1
UNLV BIO 189 FINAL EXAM: 200 VERIFIED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES – COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
FOR 2026/2027
1. The Scientific Process & Life's
Characteristics
Q1: What is the correct order of the
scientific process?
A: Observations, question, hypothesis,
prediction, and test.
Rationale: The scientific method is a
systematic process for exploring
observations and answering questions. It
begins with an observation, which leads to a
question, a testable hypothesis, a specific
, 2
prediction, and finally an experiment to test
it.
Q2: A hypothesis is _____________ and
written so that it could be found incorrect
by an observation or experiment.
A: Falsifiable.
Rationale: A key characteristic of a good
scientific hypothesis is that it must be
testable and potentially disprovable. If a
hypothesis cannot be proven false, it is not
considered scientific.
Q3: What are the five functional traits
common to all living organisms?
A: Order, growth/development, regulation,
reproduction, and response to the
environment.
Rationale: These are the fundamental
, 3
properties that distinguish living things from
non-living matter. They include organization,
metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction,
and the ability to adapt to stimuli.
Q4: What is the smallest unit of life?
A: Cells.
Rationale: The cell is the basic structural,
functional, and biological unit of all known
organisms. It is considered the smallest unit
of life that can replicate independently.
2. Chemistry of Life
Q5: What are the four major elements
found in all living organisms?
A: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Rationale: These four elements make up
, 4
about 96% of the mass of all living
organisms. They are the primary building
blocks for organic molecules like
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic
acids.
Q6: What is an isotope?
A: Atoms with the same number of protons
but a different number of neutrons.
Rationale: Isotopes are variants of a
particular chemical element. They have the
same atomic number (protons) but different
mass numbers (protons + neutrons). For
example, Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are
isotopes of carbon.
Q7: What type of bond is formed by the
unequal sharing of electrons?
A: A polar covalent bond.
UNLV BIO 189 FINAL EXAM: 200 VERIFIED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES – COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
FOR 2026/2027
1. The Scientific Process & Life's
Characteristics
Q1: What is the correct order of the
scientific process?
A: Observations, question, hypothesis,
prediction, and test.
Rationale: The scientific method is a
systematic process for exploring
observations and answering questions. It
begins with an observation, which leads to a
question, a testable hypothesis, a specific
, 2
prediction, and finally an experiment to test
it.
Q2: A hypothesis is _____________ and
written so that it could be found incorrect
by an observation or experiment.
A: Falsifiable.
Rationale: A key characteristic of a good
scientific hypothesis is that it must be
testable and potentially disprovable. If a
hypothesis cannot be proven false, it is not
considered scientific.
Q3: What are the five functional traits
common to all living organisms?
A: Order, growth/development, regulation,
reproduction, and response to the
environment.
Rationale: These are the fundamental
, 3
properties that distinguish living things from
non-living matter. They include organization,
metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction,
and the ability to adapt to stimuli.
Q4: What is the smallest unit of life?
A: Cells.
Rationale: The cell is the basic structural,
functional, and biological unit of all known
organisms. It is considered the smallest unit
of life that can replicate independently.
2. Chemistry of Life
Q5: What are the four major elements
found in all living organisms?
A: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Rationale: These four elements make up
, 4
about 96% of the mass of all living
organisms. They are the primary building
blocks for organic molecules like
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic
acids.
Q6: What is an isotope?
A: Atoms with the same number of protons
but a different number of neutrons.
Rationale: Isotopes are variants of a
particular chemical element. They have the
same atomic number (protons) but different
mass numbers (protons + neutrons). For
example, Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are
isotopes of carbon.
Q7: What type of bond is formed by the
unequal sharing of electrons?
A: A polar covalent bond.
