BSC 101 Final exam Questions and answers
Updated RATED A+
1. Describe the ways in which the scientific method is inadequate at describing what science is - Correct
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
Answers Oversimplified, implies one experiment can answer a research question, science is not linear,
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
implies it's an independent effort, ignore technology and society
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 2. Explain why the claim that evolutionary theory is "just a theory" reflect incorrect understanding of
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! what science is - Correct Answers A theory is an explanation that can be used to explain a broad set of
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! phenomena. It is evidence based, has many hypothesis to show that it is true, has data to back it up, is
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! predictive, inclusive. The evolutionary theory cannot be proven but through data, fossil, and other
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! experiments done by many scientists there is an overwhelming amount of evidence. II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 3. Explain how community feedback is provided to scientists through peer review of their scientific
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! investigations - Correct Answers -Critics and fact checkers II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
-Watch for bias and fraud II! II! II! II!
-Mutual motivation II!
-Sees if claims are strong as the evidence
II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 4. Identify the properties that are shared by all life as we know it - Correct Answers 1. Have organized
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! structures made of at least one cell, 2. Responds to stimuli, 3. Reproduces, 4. Evolve through adaptation
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! by natural selection, 5. Grow and develop, 6. Maintain homeostasis, 7. Process energy
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
5. Distinguish between prokaryotes and eukaryotes - Correct Answers Prokaryotes- Single-celled
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
organisms that lack organelles surrounded by a membrane and don't have nuclei surrounded by nuclear
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
membranes (bacteria and archaea); Eukaryotes- Organisms with cells that have nuclei and membrane-
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
bound organelles (Eurkarya- animals & plants)
II! II! II! II! II!
II! 6. Distinguish between scientific explanations of evolution and explanations that reflect common
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! misconceptions about evolution - Correct Answers a) Evolution is just a theory II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
b) Individual organisms can evolve
II! II! II! II!
c) Evolution explains the origin of life
II! II! II! II! II! II!
d) Organisms evolve on purpose of if they're smart enough
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
, e) Evolution is controversial among scientists (ITS NOT)
II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
f) Other "theories" should be taught
II! II! II! II! II!
g) Evolution and religion are compatible
II! II! II! II! II!
i) fossil evidence
II! II!
ii) morphological homology
II! II!
iii) molecular homology
II! II!
iv) distribution of organisms/fossils
II! II! II!
v) chronologyII!
II! 7. Explain how natural selection happens - Correct Answers a) Genetic variation in a population
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
b) Differential reproduction
II! II!
c) Heredity II!
d) Change across generations in:
II! II! II! II!
i) Gene pool
II! II!
ii) Phenotypes
II!
iii) Population's mean fitness
II! II! II!
II! 8. Identify the role of mutation in evolution - Correct Answers ALL of the genetic variation we observe
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! in populations originally arose through a mutation. Relate to natural selection.
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
a) No change in phenotype
II! II! II! II!
b) Benefit- increased fitness
II! II! II!
c) Negative- decreased fitness
II! II! II!
II! 9. Explain how speciation happens - Correct Answers When one species becomes two different species.
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! when one species diverges into two because a portion of the species becomes unable to reproduce with
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! the rest of the species
II! II! II! II!
a) Allopatric speciation- "Other homelands;" involves a geographic of populations from a parent species
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
and subsequent evolution
II! II! II!
b) Sympatric speciation- "Same homeland;" involves speciation occurring within a parent species while
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
remaining in one location
II! II! II! II!
Updated RATED A+
1. Describe the ways in which the scientific method is inadequate at describing what science is - Correct
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
Answers Oversimplified, implies one experiment can answer a research question, science is not linear,
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
implies it's an independent effort, ignore technology and society
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 2. Explain why the claim that evolutionary theory is "just a theory" reflect incorrect understanding of
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! what science is - Correct Answers A theory is an explanation that can be used to explain a broad set of
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! phenomena. It is evidence based, has many hypothesis to show that it is true, has data to back it up, is
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! predictive, inclusive. The evolutionary theory cannot be proven but through data, fossil, and other
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! experiments done by many scientists there is an overwhelming amount of evidence. II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 3. Explain how community feedback is provided to scientists through peer review of their scientific
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! investigations - Correct Answers -Critics and fact checkers II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
-Watch for bias and fraud II! II! II! II!
-Mutual motivation II!
-Sees if claims are strong as the evidence
II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! 4. Identify the properties that are shared by all life as we know it - Correct Answers 1. Have organized
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! structures made of at least one cell, 2. Responds to stimuli, 3. Reproduces, 4. Evolve through adaptation
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! by natural selection, 5. Grow and develop, 6. Maintain homeostasis, 7. Process energy
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
5. Distinguish between prokaryotes and eukaryotes - Correct Answers Prokaryotes- Single-celled
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
organisms that lack organelles surrounded by a membrane and don't have nuclei surrounded by nuclear
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
membranes (bacteria and archaea); Eukaryotes- Organisms with cells that have nuclei and membrane-
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
bound organelles (Eurkarya- animals & plants)
II! II! II! II! II!
II! 6. Distinguish between scientific explanations of evolution and explanations that reflect common
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! misconceptions about evolution - Correct Answers a) Evolution is just a theory II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
b) Individual organisms can evolve
II! II! II! II!
c) Evolution explains the origin of life
II! II! II! II! II! II!
d) Organisms evolve on purpose of if they're smart enough
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
, e) Evolution is controversial among scientists (ITS NOT)
II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
f) Other "theories" should be taught
II! II! II! II! II!
g) Evolution and religion are compatible
II! II! II! II! II!
i) fossil evidence
II! II!
ii) morphological homology
II! II!
iii) molecular homology
II! II!
iv) distribution of organisms/fossils
II! II! II!
v) chronologyII!
II! 7. Explain how natural selection happens - Correct Answers a) Genetic variation in a population
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
b) Differential reproduction
II! II!
c) Heredity II!
d) Change across generations in:
II! II! II! II!
i) Gene pool
II! II!
ii) Phenotypes
II!
iii) Population's mean fitness
II! II! II!
II! 8. Identify the role of mutation in evolution - Correct Answers ALL of the genetic variation we observe
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! in populations originally arose through a mutation. Relate to natural selection.
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
a) No change in phenotype
II! II! II! II!
b) Benefit- increased fitness
II! II! II!
c) Negative- decreased fitness
II! II! II!
II! 9. Explain how speciation happens - Correct Answers When one species becomes two different species.
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! when one species diverges into two because a portion of the species becomes unable to reproduce with
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
II! the rest of the species
II! II! II! II!
a) Allopatric speciation- "Other homelands;" involves a geographic of populations from a parent species
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
and subsequent evolution
II! II! II!
b) Sympatric speciation- "Same homeland;" involves speciation occurring within a parent species while
II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II! II!
remaining in one location
II! II! II! II!