ATLS Exam Study Guide with Complete solutions |
Latest 2025/2026
6 criteria air pollutants - ANSWERS ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter, and lead
acid mine drainage - ANSWERS Pollution caused when sulfuric acid and dangerous dissolved
materials such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium wash from coal and metal mines into nearby lakes
and streams.
adaptation - ANSWERS any genetically controlled structural, physiological, or behavioral
characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce under a given set of environmental
conditions.
aerobic respiration - ANSWERS a process where organic molecules (like glucose) combines with
oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water as well as energy (ATP).
age structure - ANSWERS the distribution of individuals among different ages in a population
aquatic life zones - ANSWERS marine and freshwater portions of the biosphere.
aquifer - ANSWERS porous, water-saturated layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock that can yield an
economically significant amount of water.
, artificial selection - ANSWERS process by which humans select one or more desirable genetic
traits in the population of a plant or animal species and then use selective breeding to produce
populations containing many individuals with the desired trait.
atmosphere - ANSWERS whole mass of air surrounding earth.
atmospheric pressure - ANSWERS Force or mass per unit area of air, caused by the
bombardment of a surface by the molecules in air.
background extinction rate - ANSWERS normal extinction of various species as a result of
changes in environmental conditions.
benthic zone - ANSWERS the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean
benthos - ANSWERS bottom-dwelling organisms.
biodiversity - ANSWERS variety of different species, genetic variability among individuals within
each species, variety of ecosystems, and functions such as energy flow and matter cycling
needed for the survival of species and biological communities.
biological oxygen demand (BOD) - ANSWERS The amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms
to decompose biological wastes into carbon dioxide, water, and minerals.
biomass - ANSWERS organic matter produced by plants and other photosynthetic producers;
total dry weight of all living organisms that can be supported to each trophic level in a food
chain or web.
biome - ANSWERS terrestrial regions inhabited by certain types of life, especially vegetation
, biome - ANSWERS terrestrial regions inhabited by certain types of life, especially vegetation.
biosphere - ANSWERS zone of the earth where life is found in the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
and lithosphere.
calcium carbonate - ANSWERS CaCO3; found in limestone and shelled organisms
calcium carbonate - ANSWERS used to make shells and exoskeletons of marine animals like
corals, mussels, clams, etc. hard to make in acid conditions
camouflage - ANSWERS when an organism blends in with its environment for protection against
predators
carbon cycle - ANSWERS cyclic movement of carbon in different chemical forms from the
environment to organisms and then back to the environment.
carbonic acid - ANSWERS a very weak acid formed in solution when carbon dioxide dissolves in
water, such as CO2 being absorbed by the ocean
carrying capacity - ANSWERS Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment
can support
chaparral - ANSWERS A scrubland biome of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at
midlatitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore; characterized by mild,
rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers.
chemical warfare - ANSWERS when an organism uses toxins/ venom in predator-prey
relationships
Latest 2025/2026
6 criteria air pollutants - ANSWERS ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter, and lead
acid mine drainage - ANSWERS Pollution caused when sulfuric acid and dangerous dissolved
materials such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium wash from coal and metal mines into nearby lakes
and streams.
adaptation - ANSWERS any genetically controlled structural, physiological, or behavioral
characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce under a given set of environmental
conditions.
aerobic respiration - ANSWERS a process where organic molecules (like glucose) combines with
oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water as well as energy (ATP).
age structure - ANSWERS the distribution of individuals among different ages in a population
aquatic life zones - ANSWERS marine and freshwater portions of the biosphere.
aquifer - ANSWERS porous, water-saturated layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock that can yield an
economically significant amount of water.
, artificial selection - ANSWERS process by which humans select one or more desirable genetic
traits in the population of a plant or animal species and then use selective breeding to produce
populations containing many individuals with the desired trait.
atmosphere - ANSWERS whole mass of air surrounding earth.
atmospheric pressure - ANSWERS Force or mass per unit area of air, caused by the
bombardment of a surface by the molecules in air.
background extinction rate - ANSWERS normal extinction of various species as a result of
changes in environmental conditions.
benthic zone - ANSWERS the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean
benthos - ANSWERS bottom-dwelling organisms.
biodiversity - ANSWERS variety of different species, genetic variability among individuals within
each species, variety of ecosystems, and functions such as energy flow and matter cycling
needed for the survival of species and biological communities.
biological oxygen demand (BOD) - ANSWERS The amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms
to decompose biological wastes into carbon dioxide, water, and minerals.
biomass - ANSWERS organic matter produced by plants and other photosynthetic producers;
total dry weight of all living organisms that can be supported to each trophic level in a food
chain or web.
biome - ANSWERS terrestrial regions inhabited by certain types of life, especially vegetation
, biome - ANSWERS terrestrial regions inhabited by certain types of life, especially vegetation.
biosphere - ANSWERS zone of the earth where life is found in the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
and lithosphere.
calcium carbonate - ANSWERS CaCO3; found in limestone and shelled organisms
calcium carbonate - ANSWERS used to make shells and exoskeletons of marine animals like
corals, mussels, clams, etc. hard to make in acid conditions
camouflage - ANSWERS when an organism blends in with its environment for protection against
predators
carbon cycle - ANSWERS cyclic movement of carbon in different chemical forms from the
environment to organisms and then back to the environment.
carbonic acid - ANSWERS a very weak acid formed in solution when carbon dioxide dissolves in
water, such as CO2 being absorbed by the ocean
carrying capacity - ANSWERS Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment
can support
chaparral - ANSWERS A scrubland biome of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at
midlatitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore; characterized by mild,
rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers.
chemical warfare - ANSWERS when an organism uses toxins/ venom in predator-prey
relationships
