ACT Science : How to find synthesis of data in biology
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Example Questions
Example Question #201 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
As temperature increases, what happens to the surviving number of bacteria?
The number increases
The number first decreases, and then increases
The number first increases, and then decreases
The number decreases
The number first increases, and then decreases
The correct answer is that the number of surviving bacteria first increases, and then decreases, as temperature increases. Note that the data in these tables is the number of bacteria that have died, so the opposite percentage survive. Therefore, more bacteria survive closer to 37 degrees Celsius, but not higher or lower than that.
Example Question #202 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
If you conducted a new experiment testing this antibiotic with a concentration of 
The correct answer is 
Example Question #202 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
Scientists want to see how any athlete's heart health is different from others. The scientists monitor four individual's (A, B, C and D) heart rates during sleep, rest and intense exercise. Only one athlete was tested and the data was recorded in the table below in heart beats per minute.
Which individual was the athlete?
D
A
B
C
All of these
A
Athletes typically have stronger hearts than non-athletes which means that an athlete's heart beats less in a minute when sleeping or resting. This leads to the correct answer that individual A is the athlete.
Alternatively, it was stated that only one athlete was tested. Individual A's resting heart rate and heart rate while sleeping are significantly lower than the other tested individuals. Due to this large difference, individual A is the athlete due to the differences in data from the other individuals.
Example Question #484 : Act Science
Scientists want to see how any athlete's heart health is different from others. The scientists monitor four individual's (A, B, C and D) heart rates during sleep, rest and intense exercise. Only one athlete was tested and the data was recorded in the table below in heart beats per minute.
If moderate activity was performed, which best represents the range of heart beats, in beats per minute, that would have been noticed?
It can be seen in the data that as more activity is being done, the heart rate of the individual increases. The individuals were tested during times of rest and intense activity, but not moderate activity. It is reasonable to believe that the heart rates during moderate activity would be higher than resting, but lower than intense exercise. This leads to the only range of data possible as 100-130 beats per minute.
Example Question #203 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
According to the data, which is the most dangerous season for the chickadee?
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
The death rate for the chickadee is much higher in the winter than any of the other months. Also, the length of stay in the nest is smaller, leaving the birds exposed to the elements and to predators for longer periods of time. Finally, there is likely less food in the winter than in the other months, given that the birds eat insects and berries.
Example Question #206 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
What could cause the death rate to increase in the winter and decrease in the summer?
Harsh conditions, predators, and a lack of safety
Food surplus
Harsh conditions, fewer predators and a small offspring rate
Nesting challenges, mild conditions, and predators
Harsh conditions, predators, and a lack of safety
The answer is harsh conditions, a lack of safety and predators. This is the only case in which all of the options would themselves alone increase the death rate. Together, they would account for a higher death rate in the winter than in the summer months where the rate has decreased. One could consider fewer offspring a reason for a high death rate but remember death and birth rates only effect population, not each other.
Example Question #207 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
Which of the following is not a reasonable explanation for an average Winter offspring of zero?
The death rate is too high to sustain new life
The winter is a difficult season to find a mate
The nesting time is too low to sustain eggs gestation time
The fox in the foxhole could crush the eggs
The fox in the foxhole could crush the eggs
All explanations are reasonable except that the fox might steal or crush the eggs. The foxhole the birds are nesting in is abandoned, as indicated, and the birds would likely not stay long enough to await the return of a predator anyway, given that the duration of stay is so low. Realistically, the birds are probably too cold and working too hard to find food to sustain new life, given a high death rate and other harsh winter conditions.
Example Question #203 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
Researchers return to the chickadees' nesting area in October one season later. Likely, which of the following behaviors are they going to witness?
Chickadees building nests from the remnants of other birds' nesting sites
Chickadees feeding new offspring
Chickadees mating
Chickadees searching for holes in the ground
Chickadees building nests from the remnants of other birds' nesting sites
October is in the fall season. During this season, offspring rates are low, and therefore so are mating rates. Both of these options are not reasonable. Similarly, the birds would not be searching for holes in the ground, as that is behavior more typical of the winter, when they will seek underground shelter. They might, though, be building nests from other bird nests, as the fall is a likely season for the chickadees to be nesting in woodpecker holes.
Example Question #209 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
What is a possible explanation for the sudden increase in duration of stay in a nest between winter and spring?
The nesting habits dictate an increased stay
It is coincidence
There is a correlating decrease in death rate
There is a correlating increase in number of offspring
There is a correlating increase in number of offspring
An increase in the number of offspring is a reasonable explanation of the extended stay in the nest in the springtime. We cannot prove there is a causation, but both phenomena occur at the same time, which at the very least is enough to suspect that both are correlated.
Example Question #204 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Biology
The mountain chickadee is a bird native to Colorado’s coniferous forests, preferring to live in areas 6,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. They are a resident species, meaning they do not migrate south for the winter.
The mountain chickadee nests in coniferous trees, caves, snags and abandoned foxholes and eats insects, berries, and seeds. They tend to stay close to the breeding ground for most of their adult lives, and do not care for treeless valleys outside of the high country.
Researchers wish to know more about the nesting behaviors of these animals. For a calendar year, these researchers documented nesting patterns of the male chickadees in a coniferous forest in Northern Colorado. The researchers took note of both the season as well as the characteristics of the chickadee nests in order to establish a pattern. The results are documented below.
Mountain Chickadee Nesting and Survival Patterns June 2011- May 2012:
|
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Location within Forest |
Coniferous tree branch |
Woodpecker hole |
Abandoned foxhole |
Coniferous tree cavity |
|
Average Time to Build Nest |
6 hrs |
8 hrs |
12 hrs |
8 hrs |
|
Average Duration of Stay |
8 weeks |
6 weeks |
4 weeks |
6 weeks |
|
Average Number of Offspring |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Average Death Rate of Bird |
1:15 |
1:12 |
1:8 |
1:12 |
If the Spring begins with 12 chickadees, what could be a reasonable number of chickadees at the end of the Spring, considering three are female.
21
20
11
18
20
There will be, on average, 20 Chickadees at the end of the Spring if we began the season with twelve. If three are female, we can assume they each had, on average, three offspring.
But remember that, on average, one of those original twelve will die sometime during the season. Thus, we can reasonably assume there will be 20 birds left.
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