BIOLOGY 189 CORE EXAM MANUAL 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ TIP
✔✔What are the characteristics of a eukaryotic cell? - ✔✔contains a nucleus
✔✔What are the four main groups of eukaryotes? - ✔✔-Plants
Animals
Fungi
protist
✔✔The Linnaean System
How are species classified? - ✔✔Based on the Linnaeus method, species are arranged
and grouped based on shared characteristics
✔✔What are the components of the scientific name? - ✔✔- when naming an organism
at the species level. It is comprised of two parts: (1) the generic name or the genus
name and (2) the species name or the specific epithet. GENUS THEN SPECIES
✔✔What is the biological species concept? - ✔✔A group of organisms that can
reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring
✔✔Describe the components of an experiment - ✔✔Observations
Questions
hypothesis,
methods
results.
✔✔What is the difference between a hypothesis and a scientific theory? - ✔✔A theory is
always backed by evidence; a hypothesis is only a suggested possible outcome, and is
testable and falsifiable
✔✔What is a Control Group? - ✔✔In an experiment, a group of individuals identical to
an experimental group except for the variable under investigation.
✔✔What is an Experimental Group? - ✔✔a group of individuals who have a certain
characteristic or receive a certain treatment. Tested side by side with a control group
✔✔What are variables? - ✔✔Value that varies or changes ex. Controlled variables or
independent variables.
✔✔What is critical thinking? - ✔✔The act of evaluating information before accepting it.
, ✔✔What is sampling error and how do scientists avoid this when developing an
experiment? - ✔✔- Difference between results obtained from a subset, and results
obtained from the whole.
- Sampling error may be unavoidable, but knowing how it occurs helps scientists
minimize it. For example, researchers often try to use large subsets for their studies,
because sampling error can be a substantial problem with small ones
✔✔Why should a scientist design experiments that will yield quantitative results? -
✔✔Scientists are unable to perform qualitative studies. Quantitative results minimize the
potential for bias. To prevent other scientists from repeating their experiments.
✔✔What is an element? - ✔✔Elements are pure substances, each consisting only of
atoms with the same number of protons in their nucleus
✔✔What is an atom? - ✔✔atom is the smallest unit of matter
✔✔What are the components of an atom? - ✔✔components of an atom is protons,
neutrons, and electrons.
✔✔What does the atomic number represent? - ✔✔The atomic number represents the
number of electrons.
✔✔What does the atomic mass represent? - ✔✔The atomic mass represents sum of
the number of protons and neutrons
✔✔Where are the subatomic particles located within an atom? - ✔✔Subatomic particles
are electrons, neutron, and protons
✔✔What is the shell model? - ✔✔Conceptual diagram of electron distribution in an atom
✔✔What are vacancies? - ✔✔When an atom's outermost shell is filled with electrons,
we say that it has no vacancies. Atoms with no vacancies are in their most stable state.
✔✔How many can be held within each shell? - ✔✔The first shell can hold two electrons,
both the second and third holds 8 individually
✔✔How does the Octet Rule help to determine bonding? - ✔✔The octet rule refers to
the tendency of atoms to prefer to have eight electrons in the valence shell. When
atoms have fewer than eight electrons, they tend to react and form more stable
compound
✔✔Why are noble gases stable? - ✔✔The Noble Gas elements are stable and
unreactive (inert) because the outer valence shells are complete with eight electrons
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ TIP
✔✔What are the characteristics of a eukaryotic cell? - ✔✔contains a nucleus
✔✔What are the four main groups of eukaryotes? - ✔✔-Plants
Animals
Fungi
protist
✔✔The Linnaean System
How are species classified? - ✔✔Based on the Linnaeus method, species are arranged
and grouped based on shared characteristics
✔✔What are the components of the scientific name? - ✔✔- when naming an organism
at the species level. It is comprised of two parts: (1) the generic name or the genus
name and (2) the species name or the specific epithet. GENUS THEN SPECIES
✔✔What is the biological species concept? - ✔✔A group of organisms that can
reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring
✔✔Describe the components of an experiment - ✔✔Observations
Questions
hypothesis,
methods
results.
✔✔What is the difference between a hypothesis and a scientific theory? - ✔✔A theory is
always backed by evidence; a hypothesis is only a suggested possible outcome, and is
testable and falsifiable
✔✔What is a Control Group? - ✔✔In an experiment, a group of individuals identical to
an experimental group except for the variable under investigation.
✔✔What is an Experimental Group? - ✔✔a group of individuals who have a certain
characteristic or receive a certain treatment. Tested side by side with a control group
✔✔What are variables? - ✔✔Value that varies or changes ex. Controlled variables or
independent variables.
✔✔What is critical thinking? - ✔✔The act of evaluating information before accepting it.
, ✔✔What is sampling error and how do scientists avoid this when developing an
experiment? - ✔✔- Difference between results obtained from a subset, and results
obtained from the whole.
- Sampling error may be unavoidable, but knowing how it occurs helps scientists
minimize it. For example, researchers often try to use large subsets for their studies,
because sampling error can be a substantial problem with small ones
✔✔Why should a scientist design experiments that will yield quantitative results? -
✔✔Scientists are unable to perform qualitative studies. Quantitative results minimize the
potential for bias. To prevent other scientists from repeating their experiments.
✔✔What is an element? - ✔✔Elements are pure substances, each consisting only of
atoms with the same number of protons in their nucleus
✔✔What is an atom? - ✔✔atom is the smallest unit of matter
✔✔What are the components of an atom? - ✔✔components of an atom is protons,
neutrons, and electrons.
✔✔What does the atomic number represent? - ✔✔The atomic number represents the
number of electrons.
✔✔What does the atomic mass represent? - ✔✔The atomic mass represents sum of
the number of protons and neutrons
✔✔Where are the subatomic particles located within an atom? - ✔✔Subatomic particles
are electrons, neutron, and protons
✔✔What is the shell model? - ✔✔Conceptual diagram of electron distribution in an atom
✔✔What are vacancies? - ✔✔When an atom's outermost shell is filled with electrons,
we say that it has no vacancies. Atoms with no vacancies are in their most stable state.
✔✔How many can be held within each shell? - ✔✔The first shell can hold two electrons,
both the second and third holds 8 individually
✔✔How does the Octet Rule help to determine bonding? - ✔✔The octet rule refers to
the tendency of atoms to prefer to have eight electrons in the valence shell. When
atoms have fewer than eight electrons, they tend to react and form more stable
compound
✔✔Why are noble gases stable? - ✔✔The Noble Gas elements are stable and
unreactive (inert) because the outer valence shells are complete with eight electrons
