Biology Semester Exam Questions With 100%
Correct Answers 2024-2025
D- Answer Aisha wants to perform an experiment to determine if sun and shade varieties
of the same plant species have the same preferred wavelengths of light. She would like
to measure rates of photosynthesis. Given the above choices, which of the following
would be the best design for her experiment?
A.1 plant of the sun variety tested under blue light only, and 1 plant of the shade variety
tested under blue light only.
B.4 plants of the sun variety tested under blue light, 1 under green light, 1 under red
light, and 1 under yellow light, and 4 plants of the shade variety are tested under blue
light, 1 under green light, 1 under red light, and 1 under yellow light. C.10 plants of the
sun variety tested only under blue light; and 10 plants of the shade variety tested only
under blue light
D.40 plants of the sun variety tested 10 under blue light 10 under green light 10 under
red light 10 under yellow light, and 40 plants of the shade variety tested 10 under blue
light 10 under green light 10 under red light 10 under yellow light.
A - Answer Aden wanted to see how stress affects heart rate. He used as his stress
factor getting subjects to work on math problems. He then randomly divided his biology
class of 24 students into 2 groups. He gave 1 group a timed test of difficult algebra
problems; he gave the other group a timed test of simple arithmetic problems. Aden
measured heart rates both before and immediately after the test. He hypothesized that
the group given the difficult problems would show a higher mean heart rate that is, a
higher stress level than those given simple problems. Results were difficult algebra 72
bpm as an initial heart rate and 77 as a final heart rate and the simple arithmetic was 71
bpm as an initial heart rate and 75 as a final heart rate. Since his findings were all
around the same, Aden wanted to run a follow-up test where he collected more types of
data. Which of the following alterations in experimental design would best allow him to
support or reject his initial hypothesis?
A. Heart rates of the 2 groups taken during the test
B. Average math grades of the 2 groups
C. Before and after heart rates when both groups are given a more difficult test
D. Before and after heart rates when a single group is subjected to the same test
,B - Solution The students followed proper laboratory procedure with the pond water
samples. Which of the following is NOT a form of proper laboratory procedure?
A. Wearing disposable gloves
B. Tossing samples into the drain
C. Disinfecting the laboratory counter before and after every use
D. Washing hands before and after every laboratory session
B - Answer Mrs. Lewis set up a lab for her biology students using a culture of the small
crustacean Daphnia which was obtained from a pond that was 20 degrees C. The
students are to investigate the effect temperature has on Daphnia. The students will
observe the crustacean's heartbeat under the microscope at various temperatures and
count the number of heartbeats per sec. If the experiment is properly designed, which of
the following would you choose for the experimental treatment?
A. Put 5 identical cultures of Daphnia at 20 degrees C
B. Put each of 5 identical cultures of Daphnia at a different temperature
C. Put 5 cultures, each with a different type of crustacean, at 20 degrees C
D. Put 5 cultures, each with a different type of crustacean, at a different temperature
A - Answer Mrs. Lewis set up a lab for her biology students using a culture of the small
crustacean Daphnia, obtained from a pond that was 20 degrees C. The students are to
investigate the effect temperature has on Daphnia. The students will observe the
crustacean's heartbeat under the microscope, at different temperatures, and count the
number of heartbeats per sec. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
A. Temperature of the samples
B. Number of heartbeats/sec
C. Number of Daphnia in the cultures
D. Type of microscope used
A - Answer Lydia has an after-school job at a flower store. She observes that the
hydrangeas in Container 1 have pink blossoms and the hydrangeas in Container 2 have
blue blossoms. She ensures they all receive the same amount of light and water. Her
,boss informs her that all the flowers belonged to the same variety of seeds. Lydia finds
out, upon checking the soil, that the same type of soil had been used, but the soil in
Container 1 had a pH of 6.0 and the soil in Container 2 had a pH of 5.0. Lydia most likely
has conducted her investigation in response to what question about hydrangeas?
A. How does soil chemistry affect the color of hydrangea blossoms?
B. Genetic factor-is it playing a part in hydrangea color determination?
C. Do different light levels determine hydrangea color?
D. What kind of soil will give a hydrangea both pink and blue blossoms?
C - Answer An microbiologist who wants to determine if a specific chemical affects the
growth rate of bacteria. Which of the following approaches would most effectively and
accurately quantify the bacteria population growth rate every hr for 24 hrs?
A. Counting individual bacterial cells
B. Measuring the mass of the tube containing the bacteria
C. Measuring the light absorbance of the populations in the tubes using a
spectrophotometer
D. Determining the population size based on the average doubling time of the bacteria in
the absence of the chemical
D - Answer An experimenter finds that the outcome of an experiment contradicts her
hypothesis. If she is practising good science, what should she do?
A. Reject that finding and replicate the experiment
B. Accept the hypothesis and leave out data that does not fit
C. Disregard the hypothesis and believe it is wrong
D. Develop a new hypothesis and design a new experiment to test this
B - Question What following method is NOT an appropriate method to conduct a
classroom laboratory activity?
A. Utilizing a compound microscope one would first focus on the specimen with a low
power and then move to a higher power
B. Lighting the gas of a Bunsen burner to control the flow of gas then using a match to
check it, C. Smelling the odor of a burning substance by fanning with your hand the
scent from a test tube towards your nose D. Mopping up liquid that spilled on the floor
, without delay
D - Answer A student studying pill bugs, had the hypothesis that pill bugs would be
found in humid conditions but not arid conditions. A single site was studied and 2 pill
bugs were found, 1 under a log in humid conditions, but one was found underneath
some dry leaves. This did not support the original hypothesis. If this is so, what should
the student do next to see if the first hypothesis is or is not valid?
A. Lesn moisture sensitivity become the focus of the research, rather than moisture
B. These results are generalizable to all pill bugs and therefore accept the null
hypothesis
C. Test for changes in moisture level with other organisms found at the site
D. Continue to find more pill bugs at the site in order to increase sample size
C - Answer Several students in a biology lab tested mealworms' preference for damp or
dry conditions. The students placed 50 mealworms one-by-one in the middle of a layer of
paper towels with a damp area and a dry area. The mealworms were allowed to move
freely over the paper towels for 10 min. After 10 min the students noted the location of
each mealworm. The data is summarized below. 47 Damp and 3 Dry
In a second experiment the same 50 mealworms were exposed to each of 4 different
arrangements of paper towels with food sources in different locations. Food sources
just off the paper towels can be sensed by the mealworms, but are out of their reach.
The diagram below shows the location of the worms after 10 min.
Food source on damp side- 45 damp side, 5 dry side Food source on dry side and middle
of damp side- 49 damp side, 1 dry side Food source on damp side and middle of dry
side- 2 damp side, 48 dry side
Food source in the middle of both damp and dry sides - 24 damp 26 dry
What conclusion best supports the data collected in both experiments?
A. Mealworms prefer damp conditions over dry conditions.
B. Mealworms prefer dry conditions over damp conditions
C. Mealworms are more strongly influenced by food than by damp or dry conditions
D. Mealworms are more strongly influenced by damp or dry conditions than by food
D - Identify the following question Ethan would like to determine whether the
Correct Answers 2024-2025
D- Answer Aisha wants to perform an experiment to determine if sun and shade varieties
of the same plant species have the same preferred wavelengths of light. She would like
to measure rates of photosynthesis. Given the above choices, which of the following
would be the best design for her experiment?
A.1 plant of the sun variety tested under blue light only, and 1 plant of the shade variety
tested under blue light only.
B.4 plants of the sun variety tested under blue light, 1 under green light, 1 under red
light, and 1 under yellow light, and 4 plants of the shade variety are tested under blue
light, 1 under green light, 1 under red light, and 1 under yellow light. C.10 plants of the
sun variety tested only under blue light; and 10 plants of the shade variety tested only
under blue light
D.40 plants of the sun variety tested 10 under blue light 10 under green light 10 under
red light 10 under yellow light, and 40 plants of the shade variety tested 10 under blue
light 10 under green light 10 under red light 10 under yellow light.
A - Answer Aden wanted to see how stress affects heart rate. He used as his stress
factor getting subjects to work on math problems. He then randomly divided his biology
class of 24 students into 2 groups. He gave 1 group a timed test of difficult algebra
problems; he gave the other group a timed test of simple arithmetic problems. Aden
measured heart rates both before and immediately after the test. He hypothesized that
the group given the difficult problems would show a higher mean heart rate that is, a
higher stress level than those given simple problems. Results were difficult algebra 72
bpm as an initial heart rate and 77 as a final heart rate and the simple arithmetic was 71
bpm as an initial heart rate and 75 as a final heart rate. Since his findings were all
around the same, Aden wanted to run a follow-up test where he collected more types of
data. Which of the following alterations in experimental design would best allow him to
support or reject his initial hypothesis?
A. Heart rates of the 2 groups taken during the test
B. Average math grades of the 2 groups
C. Before and after heart rates when both groups are given a more difficult test
D. Before and after heart rates when a single group is subjected to the same test
,B - Solution The students followed proper laboratory procedure with the pond water
samples. Which of the following is NOT a form of proper laboratory procedure?
A. Wearing disposable gloves
B. Tossing samples into the drain
C. Disinfecting the laboratory counter before and after every use
D. Washing hands before and after every laboratory session
B - Answer Mrs. Lewis set up a lab for her biology students using a culture of the small
crustacean Daphnia which was obtained from a pond that was 20 degrees C. The
students are to investigate the effect temperature has on Daphnia. The students will
observe the crustacean's heartbeat under the microscope at various temperatures and
count the number of heartbeats per sec. If the experiment is properly designed, which of
the following would you choose for the experimental treatment?
A. Put 5 identical cultures of Daphnia at 20 degrees C
B. Put each of 5 identical cultures of Daphnia at a different temperature
C. Put 5 cultures, each with a different type of crustacean, at 20 degrees C
D. Put 5 cultures, each with a different type of crustacean, at a different temperature
A - Answer Mrs. Lewis set up a lab for her biology students using a culture of the small
crustacean Daphnia, obtained from a pond that was 20 degrees C. The students are to
investigate the effect temperature has on Daphnia. The students will observe the
crustacean's heartbeat under the microscope, at different temperatures, and count the
number of heartbeats per sec. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
A. Temperature of the samples
B. Number of heartbeats/sec
C. Number of Daphnia in the cultures
D. Type of microscope used
A - Answer Lydia has an after-school job at a flower store. She observes that the
hydrangeas in Container 1 have pink blossoms and the hydrangeas in Container 2 have
blue blossoms. She ensures they all receive the same amount of light and water. Her
,boss informs her that all the flowers belonged to the same variety of seeds. Lydia finds
out, upon checking the soil, that the same type of soil had been used, but the soil in
Container 1 had a pH of 6.0 and the soil in Container 2 had a pH of 5.0. Lydia most likely
has conducted her investigation in response to what question about hydrangeas?
A. How does soil chemistry affect the color of hydrangea blossoms?
B. Genetic factor-is it playing a part in hydrangea color determination?
C. Do different light levels determine hydrangea color?
D. What kind of soil will give a hydrangea both pink and blue blossoms?
C - Answer An microbiologist who wants to determine if a specific chemical affects the
growth rate of bacteria. Which of the following approaches would most effectively and
accurately quantify the bacteria population growth rate every hr for 24 hrs?
A. Counting individual bacterial cells
B. Measuring the mass of the tube containing the bacteria
C. Measuring the light absorbance of the populations in the tubes using a
spectrophotometer
D. Determining the population size based on the average doubling time of the bacteria in
the absence of the chemical
D - Answer An experimenter finds that the outcome of an experiment contradicts her
hypothesis. If she is practising good science, what should she do?
A. Reject that finding and replicate the experiment
B. Accept the hypothesis and leave out data that does not fit
C. Disregard the hypothesis and believe it is wrong
D. Develop a new hypothesis and design a new experiment to test this
B - Question What following method is NOT an appropriate method to conduct a
classroom laboratory activity?
A. Utilizing a compound microscope one would first focus on the specimen with a low
power and then move to a higher power
B. Lighting the gas of a Bunsen burner to control the flow of gas then using a match to
check it, C. Smelling the odor of a burning substance by fanning with your hand the
scent from a test tube towards your nose D. Mopping up liquid that spilled on the floor
, without delay
D - Answer A student studying pill bugs, had the hypothesis that pill bugs would be
found in humid conditions but not arid conditions. A single site was studied and 2 pill
bugs were found, 1 under a log in humid conditions, but one was found underneath
some dry leaves. This did not support the original hypothesis. If this is so, what should
the student do next to see if the first hypothesis is or is not valid?
A. Lesn moisture sensitivity become the focus of the research, rather than moisture
B. These results are generalizable to all pill bugs and therefore accept the null
hypothesis
C. Test for changes in moisture level with other organisms found at the site
D. Continue to find more pill bugs at the site in order to increase sample size
C - Answer Several students in a biology lab tested mealworms' preference for damp or
dry conditions. The students placed 50 mealworms one-by-one in the middle of a layer of
paper towels with a damp area and a dry area. The mealworms were allowed to move
freely over the paper towels for 10 min. After 10 min the students noted the location of
each mealworm. The data is summarized below. 47 Damp and 3 Dry
In a second experiment the same 50 mealworms were exposed to each of 4 different
arrangements of paper towels with food sources in different locations. Food sources
just off the paper towels can be sensed by the mealworms, but are out of their reach.
The diagram below shows the location of the worms after 10 min.
Food source on damp side- 45 damp side, 5 dry side Food source on dry side and middle
of damp side- 49 damp side, 1 dry side Food source on damp side and middle of dry
side- 2 damp side, 48 dry side
Food source in the middle of both damp and dry sides - 24 damp 26 dry
What conclusion best supports the data collected in both experiments?
A. Mealworms prefer damp conditions over dry conditions.
B. Mealworms prefer dry conditions over damp conditions
C. Mealworms are more strongly influenced by food than by damp or dry conditions
D. Mealworms are more strongly influenced by damp or dry conditions than by food
D - Identify the following question Ethan would like to determine whether the
