientists working together to support research and preserve biodiversity
D) the study of how energy flows through an ecosystem
Q2) What is the name of the model of maximum rate of population growth?
A) Logistic
B) Speculative
C) Factorial
D) Exponential
Q3) Ecology and environmentalism are the same scientific discipline.
A)True
B)False
Q4) All living things need carbon.How does carbon enter the living portion of an ecosystem?
A) Atmospheric CO taken in by photosynthesis
B) Atmospheric CO taken in by soil bacteria
C) Elemental carbon taken in by plant roots
D) Elemental carbon taken in by plant leaves
Page 14
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.