WSU BIO 102 FINAL EXAM (ACTUAL 2025) WITH
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
What does science study? - ANSWER_-Science is a body of knowledge
about the natural world and an evidence-based process for acquiring that
knowledge.
What are the main sequences of events that happen as a community is
built from scratch? - ANSWER_• Soil must form before community can
become established
• Mosses & lichens break down rock releasing
Nutrients
• Capture & create nutrient-rich matter.
-Soil --> lichen&mosses --> grasses, herbs, shrubs, tree seedlings -->
faster growing trees --> slower growing trees
Community evolves as new species change the conditions present
.
• Foundation of community is producers. - Provide habitat for new
arrivals.
• Consumers arrive as resources become available
- New species outcompete existing species.
What is a "climax community"? - ANSWER_• Mature community that
is stable over time.
• Complex interactions tie community into dynamic unit.
Page 1 of 18
, WSU BIO 102 FINAL EXAM (ACTUAL 2025) WITH
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
• Disturbances can push community back to earlier stage.
• Interactions = selective pressures.
-Create intimate dynamics within community over time.
How do forensic entomologists apply the principles of ecological
succession to help solve mysterious deaths? - Ecological succesion -
ANSWER_the series of predictable changes that occur in a community
over time
How do maggots indicate that a body died in a different location than
where it was found? - ANSWER_certain maggots were only found in
urban areas
DNA - _G-C
A-T
Blunt cut - _DNA fingerprint
Staggered cuts - _genetic engineering
Epistasis _A type of gene interaction in which one gene alters the
phenotypic effects of another gene that is independently inherited.
When someone makes a claim in science, what kind of support do they
need to have that claim accepted as true? - ANSWER_A scientific claim
Page 2 of 18
, WSU BIO 102 FINAL EXAM (ACTUAL 2025) WITH
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
is a state about how the world works that can be proved or disproved
using the scientific method.
. What is a theory in science? - ANSWER_-A "theory" is an overarching
explanation of a variety of related observations. (exam definition)
-A scientific theory is an explanation of a group of related hypotheses
that has been repeatedly confirmed by diverse lines of evidence.
What is a hypothesis? - ANSWER_A hypothesis is an educated guess
that is falsifiable about a natural phenomenon.
We discussed the fact that experiments are designed to falsify the
hypothesis rather than support it. Explain what this means and why
science is set up this way. - ANSWER_-Experiments are designed to
falsify a hypothesis because the results never "prove" the hypothesis is
correct. Science is open to revision if data compel it.
-To say a hypothesis is "falsifiable" means it is possible to imagine some
observation that would show the hypothesis is false. (from exam)
You must be careful when drawing conclusions - what is the difference
between causation and correlation? How can correlation lead to faulty
conclusion? - ANSWER_
The cell membrane is "semi-permeable". What does this mean? -
ANSWER_It means that the cell can pass liquid and particles back and
Page 3 of 18
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
What does science study? - ANSWER_-Science is a body of knowledge
about the natural world and an evidence-based process for acquiring that
knowledge.
What are the main sequences of events that happen as a community is
built from scratch? - ANSWER_• Soil must form before community can
become established
• Mosses & lichens break down rock releasing
Nutrients
• Capture & create nutrient-rich matter.
-Soil --> lichen&mosses --> grasses, herbs, shrubs, tree seedlings -->
faster growing trees --> slower growing trees
Community evolves as new species change the conditions present
.
• Foundation of community is producers. - Provide habitat for new
arrivals.
• Consumers arrive as resources become available
- New species outcompete existing species.
What is a "climax community"? - ANSWER_• Mature community that
is stable over time.
• Complex interactions tie community into dynamic unit.
Page 1 of 18
, WSU BIO 102 FINAL EXAM (ACTUAL 2025) WITH
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
• Disturbances can push community back to earlier stage.
• Interactions = selective pressures.
-Create intimate dynamics within community over time.
How do forensic entomologists apply the principles of ecological
succession to help solve mysterious deaths? - Ecological succesion -
ANSWER_the series of predictable changes that occur in a community
over time
How do maggots indicate that a body died in a different location than
where it was found? - ANSWER_certain maggots were only found in
urban areas
DNA - _G-C
A-T
Blunt cut - _DNA fingerprint
Staggered cuts - _genetic engineering
Epistasis _A type of gene interaction in which one gene alters the
phenotypic effects of another gene that is independently inherited.
When someone makes a claim in science, what kind of support do they
need to have that claim accepted as true? - ANSWER_A scientific claim
Page 2 of 18
, WSU BIO 102 FINAL EXAM (ACTUAL 2025) WITH
VERIFIED VALID ANSWERS
is a state about how the world works that can be proved or disproved
using the scientific method.
. What is a theory in science? - ANSWER_-A "theory" is an overarching
explanation of a variety of related observations. (exam definition)
-A scientific theory is an explanation of a group of related hypotheses
that has been repeatedly confirmed by diverse lines of evidence.
What is a hypothesis? - ANSWER_A hypothesis is an educated guess
that is falsifiable about a natural phenomenon.
We discussed the fact that experiments are designed to falsify the
hypothesis rather than support it. Explain what this means and why
science is set up this way. - ANSWER_-Experiments are designed to
falsify a hypothesis because the results never "prove" the hypothesis is
correct. Science is open to revision if data compel it.
-To say a hypothesis is "falsifiable" means it is possible to imagine some
observation that would show the hypothesis is false. (from exam)
You must be careful when drawing conclusions - what is the difference
between causation and correlation? How can correlation lead to faulty
conclusion? - ANSWER_
The cell membrane is "semi-permeable". What does this mean? -
ANSWER_It means that the cell can pass liquid and particles back and
Page 3 of 18
