BI 171 - First Exam - 2001

NOTE - the numbers link to related information in the book.  Not all information on old exams is in the new book (so some numbers have no link), and if something looks unfamiliar, you can check to see if it's from a chapter you're supposed to be studying for your current exam.

Multiple Choice.

Place the letter of the choice that best answers the question on the line to the left.
Two Points Each. NOTE: "e" answers are never the correct answer.


_______ 1. The chemical reactivity of an atom is most influenced by the number of...
                        a. Protons             b. Neutrons             c. Outermost electrons
                        d. Total electrons                 e. Beers it's had


_______ 2. If Drano has a pH of 12 and Liquid Plumber has a pH of 11, then
                        a. Drano is twice as acidic than Liquid Plumber
                        b. Drano is twice as basic than Liquid Plumber
                        c. Drano is ten times more acidic than Liquid Plumber
                        d. Drano is ten times more basic than Liquid Plumber
                        e. Drink up, everybody!


_______
3. The bones of a human arm and a front dolphin flipper have the same basic bones,
                    different only in layout and use. The arm and flipper are
                        a. Analogous only                                    b. Homologous only
                        c. Both analogous and homologous          d. Neither analogous nor homologous
                                    e. Both tasty with the right sorts of seasonings

_______ 4. Ionic bonds are rare in biological systems because of what feature of those
                     systems?
                        a. Water content                     b. Salt content            c. Presence of DNA 
                        d. Presence of oxygen                    e. Rampant ion discrimination


_______5. If Alfred Russel Wallace had not existed, Charles Darwin
                        a. Would have never come up with his Natural Selection theory
                        b. Might never have published his Natural Selection theory
                        c. Would have left out what became key details of his Natural Selection theory
                        d. Would never have made the trip that led to his Natural Selection theory
                        e. Would only be remembered for his wacky practical jokes


_______
6. Which best describes the purpose of control tests?
                        a. To remove the variable and get the same results
                        b. To figure out how factors beyond the variable affect results
                        c. To repeat the procedures several times
                        d. To always produce clear results
                        e. This is too much of a lose control test to be sure


_______7. A niche in the same geographical region can still vary due to
                        a. Time factors                 b. Functional differences                 c. Genetics
                        d. Its occupants                         e. The way it's scratched


_______
8. A hypothesis is only useful to science if it is
                        a. A brand new idea                             b. Widely accepted
                        c. Predictive                                         d. Restricted to one field
                                    e. Accompanied by a fistful of cash


_______9. The carrying capacity of an ecosystem would usually be most influenced by
                        a. Available food                                     b. Disease patterns
                        c. Amount of room                                  d. Available mates
                                                e. Number of pockets


_______10. Fluorine is found in Column 7 of the Periodic Table, which means it is likely 
                     to form
                        a. Positive ions                 b. Covalent bonds                c. Negative ions
                        d. Hydrogen bonds                e. Into really loud heavy metal "hair" bands


_______
11. You run a nutrition experiment on yourself. What term is most likely to be applied
                     in a critique of your experimental design?
                        a. Analogous                                             b. Emergent property
                        c. Homologous                                          d. Anecdotal evidence
                                                e. Liability insurance


_______12. Isotopes of an element vary most in
                        a. Number of neutrons                                 b. Number of electrons
                        c. Number of protons                                  d. Number of neutrinos
                                                    e. Style and elegance


_______13. The founder effect is used to explain
                        a. New theories in science                          b. Molecule formation
                        c. Gene ratios in a population                     d. Control issues in an experiment
                                e. I think right now I'm experiencing the flounder effect...


_______14. Which element is most likely to be involved in a double bond?
                        a. Column 6                 b. Column 2                 c. Column 7
                        d. Column 8                         e. One in a column


_______15. Most of the current "hot" fields in biology involve study of
                        a. Classification             b. Molecules            c. Physics and mechanics 
                        d. Behavior                        e. Smelly furry animals


_______16. Avogadro's Number represents the number of
                        a. Atoms or molecules in a mole                b. Cells in the human body
                        c. Species on the Earth                             d. Genes in the human genome
                                e. Students driven crazy by questions like this


_______17. Which fundamental Biblical idea was first challenged when fossils of extinct
                     animals
were discovered?
                        a. Man descended from Adam and Eve
                        b. Age of the created Earth
                        c. Earth as the center of the solar system
                        d. Modern Nature is a continuation of life created for Eden
                        e. Angels aren't highly mutated starlings


_______
18. An hypothesis should be testable through
                        a. Experiments and controls
                        b. Experiments and controlled real-world observations
                        c. Statistical manipulations
                        d. Controls and variables
                        e. Seeing if it anyone gives a hoot



Short Answer.  

Pick NINE questions to answer in the spaces provided.
NOTE
: if you answer MORE than nine, only the first nine will be corrected.
Four Points each. Partial credit is possible.

1. Give two features of viruses that cause some biologists to consider them not living?




2. For the two classes or types of observations, give

General Type Real-world example General Type Real-world example
 

 
3. First, define artificial selection.



Then, explain how it influenced Darwin's ideas.
 
4. Briefly explain how science often works through reductionism.



5. What are two features of the Earth that have led to the gradual "extension" of calculations of
its age?


6. Put this alphabetical list in order from smallest to largest, ecologically: community, individual, population, species.
1 2 3 4

7. Briefly explain how Lamarck thought that evolution progressed.




8. Give two circumstances or factors that would prevent an experiment from being reproducible.



9. What is meant by an unused niche?




10. What two factors have the most effect on evolutionary rates?




 
11. In the absolutely purest sample of water possible, what contaminants have to be there?


 
12. Briefly explain how the concept of types has influenced thinking in Biology for centuries.



 
14. Define what would be meant as your personal genome.



 
15. Sexual reproduction has a huge evolutionary advantage over asexual reproduction. What is it?


 
16. Briefly define uniformitarianism.




Long Answer.
 

Select and answer completely any four of the following questions.
Note: if you answer more than four, only the first four will be corrected.
Seven Points Each. Partial credit is possible.


1. Modern biology is based upon four major themes that describe the patterns followed by all living things. What are three of those themes?










2. Answer the following using the box below from Column 2 of the Periodic Table of Elements.

For the most common isotope...

 

30.97176

P

Phosphorus

15

 

HOW MANY...

                                Protons?________                         Neutrons?________



               Electrons?_________                    Outer Valence Electrons?_____________

3. Fill in the following for asexual reproduction:

Basic
Definition:
 
Evolutionary
Strength:
 
Long-term
(evolutionary)
Strategy for Success:
 

4. What are three basic principles of Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection?



5. Name 3 properties of water related to its bipolarity and for each, explain how that particular property is important to living things.




6. The Hardy-Weinberg Principle says, in effect, that no evolution occurs if certain things are true about a population's gene pool. What are 3 of those things?




7. For the book's 5-Kingdom system, give the name of each and a list of one or more features that, taken together, makes that Kingdom largely distinct from the others.







LINK TO ANSWER KEY FOR THIS EXAM


BONUS QUESTIONS.  

Answer as many or as few as you wish. You can't lose points on the rest of the exam by getting these wrong. Partial credit is possible.

Briefly describe the content of the Cancer in the Crosshairs handout for Four Points.




If rigidly applied to the scientific method, many of Albert Einstein's idea about gravity being a warping of space would be considered scientifically weak. For Three Points, explain why.




Classically, scientists make distinctions between hypotheses, theories, and laws. These definitions were not covered in class, however. For Three Points, why not?




What is it about a small study sample that makes it unreliable? Explain, for Three Points - don't just give an unexplained term.




For Four Points, give an example of an adaptation that is heritable but not genetic.




Briefly explain how flourescent lights work.  Four Points.




What is the "Snowball Earth" Theory? Four Points.



 

 

 

 
 

Copyright 2001, Michael McDarby.

 

Hit Counter