The physical appearance or _____ of an organism is determined by a set of alleles.

Answer Explanation

A cell copies its DNA during the S phase, and nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA. Thus, the step preceding the S phase, the G1 phase, is the phase of the cell cycle when the cell would contain the most nucleotides.

For a cell to divide into more cells, it must grow, copy its DNA, and produce new daughter cells. The cell cycle regulates cellular division. This process can either prevent a cell from dividing or trigger it to start dividing.

The cell cycle is an organized process divided into two phases: interphase and the M (mitotic) phase. During interphase, the cell grows and copies its DNA. After the cell reaches the M phase, division of the two new cells can occur. The G1, S, and G2 phases make up interphase.

• G1: The first gap phase, during which the cell prepares to copy its DNA
• S: The synthesis phase, during which DNA is copied
• G2 : The second gap phase, during which the cell prepares for cell division

It may appear that little is happening in the cell during the gap phases. Most of the activity occurs at the level of enzymes and macromolecules. The cell produces things like nucleotides for synthesizing new DNA strands, enzymes for copying the DNA, and tubulin proteins for building the mitotic spindle. During the S phase, the DNA in the cell doubles, but few other signs are obvious under the microscope. All the dramatic events that can be seen under a microscope occur during the M phase: the chromosomes move, and the cell splits into two new cells with identical nuclei.

Answer Explanation

The aging process affects hormone activity in one of three ways: their secretion can decrease, remain unchanged, or increase.

Hormones that decrease secretion include the following:

• Estrogen (in women)
• Testosterone (in men)
• Growth hormone
• Melatonin

In women, the decline in estrogen levels leads to menopause. In men, testosterone levels usually decrease gradually. Decreased levels of growth hormone may lead to decreased muscle mass and strength. Decreased melatonin levels may play an important role in the loss of normal sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythms) with aging.

Hormones that usually remain unchanged or slightly decrease include the following:

• Cortisol
• Insulin
• Thyroid hormones

Hormones that may increase secretions levels include the following:

Parathyroid hormone

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Norepinephrine
• Epinephrine, in the very old

Answer Explanation

The main male reproductive organs are the penis and the testicles, which are located external to the body. The penis is composed of a long shaft and a bulbous end called the glans penis. The glans penis is usually surrounded by an extension of skin called the foreskin.

The testes (analogous to the female ovaries), or testicles, are retained in a pouch of skin called the scrotum, which descends from the base of the penis. The scrotum contains nerves and blood vessels needed to support the testicles’ functions. Each testicle (or testis) produces sperm (analogous to the female ova), which are passed into a series of coiled tubules called the epididymis. The epididymis stores and nurtures sperm until they are passed into the vas deferens, a tubule that is about 30 centimeters long, extending from the testicle into the pelvis and ending at the ejaculatory duct.

The epididymis and vas deferens are supported by several accessory glands (the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and the Cowper glands) that produce fluid components of semen and support the sperm cells.

Answer Explanation

Mendel developed theories of genetics that scientists around the world use today.

From experiments with garden peas, Mendel developed a simple set of rules that accurately predicted patterns of heredity. He discovered that plants either self-pollinate or cross-pollinate, when the pollen from one plant fertilizes the pistil of another plant. He also discovered that traits are either dominant or recessive. Dominant traits are expressed, and recessive traits are hidden.

Mendel’s Theory of Heredity

To explain his results, Mendel proposed a theory that has become the foundation of the science of genetics. The theory has five elements:

• Parents do not transmit traits directly to their offspring. Rather, they pass on units of information called genes.
• For each trait, an individual has two factors: one from each parent. If the two factors have the same information, the individual is homozygous for that trait. If the two factors are different, the individual is heterozygous for that trait. Each copy of a factor, or gene, is called an allele.
• The alleles determine the physical appearance, or phenotype. The set of alleles an individual has is its genotype.
• An individual receives one allele from each parent.
• The presence of an allele does not guarantee that the trait will be expressed.

Answer Explanation

Acidosis is when the body fluids contain too much acid, or low pH. The kidneys and lungs are unable to keep the body’s pH in balance. Acidosis is the result when there is too much loss of bicarbonate from the blood known as metabolic acidosis, or due to a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood due to poor lung function, known as respiratory acidosis. It is the opposite of alkalosis, which is a condition in which there is too much base in the body fluids.

Answer Explanation

Mendel was accurately able to predict the patterns of heredity by studying rules related to genetics. These rules helped shape his theory of heredity. Heredity is the characteristics offspring inherit from their parents. 

From experiments with garden peas, Mendel developed a simple set of rules that accurately predicted patterns of heredity. He discovered that plants either self-pollinate or cross-pollinate, when the pollen from one plant fertilizes the pistil of another plant. He also discovered that traits are either dominant or recessive. Dominant traits are expressed, and recessive traits are hidden.

Mendel’s Theory of Heredity

To explain his results, Mendel proposed a theory that has become the foundation of the science of genetics. The theory has five elements:

• Parents do not transmit traits directly to their offspring. Rather, they pass on units of information called genes.
• For each trait, an individual has two factors: one from each parent. If the two factors have the same information, the individual is homozygous for that trait. If the two factors are different, the individual is heterozygous for that trait. Each copy of a factor, or gene, is called an allele.
• The alleles determine the physical appearance, or phenotype. The set of alleles an individual has is its genotype.
• An individual receives one allele from each parent.
• The presence of an allele does not guarantee that the trait will be expressed.

Answer Explanation

Autotrophs are organisms that use basic raw materials in nature, like the sun, to make energy-rich biomolecules. Minerals are naturally inorganic.

Autotrophs are organisms that make energy-rich biomolecules from raw material in nature. They do this by using basic energy sources such the sun. This explains why most autotrophs rely on photosynthesis to transform sunlight into usable food that can produce energy necessary for life. Plants and certain species of bacteria are autotrophs.

Answer Explanation

Unlike condensation, deposition, and melting, evaporation is dependent not only on the temperature, but also on the amount of a substance available.

Condensation is the change of a gas or vapor to a liquid. A change in the pressure and the temperature of a substance causes this change. The condensation point is the same as the boiling point of a substance. It is most noticeable when there is a large temperature difference between an object and the atmosphere. Condensation is also the opposite of evaporation.

Evaporation is the change of a liquid to a gas on the surface of a substance. This is not to be confused with boiling, which is a phase transition of an entire substance from a liquid to a gas. The evaporation point is the same as the freezing point of a substance. As the temperature increases, the rate of evaporation also increases. Evaporation depends not only on the temperature, but also on the amount of substance available.

Freezing is the change of a liquid to a solid. It occurs when the temperature drops below the freezing point. The amount of heat that has been removed from the substance allows the particles of the substance to draw closer together, and the material changes from a liquid to a solid. It is the opposite of melting.

Melting is the change of a solid into a liquid. For melting to occur, enough heat must be added to the substance. When this is done, the molecules move around more, and the particles are unable to hold together as tightly as they can in a solid. They break apart, and the solid becomes a liquid.

Sublimation is a solid changing into a gas. As a material sublimates, it does not pass through the liquid state. An example of sublimation is carbon dioxide, a gas, changing into dry ice, a solid. It is the reverse of deposition.

Deposition is a gas changing into a solid without going through the liquid phase. It is an uncommon phase change. An example is when it is extremely cold outside and the cold air comes in contact with a window. Ice will form on the window without going through the liquid state.

Answer Explanation

The primary organ of the urinary system is the kidney. Blood from the heart flows through the kidneys via the renal artery. As blood drains from the kidney, it exits through a series of veins, the most prominent of which is the renal vein. When urine is produced, it does not drain through the tubes through which blood flows. Rather, urine flows through two ureters before emptying into the urinary bladder.

The following steps outline how the urinary system works:

• Kidney filters and excretes wastes from blood, producing urine.
• Urine flows down the ureters.
• Urine empties into the bladder and is temporarily stored.
• Bladder, when filled, empties urine out of the body via the urethra.

Answer Explanation

A control group is a factor that does not change during an experiment. Due to this, it is used as a standard for comparison with variables that do change such as a dependent variable.

Recall that these make up the scientific method, described below:

• Problem: The question created because of an observation. Example: Does the size of a plastic object affect how fast it naturally degrades in a lake?
• Research: Reliable information available about what is observed. Example: Learn how plastics are made and understand the properties of a lake.
• Hypothesis: A predicted solution to the question or problem. Example: If the plastic material is small, then it will degrade faster than a large particle.
• Experiment: A series of tests used to evaluate the hypothesis. Experiments consist of an independent variable that the researcher modifies and a dependent variable that changes due to the independent variable. They also include a control group used as a standard to make comparisons. 
  • Example: Collect plastic particles both onshore and offshore of the lake over time. Determine the size of the particles and describe the lake conditions during this time period.
• Observe: Analyze data collected during an experiment to observe patterns. 
  • Example: Analyze the differences between the numbers of particles collected in terms of size.
• Conclusion: State whether the hypothesis is rejected or accepted and summarize all results.
• Communicate: Report findings so others can replicate and verify the results.