High School Biology : High School Biology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #6 : Understanding The Carbon Cycle

Attempt to draw out the Carbon cycle to the best of your abilities without looking up a photo before answering this problem.

Which of the following is not one of the major carbon stores on Earth?

Possible Answers:

The biosphere

The ocean

The atmosphere

The lithosphere

The ocean floor

Correct answer:

The ocean floor

Explanation:

All of the other choices asides from the ocean floor are major carbon stores. The atmosphere contains large amounts of carbon dioxide despite composing just a fraction of a percent of the Earth's atmosphere. The lithosphere contains large amounts of coal, oil and natural gas all of which are various mixtures of carbon containing compounds. The ocean dissolves and stores large amount of the atmosphere's carbon dioxide and the biosphere is all inclusive of living organism which are carbon based and contain a wide variety of carbon compounds. 

Example Question #7 : Understanding The Carbon Cycle

By what method is the majority of carbon moved from the lithosphere to the atmosphere?

Possible Answers:

Weathering

Deposition

The burning of fossil fuels

Respiration

Erosion

Correct answer:

The burning of fossil fuels

Explanation:

Only three of the five answers listed move carbon from the lithosphere to the atmosphere and of these the burning of fossil fuels moves the majority of the carbon that is moved from the lithosphere to the atmosphere. 

Example Question #3 : Understanding The Carbon Cycle

What kind of organism sequesters the most carbon from the atmosphere?

Possible Answers:

Plants 

Insects

Archaea

Bacteria

Animals

Correct answer:

Plants 

Explanation:

Due to cell structure containing cell walls composed of cellulose made of the densely interwoven sheets of the six-carbon sugar glucose plants sequester large amounts of carbon in their cell walls.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

Why can plants not utilize naturally occurring nitrogen gas?

Possible Answers:

Most of the nitrogen is stored as nitrate (NO3-)

Plants cannot break the triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms

Lack of nitrogen-fixing bacteria

There are insufficient amounts available in the atmosphere

Correct answer:

Plants cannot break the triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms

Explanation:

Like carbon, nitrogen is one the most abundant elements in biotic factors. Nitrogen gas is highly abundant in our atmosphere, however it cannot be utilized by humans and plants while in its gaseous state because of the very strong triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms. For plants to use nitrogen, they must have it converted to ammonium or nitrate by bacteria found in the soil and roots. The process of converting nitrogen gas to ammonium is called nitrogen fixation. Decomposition of plants and animals also releases ammonium into the ground. This ammonium can be further converted to nitrate with the help of nitrifying bacteria. Returning nitrogen back to the atmosphere is called denitrification. This process is carried out by some bacteria found in lakes and swamps. These bacteria are anaerobic, so they use the nitrate and release nitrogen gas into the air.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

Which of the following is most directly responsible for nitrogen fixation?

Possible Answers:

Sunlight

Humans

Bacteria

Plant roots

Animals

Correct answer:

Bacteria

Explanation:

Nitrogen fixation is mostly done by bacteria living in the soil. Plants need nitrogen to grow, but they cannot use it straight from the atmosphere or as ammonia from the soil.

Humans and animals largely obtain their necessary nitrogen by consuming plants, and do not fix nitrogen or rely directly on bacteria for the process.

Example Question #561 : High School Biology

Which of the following biological processes is not linked to the nitrogen cycle?

Possible Answers:

Denitrification

Condensation

Ammonification

Assimilation by plants

Nitrogen fixation

Correct answer:

Condensation

Explanation:

Condensation is not part of the nitrogen cycle. It is part of the water cycle, during which water molecules condense together in the atmosphere to form clouds.

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrification is the process of turning __________ into __________.

Possible Answers:

NO3- . . . N2

animal waste . . . NH3

N2 . . . NH3

NO2- . . . NO3-

NO3- . . . plants

Correct answer:

NO2- . . . NO3-

Explanation:

Nitrification is the process by which nitrite (NO2-) is converted to nitrate (NO3-). This is the final step required in the processes used to oxidize nitrogen wastes (ammonia) to usable nitrate ions.

The conversion of gaseous nitrogen to ammonia (N2 to NH3) describes nitrogen fixation, and is usually done by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 

The conversion of nitrate to plant matter (NO3- to plants) describes the process of assimilation. 

The conversion of nitrate to gaseous nitrogen (NO3- to N2) describes denitrification, and is performed by denitrification bacteria. 

The conversion of animal waste to NHdescribes ammonification, and is accomplished by saprobiotic (decomposing) bacteria.

Example Question #3 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

How do plants obtain nitrogen? 

Possible Answers:

From the atmosphere 

From water 

From the soil using their roots 

Plants do not use nitrogen 

Correct answer:

From the soil using their roots 

Explanation:

The nitrogen in plants comes from the soil. Bacteria in the soil take nitrogenous wastes and convert it into forms of nitrogen that plants can use. Plants then take up nitrogen through their roots. 

Example Question #1 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

What is the largest natural reservoir nitrogen on earth?

Possible Answers:

The biosphere

The sun

The geosphere

The Earth's atomosphere

The hydrosphere

Correct answer:

The Earth's atomosphere

Explanation:

The atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen gas and while by mass the atmosphere is less massive than the all the other choices the other choices are not primarily composed of nitrogen and contain relatively little compared to the nitrogen in the atmosphere.

Example Question #2 : Understanding The Nitrogen Cycle

Is the majority of the Earth's nitrogen immediately available for use by plants and other living organisms? Why?

Possible Answers:

No, because the majority of the world's nitrogen is locked in geological reservoirs  

No, most of it exists as inorganic nitrogen gas and is not immediately usable to most organisms.

No, because nitrogen gas is not able to be converted to other forms.

Yes, because the nitrogen gas that composes the atmosphere is usable to most organisms.

Yes, because the majority of the world's nitrogen is present in ammonium

Correct answer:

No, most of it exists as inorganic nitrogen gas and is not immediately usable to most organisms.

Explanation:

Since the nitrogen gas that composes 78% of the atmosphere is not immediately usable to all organisms except for nitrogen-fixing organisms the nitrogen that composes the Earth's major nitrogen reserve is not immediately usable to most organisms. 

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