3/10 Do NOW

A scientist discovers a new single-celled organism in a hot spring. It has no nucleus, can survive in extreme heat, and has a unique cell membrane composition different from bacteria. Using this evidence, which domain would this organism most likely belong to, and what reasoning supports this classification?

• Bacteria, because it is single-celled and lacks a nucleus

• Eukarya, because it lives in extreme environments

• Archaea, because it lacks a nucleus, survives in extreme habitats, and has a distinct cell membrane unlike bacteria

• Bacteria, because all organisms in hot springs are bacteria

A student is comparing two organisms: one is a bacterium and the other belongs to domain Eukarya. The student claims both organisms must have the same cell structure since they are both living things. What evidence would you use to argue against this claim?

• Both organisms have cell walls, so the student is correct

• Eukarya cells have a true membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, while bacteria lack a nucleus, making their structures fundamentally different

• Bacteria are larger than Eukarya cells, which makes them different

• Eukarya cells do not have cell membranes, unlike bacteria

A plant is placed in a dark room for several weeks and begins to wilt and lose its green color. Using your knowledge of photosynthesis, explain which part of the process is being disrupted and why this causes the plant to deteriorate.

• The plant cannot absorb water, so it wilts due to dehydration only

• Without light, the plant cannot perform photosynthesis to produce glucose for energy, causing it to starve and lose chlorophyll

• Darkness causes the plant to produce too much oxygen, which is toxic to it

• The plant stops absorbing carbon dioxide, which causes it to overheat

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-5

NGSS.HS-LS2-5

Two bacteria samples are collected — one from a human gut and one from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. A researcher argues they must behave identically since they are both in domain Bacteria. What reasoning would challenge this argument?

• Both bacteria are identical because they share the same domain

• Bacteria from different environments evolve different survival strategies, so their behaviors and metabolic processes may differ significantly despite sharing a domain

• Only the deep-sea bacteria are real bacteria; gut bacteria belong to Archaea

• Bacteria cannot survive in the human gut, so the sample must be mislabeled

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-6

A student is asked to classify a mushroom. They argue it should be in the Plant kingdom because it grows from the ground. What evidence-based reasoning would you use to correctly classify the mushroom into the right kingdom of Eukarya?

• Mushrooms belong to the Plant kingdom because they grow in soil like plants

• Mushrooms belong to the Animal kingdom because they consume other organisms

• Mushrooms belong to the Fungi kingdom because they lack chlorophyll, cannot perform photosynthesis, and absorb nutrients from their environment

• Mushrooms belong to the Protist kingdom because they are multicellular