Natural Science Clep Flash Cards

Front 1

Bony fishes are members of the class

a. Chondrichthyes.

b. Osteichthyes.

c. Agnatha.

d. Amphibia.

e. Aves.

Back 1

b. Osteichthyes

Front 2

A classic experiment on the origin of life was performed in 1953. It showed that organic molecules could have resulted from the interaction of gases and lightning in the atmosphere of early Earth. This is known as the ______________ experiment.



a. Miller-Urey

b. Milgram

c. Meselson and Stahl

d. Hershey-Chase blender

e. Oparin

Back 2

a. Miller-Urey

Front 3

Which of the following is NOT recognized as one of the five kingdoms of life?



a. Monera or Prokaryotae

b. Plantae

c. Chordata

d. Fungi

e. Protista or Protoctista

Back 3

c. Chordata

Front 4

In the scientific name for the house mouse, Mus musculus, Mus is the _________ while, musculus is the _________.



a. order, class

b. species, subspecies

c. species, genus

d. genus, species

e. class, genus

Back 4

d. genus, species

Front 5

Cladogenesis means



a. a species evolves into another, totally different species.

b. a species evolves into another, totally different species, and the parent species ceases to exist.

c. an evolutionary line of descent splits, branching into two or more lines.

d. a new species arises due to physical isolation, such as on an island.

e. the gene pool of population changes due to the founder effect.

Back 5

c. an evolutionary line of descent splits, branching into two or more lines.

Front 6

The oldest fossils are about



a. 50 million years old.

b. 550 million years old.

c. 1 billion years old.

d. 3 billion years old.

e. 6 billion years old.

Back 6

d. 3 billion years old.

Front 7

Oxygen is NOT required for which one of the following processes?



a. Glycolysis

b. Kreb's cycle

c. Electron transport system

d. Citric acid cycle

e. All of the above.

Back 7

a. Glycolysis

Front 8

In humans, oogenesis results in the production of



a. four ova.

b. two ova.

c. one ovum and three polar bodies.

d. one ovum and one polar body.

e. two ova and two polar bodies.

Back 8

c. one ovum and three polar bodies.

Front 9

Which of the following is found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?



a. Ribosomes

b. Mitochondria

c. Chloroplasts

d. Membrane-bound nucleus

e. Nucleoid region

Back 9

a. Ribosomes

Front 10

A plant that grows on another plant but derives only physical support and not nutritional sustenance from that plant (e.g., Spanish moss, lichen, and moss on tree trunks) is termed an



a. epistat.

b. episome.

c. epiphyte.

d. epiphysis.

e. epitope.

Back 10

c. epiphyte.

Front 11

In theory, what is the net number of ATP molecules that can be derived from one molecule of glucose after it has been processed through glycolysis, the Kreb's cycle, and the electron transport system?



a. 30

b. 32

c. 34

d. 36

e. 38

Back 11

d. 36

Front 12

The following graph:




a. could represent the relationship between enzyme activity (increasing activity while moving upward on the y-axis) and temperature (increasing temperature from left to right on the x-axis).

b. could represent the relationship between enzyme activity (increasing activity while moving upward on the y-axis) and pH (pH value increases from left to right on the x-axis).

c. could represent the relationship between enzyme activity (increasing activity while moving upward on the y-axis) and temperature (increasing temperature from left to right on the x-axis). The top of the curve shows the point at which the enzyme becomes denatured.

d. A and B

e. A and C

Back 12

d. A and B

Front 13

RNA is found in what form(s) in the cell?



a. mRNA

b. tRNA

c. rRNA

d. A, B, and C

e. A and B

Back 13

d. A, B, and C

Front 14

Humans as a species first appeared during which geologic era?



a. Cenozoic

b. Paleozoic

c. Precambrian

d. Mesozoic

e. Silurian

Back 14

a. Cenozoic

Front 15

The Hershey-Chase (blender) experiments were based on the fact that



a. phosphorus is found in viral nucleic acids, while sulfur is found in viral proteins.

b. phosphorus is found in viral proteins, while sulfur is found in viral nucleic acids.

c. sulfur is found in both viral proteins and viral nucleic acids.

d. phosphorus is found in both viral proteins and viral nucleic acids.

e. sulfur and phosphorus are both found in viral nucleic acids and viral proteins.

Back 15

a. phosphorus is found in viral nucleic acids, while sulfur is found in viral proteins.

Front 16

The primary producers in a food pyramid consist of



a. herbivores.

b. carnivores.

c. heterotrophs.

d. photosynthetic autotrophs.

e. bacteria.

Back 16

d. photosynthetic autotrophs.

Front 17

A relationship in which one organism benefits from another (a host), but in which the host is not injured, is an example of



a. mutualism.

b. commensalism.

c. Batesian mimicry.

d. parasitism.

e. infection.

Back 17

b. commensalism.

Front 18

The modern system of naming organisms as genus and species is known as __________________, and was developed by the biologist Linnaeus.



a. binomial numerology

b. cladistics

c. Great Chain of Being

d. taxons

e. binomial nomenclature

Back 18

e. binomial nomenclature

Front 19

The third stage, or step, in mitosis is



a. telophase.

b. metaphase.

c. cytokinesis.

d. anaphase.

e. prophase.

Back 19

d. anaphase.

Front 20

In which one of the following biomes are most resources concentrated above the ground?



a. Temperate grassland

b. Tundra

c. Tropical rain forest

d. Desert

e. Deciduous forest

Back 20

c. Tropical rain forest

Front 21

The light reactions of photosynthesis occur



a. on the thylakoid membranes.

b. within the matrix.

c. in the cytosol.

d. on the membrane forming the cristae.

e. on the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Back 21

a. on the thylakoid membranes.

Front 22

The dance of the bees, the means by which a honeybee communicates information about the location of a food resource to the hive, was discovered and first described by



a. August Weismann.

b. Francisco Redi.

c. Julian Huxley.

d. Karl von Frisch.

e. Knut Schmidt-Nielsen.

Back 22

d. Karl von Frisch.

Front 23

Estuaries are



a. saltwater marshlands characterized by water of high salinity.

b. areas of ocean where saltwater and freshwater meet and mix, resulting in water with an intermediate and changing salinity.

c. areas in which sea birds and their nests are protected by federal law.

d. parts of land that are alternately covered and uncovered by saltwater as the tides change each day.

e. any area of ocean in which the salinity is above normal.

Back 23

b. areas of ocean where saltwater and freshwater meet and mix, resulting in water with an intermediate and changing salinity.

Front 24

Which vessels have valves: arteries, veins, or lymph vessels?



a. Arteries

b. Arteries and lymph vessels

c. Veins and lymph vessels

d. Arteries and veins

e. Veins

Back 24

c. Veins and lymph vessels

Front 25

The largest reservoir of carbon on Earth is



a. carbon in the soil.

b. carbon in the oceans.

c. carbon in the atmosphere.

d. carbon in plant biomass.

e. carbon in coal.

Back 25

b. carbon in the oceans.

Front 26

The basic functional unit of the mammalian kidney is the



a. neuron.

b. nephrite.

c. nephron.

d. neurolemma.

e. None of the above

Back 26

c. nephron.

Front 27

DNA is found in which cell organelles?



a. Mitochondria

b. Ribosomes

c. Chloroplasts

d. A, B, and C

e. A and C

Back 27

e. A and C

Front 28

Maltose is composed of



a. two molecules of fructose bonded together.

b. two molecules of glucose bonded together.

c. one molecule of glucose bonded to one molecule of fructose.

d. one molecule of lactose bonded with one molecule of glucose.

e. one molecule of galactose bonded to one molecule of glucose.

Back 28

b. two molecules of glucose bonded together.

Front 29

Organisms that can fix atmospheric nitrogen are limited to the kingdom



a. Plantae.

b. Fungi.

c. Protista (Protoctista).

d. Prokaryotae (Monera).

e. Animalia.

Back 29

d. Prokaryotae (Monera).

Front 30

In humans and other mammals, uric acid is the waste product derived from purines in _________, whereas urea is made from the nitrogen found in ________________.



a. proteins, amino acids

b. nucleic acids, proteins

c. nucleic acids, nucleic acids

d. carbohydrates, proteins

e. nucleic acids, lipids

Back 30

b. nucleic acids, proteins

Front 31

Impulses that stimulate the heart to contract are sent out from the _____ node, located in the right atrium.



a. SA

b. AV

c. ASA

d. Purkinje

e. Bundle of His

Back 31

a. SA

Front 32

The kidney may be divided into two anatomical parts: an outer part, or _____________ (which comes from the Latin word for bark); and an inner part, known as (the) ______________.



a. lateral, medial

b. medulla, cortex

c. cortex, medulla

d. superficial, deep

e. capsule, cortex

Back 32

c. cortex, medulla

Front 33

The surfaces of plant leaves, and many stems, have openings through which gases are exchanged and transpiration occurs. The openings are known as



a. stomata.

b. cuticles.

c. palisade cells.

d. guard cells.

e. mesophyll.

Back 33

a. stomata.

Front 34

Which of the following is NOT an example of a factor limiting population growth that is density-dependent?



a. Infectious disease

b. Predation

c. Competition for food

d. Floods

e. Parasitism

Back 34

d. Floods

Front 35

Which statement best explains why air enters the lungs during inspiration and exits during expiration?



a. The vacuum created by the expanding chest first pushes air out (expiration) and then pulls it in (inspiration).

b. Rib cage and diaphragm movement reduce the air pressure within the lungs. The higher atmospheric air pressure outside the chest then pushes air into this lower-pressure area of the lungs. As the rib cage and diaphragm return to their initial position, increasing air pressure in the lungs causes air to be expelled.

c. By a process known as the Venturi phenomenon, air moves from the lower air pressure of the atmosphere into the higher pressure of the lungs as the chest expands. The reverse of this process results in the exhalation of air from the lungs.

d. Lungs are held to the lining of the chest by a fluid that lubricates the movement of the lungs; air is pulled into the nose or mouth, and is forced into the lungs with a swallowing movement, making the chest expand. (This is most clearly seen in a breathing frog.) As the nasal passages relax, air is free to exit the lungs.

e. Rib cage and diaphragm movement increase the air pressure within the lungs. The lower atmospheric air pressure outside the chest then pushes air into this higher-pressure area of the lungs. As the rib cage and diaphragm return to their initial position, decreasing air pressure in the lungs causes air to be expelled.

Back 35

b. Rib cage and diaphragm movement reduce the air pressure within the lungs. The higher atmospheric air pressure outside the chest then pushes air into this lower-pressure area of the lungs. As the rib cage and diaphragm return to their initial position, increasing air pressure in the lungs causes air to be expelled.

Front 36

Which of the following statements best defines a population?



a. Individuals of a single species that occupy a particular locale at a particular time; often the individuals interbreed and are isolated from other populations

b. All individuals of a particular species that are alive at the same time

c. A population consists of two or more interbreeding subpopulations and occupy contiguous territories

d. A group of organisms and the organisms they feed on in one geographical area

e. A population is any species under study that is found in a habitat characterized by a particular type of vegetation in or entering a specific stage of succession

Back 36

a. Individuals of a single species that occupy a particular locale at a particular time; often the individuals interbreed and are isolated from other populations

Front 37

By what process do carbon dioxide and oxygen move in and out of the blood?



a. Diffusion

b. Facilitated diffusion

c. Active transport

d. Osmosis

e. Receptor-mediated endocytosis

Back 37

a. Diffusion

Front 38

Two hormones that help regulate the functioning of the kidneys are ________________ and ______________.



a. testosterone, ADH

b. aldosterone, LDH

c. aldosterone, ADH

d. aldosterone, AHD

e. ADH, estrogen

Back 38

c. aldosterone, ADH

Front 39

In mammals, all blood cells and platelets are produced in the



a. thymus.

b. spleen.

c. bone marrow.

d. liver.

e. None of the above

Back 39

c. bone marrow.

Front 40

In seed plants, the tissue that envelops and supplies nutrients to the embryo is called the



a. fruit.

b. endocarp.

c. pericarp.

d. endosperm.

e. ovule.

Back 40

d. endosperm.

Front 41

Deuterostomes may be distinguished from protostomes in that



a. deuterostome zygotes undergo spiral cleavage, while protostomes go through radial cleavage.

b. the blastopore of deuterostomes becomes the anus of the developed organism, while in protostomes the blastopore forms a mouth.

c. only deuterostomes are also coelomates.

d. only protostomes show radial symmetry in the adult organism.

e. all protostomes are extinct.

Back 41

b. the blastopore of deuterostomes becomes the anus of the developed organism, while in protostomes the blastopore forms a mouth.

Front 42

A cross is performed between a tall garden pea plant known to be heterozygous for tallness (Tt), and another tall pea plant of undetermined genotype. Which of the following statements lists all the potential F1 phenotypes that could result from this cross?



a. All tall

b. Ratio of 1:2:1 for TT : Tt : tt

c. All tall or 3:1 tall:short

d. 1:1 tall:short or 2:1 tall:short

e. 3:1 tall:short

Back 42

c. All tall or 3:1 tall:short

Front 43

In the embryo, mesoderm gives rise to



a. muscle, bone, and circulatory system.

b. nerve tissue.

c. digestive system and liver.

d. hair and nails.

e. skin.

Back 43

a. muscle, bone, and circulatory system.

Front 44

___________ give(s) rise to secondary growth in plants.



a. Apical meristems

b. Ground meristem

c. Procambium

d. Lateral meristems

e. Protoderm

Back 44

d. Lateral meristems

Front 45

The antibodies transferred to a nursing infant in its mother's milk are an example of



a. activated immunity.

b. a toxoid.

c. an antigen.

d. passive immunity.

e. active immunity.

Back 45

d. passive immunity.

Front 46

Approximately how much energy is passed from one trophic level to another when going up a food chain?



a. 1 percent

b. 10 percent

c. 35 percent

d. 65 percent

e. 90 percent

Back 46

b. 10 percent

Front 47

In most mammals, including humans,



a. females have two X chromosomes, and males have one X and one Y chromosome.

b. females have X and Y chromosomes, and males have two X chromosomes.

c. females have two X chromosomes, both derived from their mother.

d. females have one X chromosome, and males two X chromosomes.

e. females can have either XX or YY chromosomes, while males have X and Y chromosomes.

Back 47

a. females have two X chromosomes, and males have one X and one Y chromosome.

Front 48

Which of the following hormones is NOT produced by the anterior pituitary gland?



a. Thyroid-stimulating hormone

b. Thyroxine

c. Prolactin

d. Melanocyte-stimulating hormone

e. Growth hormone

Back 48

b. Thyroxine

Front 49

A swim bladder is found only in



a. chondrichthyes.

b. osteichthyes.

c. agnatha.

d. amphibia.

e. A and B

Back 49

b. osteichthyes.

Front 50

The circulation of the blood was first explained by



a. William Harvey.

b. Charles Darwin.

c. Louis Pasteur.

d. Claude Bernard.

e. Harvey Williams.

Back 50

a. William Harvey.

Front 51

Which statement is incorrect?



a. A haploid cell with 14 chromosomes undergoes mitosis, yielding 2 cells, each with 14 chromosomes.

b. A diploid cell with 28 chromosomes undergoes mitosis, producing cells that each bear 14 chromosomes.

c. A diploid cell with 28 chromosomes undergoes mitosis, producing cells that each bear 28 chromosomes.

d. A diploid cell with 28 chromosomes undergoes meiosis, producing cells that each bear 14 chromosomes.

e. A diploid cell with 14 chromosomes undergoes meiosis, producing cells that each bear 7 chromosomes.

Back 51

b. A diploid cell with 28 chromosomes undergoes mitosis, producing cells that each bear 14 chromosomes.


**The correct answer B. Cells that are produced by mitosis retain the same number of chromosomes found in the parent cell. This rule applies whether the parent cell is haploid (1N) or diploid (2N). Cells resulting from meiosis have half the number (1N) of chromosomes found in the parent cell (which was a diploid cell with a complement of 2N chromosomes). Haploid cells do not undergo meiosis for obvious reasons.

Front 52

Body systems work together in an integrated fashion to keep the internal environment stable and compatible with life, a process that is called



a. homeothermy.

b. homeostasis.

c. catabolism.

d. buffering.

e. isostasis.

Back 52

b. homeostasis.

Front 53

When the function of an organ is affected by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, the two systems usually interact in a manner best described as



a. synergistic.

b. stimulating.

c. afferent.

d. efferent.

e. antagonistic.

Back 53

e. antagonistic.

Front 54

The basic unit of organization in organisms is



a. the mitochondrion.

b. the membrane-bound nucleus.

c. the cell.

d. the organ.

e. tissues assembled into organs and organ systems.

Back 54

c. the cell.

Front 55

Prior to the appearance of photosynthetic organisms, almost no _______ gas was found in the Earth's atmosphere.



a. hydrogen

b. methane

c. water (vapor)

d. oxygen

e. nitrogen

Back 55

d. oxygen

Front 56

Structures such as the wings of birds and bats, which are functionally similar but do not share a common evolutionary origin, are termed



a. homogenous.

b. analogous.

c. homologous.

d. evolutionary throwbacks.

e. embryonic.

Back 56

b. analogous.

Front 57

Normal human body cells contain ___ chromosomes.



a. 23

b. 24

c. 46

d. 48

e. 92

Back 57

c. 46

Front 58

All of the following statements are true about osmoregulating or osmoconforming animals EXCEPT



a. freshwater animals are osmoregulators, while most marine invertebrates are osmoconformers.

b. the fluid in cells of osmoregulators is generally isosmotic with seawater.

c. osmoregulators living in a marine environment must continually take in water.

d. osmoregulators must actively and continually adjust their physiological osmolarity.

e. humans and many other terrestrial animals are osmoregulators.

Back 58

b. the fluid in cells of osmoregulators is generally isosmotic with seawater.

Front 59

When muscle cells exhaust their supply of free oxygen, anaerobic fermentation is used to derive energy to continue contracting. This leads to the buildup of what product in the muscle cells?



a. Lactose

b. Lactase

c. Lactic acid

d. Galactose

e. Lacteal

Back 59

c. Lactic acid

Front 60

Macroevolution refers to



a. changes within a single population over a period of time.

b. major evolutionary events or trends above the species level occurring over geologic periods.

c. the punctuated-equilibrium hypothesis proposed by Niles Eldredge and Stephan J. Gould in the 1970s.

d. lamarckian evolution above the species level.

e. evolution that does not involve natural selection.

Back 60

b. major evolutionary events or trends above the species level occurring over geologic periods.