Biotechnology Quiz

Which of these is the BEST definition of biotechnology?

• The study of chemical processes in living things

• The use and application of living things and biological processes

• The application of engineering principles to solve medical problems

• The study of how energy, motion and other forces affect living things

Which of the following BEST describes a career in biotechnology

• Spongebob uses a sophisticated telescope to observe the stars

• Patrick tracks the number of fish that inhabit a certain coastal sea

• Sandy modifies the DNA of bacteria to study the function of their genes

• Plankton writes computer programs that model the three-dimensional structure of chemical compounds

Popeye grew large, tasty tomatoes in his vegetable garden. He sowed seeds that had a been made by crossing certain types of tomato plants over many generations. Which of the following processes was responsible for Popeye's seeds?

• Cloning

• Biodegradation

• Artificial Selection

• Genetic Engineering

Which of these statements best explains how the tomato on the left was produced?

• It was cloned from the plant that produced the tomato to the right

• It was produced by the process of artificial selection over many years

• It grew on the upper part of a plant, and the tomato on the right grew on the lower part of the stem

• It grew larger because the seeds from two tomatoes like the one on the right were used to grow a plant that produced larger tomatoes

A scientist transfers a fragment of genetic material from one organism to another organism of a different species. What is the general term that describes this process?

• Artificial Selection

• Selective Breeding

• Genetic Engineering

• Cloning

At one time, farmers had to spray insecticides on their fields to protect their crops from insects. Today, farmers can buy seeds that produce plants that are resistant to many insects. Which process contributed to the development of these seeds?

• Cloning

• Natural Selection

• Selective Breeding

• Sexual Reproduction

Biotechnology involves the use of living things and biological processes to make new plants, medicines, and other products. Which of these descriptions is an example of genetic engineering?

• Developing new fertilizers for growing corn plants

• Inserting a gene for disease resistance into a corn plant

• Crossing two corn plants that are both resistant to pesticides

• Breeding two corn plants that both produce larger ears of corn

A dog breed has been bred for many generations. It has been bred for its small size and friendly temperament. This is an example of which of the following forms of biotechnology?

• Cloning

• Selective Breeding

• Genetic Engineering

• Asexual Reproduction

Scientists are able to insert a bacterial gene into corn plants that protects the plants from insect pests. Which area of biotechnology describes this work?

• Cloning

• Selective Breeding

• Artificial Selection

• Genetic Engineering

Three mice are genetically identical. Which term BEST describes the process by which these mice were produced?

• Mutation

• Cloning

• Selection

• Isolation