Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Suppose you worked very hard and have earned a 100% average for lab this semester. You have
unexcused absences for many Discussions, though, giving you a Discussion average of 60%.
How is your combined 'Lab and Discussion' score for the course calculated and what will it be? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Lab and Discussion Score are multiplied and the combined score
would be 60%
Think about the Timeline and the "From LA to NY - Deep time analogy" videos reviewed in the
course. They show us that the major events in the history of life happened .................. -
CORRECT ANSWER - Most events happened in the last 1 billion years
Which of the following organisms evolved the earliest among them and which one was the last
one to appear on earth?
dinosaurs - cyanobacteria - dragonflies (e.g. meganeura) - first animals - CORRECT
ANSWER - Evolved first: cyanobacteria
Last one to appear: dinosaurs
Simple diffusion is very efficient for moving molecules around inside cells, but it is inefficient
for moving molecules from one part of the body to another part of the body. Why? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Since the time of diffusion increases with the square of the distance, diffusion
is to slow to move molecules around the body.
Which statement describes best the feeding habits of adult dragonflies? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Adult dragonflies hunt other flying insects while they are flying themselves;
they cannot feed while walking or sitting.
Thinking about the online lecture on the history of Oxygen: Which process/factor explains the
low level of atmospheric Oxygen from 2.5 to 1 billion years ago, despite the presence of
photosynthetic activities by cyanobacteria and algae? - CORRECT ANSWER - The O2
oxidized other substances (e.g. iron or silicone) resulting in most of today's minerals
, Diffusion is often defined as 'the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to
an area of low concentration.' Which of the following statements best explains the reason for this
pattern of movement? - CORRECT ANSWER - The molecules move randomly, resulting
in more of them moving away from a high-density area than moving away from a low-density
area.
According to the Earth viewer activity you did as one of your online learning assignments, the
atmospheric Oxygen level in the Carboniferous period was lower and the Carbon Dioxide level
was higher than/as today. - CORRECT ANSWER - higher
A drop of dye was put in a glass of water. After many hours, the dye is equally distributed in the
water, thus, diffusions has reached equilibrium. How do dye particles behave when equilibrium
has been reached? - CORRECT ANSWER - The dye particles switch places with
neighboring dye particles
Which is the correct scientific definition of evolution? - CORRECT ANSWER - The
change of allele frequencies in a population over time
In a population of minnows (=little fish) living in a stream, individuals with long bodies are able
to swim faster than minnows with shorter bodies. Body length is determined by an individual's
genes. A large predatory fish invades the stream and begins feeding on the minnows. Over time,
the average length of the minnows in the population increases. Why? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Minnows with long bodies are reproducing more than minnows with short
bodies.
Why do cells perform photosynthesis? - CORRECT ANSWER - to make
glucose/carbohydrates
When do mutations occur? - CORRECT ANSWER - at random times
You talk with a friend from school about natural selection. Your friend states: "A random process
like natural selection could never come up with such great features like our eyes!" Which
statement would correct this misconception? - CORRECT ANSWER - Natural selection is
not random, as it is not by chance which individuals survive and reproduce and which ones not.