Biology: The Core (Simon)
Chapter 1 An Introduction to the Science of Life
Multiple-Choice Questions
1) How is life defined?
A) The only requirement for life is the ability to reproduce.
B) Life is defined through a set of shared characteristics that all living things display.
C) A living thing must be able to move.
D) Life is determined by neural activity.
Answer: B
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
2) Fire can move, grow, reproduce, use energy, consume oxygen, and interact with its
environment. Why is it not alive?
A) It does not have cells.
B) It does not consist of complex, well-ordered structures.
C) It does not pass on genes for traits to its offspring.
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
3) Is a virus alive?
A) Yes, it possesses all of the requirements for life.
B) Yes, it possesses enough of the requirements for life to be considered living.
C) No, it does not possess all of the requirements for life.
D) No, it does not possess any of the requirements for life.
Answer: C
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
4) Which property or properties of life does a virus possess?
A) Has order
B) Has cells
C) Can reproduce on its own
D) All of the above
Answer: A
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,5) Certain parasites, such as intestinal tapeworms, cannot survive outside of the host. Why are
they still considered alive?
A) Survival outside of a host is not a requirement for life.
B) Parasites often have life stages that do not require a host.
C) They are still considered alive because they are studied by biologists, and biology is the study
of life.
D) As long as they are made of cells, they are considered to be alive.
Answer: A
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
6) A population consists of ________.
A) living and nonliving components
B) interacting populations
C) a group of interacting individuals of one species
D) None of the above
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
7) "There are 628 squirrels living on campus." I have just described the ________.
A) species
B) community
C) population
D) ecosystem
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
8) Which of the following would probably not be studied by an ecologist?
A) The effects of increasing CO2 on forests
B) Circulatory system of fish
C) Predator-prey relationships
D) Growth of a mosquito population
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,9) If you were to combine all of the ecosystems on the planet, including the planet itself, you
would have the ________.
A) ionosphere
B) troposphere
C) biosphere
D) envirosphere
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
10) A college campus—including the students, birds, trees, sidewalks, and air—makes up one
complete ________.
A) community
B) ecosystem
C) population
D) organism
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
11) Skin is sometimes referred to as the largest organ of the body. Why is skin considered to be
an organ and not a tissue or some other structure?
A) Skin consists of multiple cell types functioning as a single integrated unit.
B) Skin consists of multiple tissue types that cooperate to perform a specific task.
C) Skin is a vital component of multiple organ systems.
D) Skin consists of a single cell type.
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
Global Learning: G2
12) The symbol for gold from the periodic table of the elements is Au. Pure gold consists entirely
of this element. How long could you repeatedly cut a kilogram of pure gold in half until the
portion remaining, if split, would then no longer display the chemical properties of gold?
A) You could do this until you had only a single atom of gold remaining.
B) You could do this until you had only a single molecule of gold remaining.
C) You could do this until you had only a single subatomic particle remaining.
D) You could do this until you had only a single gram of gold remaining.
Answer: A
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 13) Which of the following is the correct organizational hierarchy, from largest to smallest, in
the hierarchical order of life? (Some levels have been omitted, so you are looking for the correct
order.)
A) Community → Ecosystem → Population → Tissue → Organ → Cell → Organelle → Atom
B) Ecosystem → Community → Population → Organ → Tissue → Cell → Molecule → Atom
C) Biosphere → Community → Population → Tissue → Organ → Cell → Atom → Molecule
D) Ecosystem → Population → Community → Organ System → Organ → Cell → Molecule → Atom
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
14) Beginning with an atom and working up to the entire planet, biologists view life as arranged
from ________.
A) small and simple to large and complex
B) small and complex to large and simple
C) large and complex to large and simple
D) large and complex to small and simple
Answer: A
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
15) What is typically the first step in the scientific method?
A) Experiment
B) Hypothesis
C) Prediction
D) Observation
Answer: D
Topic: 1.3
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.3
Global Learning: G1
16) 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 nor must every step be performed every time
C) is only undertaken by trained scientists in a controlled laboratory setting
D) is the means by which absolute truth can be uncovered
Answer: B
Topic: 1.3
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.3
Global Learning: G1
4
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 1 An Introduction to the Science of Life
Multiple-Choice Questions
1) How is life defined?
A) The only requirement for life is the ability to reproduce.
B) Life is defined through a set of shared characteristics that all living things display.
C) A living thing must be able to move.
D) Life is determined by neural activity.
Answer: B
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
2) Fire can move, grow, reproduce, use energy, consume oxygen, and interact with its
environment. Why is it not alive?
A) It does not have cells.
B) It does not consist of complex, well-ordered structures.
C) It does not pass on genes for traits to its offspring.
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
3) Is a virus alive?
A) Yes, it possesses all of the requirements for life.
B) Yes, it possesses enough of the requirements for life to be considered living.
C) No, it does not possess all of the requirements for life.
D) No, it does not possess any of the requirements for life.
Answer: C
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
4) Which property or properties of life does a virus possess?
A) Has order
B) Has cells
C) Can reproduce on its own
D) All of the above
Answer: A
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.1
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,5) Certain parasites, such as intestinal tapeworms, cannot survive outside of the host. Why are
they still considered alive?
A) Survival outside of a host is not a requirement for life.
B) Parasites often have life stages that do not require a host.
C) They are still considered alive because they are studied by biologists, and biology is the study
of life.
D) As long as they are made of cells, they are considered to be alive.
Answer: A
Topic: 1.1
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.1
Global Learning: G2
6) A population consists of ________.
A) living and nonliving components
B) interacting populations
C) a group of interacting individuals of one species
D) None of the above
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
7) "There are 628 squirrels living on campus." I have just described the ________.
A) species
B) community
C) population
D) ecosystem
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
8) Which of the following would probably not be studied by an ecologist?
A) The effects of increasing CO2 on forests
B) Circulatory system of fish
C) Predator-prey relationships
D) Growth of a mosquito population
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,9) If you were to combine all of the ecosystems on the planet, including the planet itself, you
would have the ________.
A) ionosphere
B) troposphere
C) biosphere
D) envirosphere
Answer: C
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
10) A college campus—including the students, birds, trees, sidewalks, and air—makes up one
complete ________.
A) community
B) ecosystem
C) population
D) organism
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
11) Skin is sometimes referred to as the largest organ of the body. Why is skin considered to be
an organ and not a tissue or some other structure?
A) Skin consists of multiple cell types functioning as a single integrated unit.
B) Skin consists of multiple tissue types that cooperate to perform a specific task.
C) Skin is a vital component of multiple organ systems.
D) Skin consists of a single cell type.
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
Global Learning: G2
12) The symbol for gold from the periodic table of the elements is Au. Pure gold consists entirely
of this element. How long could you repeatedly cut a kilogram of pure gold in half until the
portion remaining, if split, would then no longer display the chemical properties of gold?
A) You could do this until you had only a single atom of gold remaining.
B) You could do this until you had only a single molecule of gold remaining.
C) You could do this until you had only a single subatomic particle remaining.
D) You could do this until you had only a single gram of gold remaining.
Answer: A
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Synthesis/Evaluation
Learning Outcome: 1.2
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 13) Which of the following is the correct organizational hierarchy, from largest to smallest, in
the hierarchical order of life? (Some levels have been omitted, so you are looking for the correct
order.)
A) Community → Ecosystem → Population → Tissue → Organ → Cell → Organelle → Atom
B) Ecosystem → Community → Population → Organ → Tissue → Cell → Molecule → Atom
C) Biosphere → Community → Population → Tissue → Organ → Cell → Atom → Molecule
D) Ecosystem → Population → Community → Organ System → Organ → Cell → Molecule → Atom
Answer: B
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.2
14) Beginning with an atom and working up to the entire planet, biologists view life as arranged
from ________.
A) small and simple to large and complex
B) small and complex to large and simple
C) large and complex to large and simple
D) large and complex to small and simple
Answer: A
Topic: 1.2
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.2
15) What is typically the first step in the scientific method?
A) Experiment
B) Hypothesis
C) Prediction
D) Observation
Answer: D
Topic: 1.3
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
Learning Outcome: 1.3
Global Learning: G1
16) 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 nor must every step be performed every time
C) is only undertaken by trained scientists in a controlled laboratory setting
D) is the means by which absolute truth can be uncovered
Answer: B
Topic: 1.3
Skill: Application/Analysis
Learning Outcome: 1.3
Global Learning: G1
4
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
