BIO.5.2&3 Practice Test

Which organism can use nitrogen directly and is responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form?

• Plants

• Bacteria

• Phytoplankton

• Decomposers

Which cellular process that occurs in autotrophic organisms is shown in the illustration below?

• Photosynthesis

• Cellular respiration

• Chemosynthesis

• Fermentation

Which answer accurately describes the role photosynthesis plays in the environment?

• It converts water and oxygen into sugars that are consumed by herbivores

• It is the primary source of free energy in the environment

• It is a major component in the cycling of carbon through the ecosystem

• It is a major component in the cycling of phosphates and nitrates through the ecosystem

4. Ecosystems rely on the cycling of nutrients throughout the soil, air, water, and living organisms.  Which of the following are essential for the recycling of these nutrients?

• Decomposers

• Herbivores

• Carnivores

• Producers

The image below shows various steps in the water cycle. Which step is represented by the letter Z?

• Evaporation

• Transpiration

• Precipitation

• Condensation

6. The carbon cycle is nature's way of reusing carbon atoms, which travel from the atmosphere into organisms in the Earth and then back into the atmosphere over and over again. Most carbon is stored in rocks and sediments, while the rest is stored in the ocean, atmosphere, and living organisms. Evaluate the carbon cycle model. Select TWO of the ways in which carbon is released into the atmosphere.

• carbon fixation by consumers

• photosynthesis

• cellular respiration

• formation of fossil fuels

• auto and factory emissions

Below is a simplified diagram of the carbon cycle. Several processes - like photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition - are shown in the cycling of carbon. Which process should be listed in the area marked “A”?

• Combustion of fossil fuels

• Denitrification of nitrates

• Evaporation of water from metals

• Condensation of water vapor

What is the role of organisms in the process labeled “Y”?

• Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and produce oxygen as part of photosynthesis

• Animals produce carbon dioxide (CO2) as part of cellular respiration

• Decomposers release oxygen into the soil as part of decomposition

• Nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates & nitrites

The graph below displays the change in CO2 concentrations and global temperature over time. What can you infer from this graph?

• Decrease in global temperatures has caused CO2 levels to rise

• CO2 levels have no effect on global temperatures, because the temperature has stayed relatively stable over time

• Increase in global temperatures has caused a decrease in CO2 levels

• Increase in CO2 levels has caused an increase in global temperatures.

The graph below shows the changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) levels over time. Though both greenhouse gases have sharply increased, which gas should climate scientists be most concerned over?

• Methane, because it leads to more incidences of acid rain globally.

• Methane, because it is a much more harmful gas than carbon dioxide.

• Carbon dioxide, because methane levels are beginning to decrease.

• Nitrous oxide, because it is found in greater amounts than carbon dioxide and methane.