Practice Test 35 - High School Biology

20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.

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1. A student claims: "All of the atoms in a plant's proteins come from photosynthesis, because photosynthesis makes the food." Which response best corrects the claim using atom tracking?
2. In a cold environment, a person's body temperature falls below normal. The body begins shivering, which produces heat and raises body temperature back toward normal. Which type of feedback is shown?
3. In translation, mRNA is read in codons. What is a codon?
4. A coral reef near a tourist island is damaged by repeated anchor drops and boat groundings. The island proposes installing permanent mooring buoys and designating no-anchor zones over the reef. Another proposal is to reattach broken coral fragments each year without changing boating rules. Which option best addresses the root cause of the reef damage?
5. A certain biological loop works like this: when a variable decreases, the response causes it to decrease even further, and the cycle continues until the system reaches an endpoint. Based on response direction, what type of feedback is this?
6. Which statement best explains why cellular respiration is considered an energy-releasing (exergonic) process?
7. A diploid cell with chromosome pairs from both parents is beginning meiosis. Which outcome best describes what happens to the maternal and paternal homologous chromosomes during meiosis and why this matters?
8. Claim: A fish population in Lake B evolved increased tolerance to warmer water after a power plant began releasing warm water into the lake. Evidence: 1) In 2005 (before warming), 15% of sampled fish survived a 30°C lab test; in 2020 (after warming), 60% survived the same test. 2) In 2020, fish placed in warm water for 2 hours produced more heat-shock proteins than fish kept in cooler water. 3) A genetic marker linked to heat tolerance increased in frequency from 0.20 (2005) to 0.55 (2020). 4) The power plant began operating in 2007. Which evidence is least relevant to showing that the population evolved (genetically changed) increased tolerance?
9. Which option best describes an organ (not a tissue or an organ system)?
10. A person forgets to drink water for several hours. Their blood becomes more concentrated. Sensors in the brain detect this and cause the release of ADH, which makes the kidneys return more water to the blood and produce a smaller volume of more concentrated urine. After drinking water, ADH levels fall and urine becomes less concentrated. What would most likely happen if the ADH response did NOT occur during dehydration?
11. Which option correctly contrasts how natural selection acts with what changes over time?
12. A farmer uses the same pesticide on insect pests every season. At first, almost all insects die, but a few survive and reproduce. After many generations, the pesticide is much less effective. Which explanation best describes why this happens?
13. A plant cell is growing and must maintain its shape while water enters the cell. The cell links many glucose molecules to synthesize cellulose. Why is cellulose synthesis important for plant cell function?
14. Which set of components best describes what is needed for homeostasis of an internal condition (like temperature, water balance, or glucose) without requiring detailed physiology?
15. A river downstream of farms has frequent algal blooms that reduce oxygen levels and cause fish kills, lowering aquatic biodiversity. A proposed conservation strategy is to restore 20-meter-wide vegetated buffer strips along both banks to reduce fertilizer runoff. Which evaluation best explains why this could preserve biodiversity, and a key limitation?
16. DNA is often described as a "twisted ladder." In this model, what makes up the sides (backbone) of the DNA ladder?
17. Where does a plant get the carbon dioxide ($CO_2$ used as a reactant in photosynthesis) in most environments?
18. After eating a meal, a student notices they feel more energetic about an hour later. You are creating a simple model (boxes and arrows) to show how nutrients from food reach body cells. Which set of boxes and arrows should be included?
19. A student walks outside on a cold day and begins to shiver. Their skin feels cold, and their body tries to conserve heat. Which concept map best models how the nervous, muscular, and circulatory systems work together in this situation?
20. A student draws an integrated diagram with two boxes labeled "Photosynthesis" and "Cellular Respiration." They want arrows showing the cycling of CO2, H2O, O2, and glucose, plus arrows showing energy flow. Which set of arrows is correct?

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