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biology - characteristics of life

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A student collects plants and pebbles and places them in an aquarium to record observations. The sizes of the plants increased, but the pebbles did not. the student classifies the pebbles as nonliving. Which criteria does the student use as the basis of classification?

a)

ability to grow

b)

ability to move

c)

ability to reproduce

d)

ability to respond to stimuli

2.

The nerve cells in a chef's hand sense heat from a pan. They signal to the brain which sends signals to the hand to release and drop the pan. Which TWO characteristics of living things does this action best demonstrate?

a)

the ability to respond to stimulus

b)

the ability to grow and develop

c)

the ability for sells to contain DNA

d)

the ability for evolutionary change

e)

the ability to move

3.

Phototropic flowers grow toward the sun. Which characteristic of life do the phototropic flowers demonstrate?

a)

ability to reproduce

b)

ability to maintain homeostasis

c)

ability to respond to stimuli

d)

ability to pass traits onto offspring

4.

A student places a spider and several stones in a clear container. He adds water and food everyday to determine which objects in the container are living and non living. The student uses the______ as the criteria for the classification of the objects.

a)

ability to grow and reproduce

b)

ability to use food for energy

c)

ability to pass traits to offspring

d)

ability to respond to stimuli

5.

A student places a potted plant and a plastic straw in a closet for two weeks. He observes that the plant is brown and wilted while the straw remains the same. He classifies the plant as living and straw as nonliving. Which criteria did the student use?

a)

the plant needs energy from sunlight to make food for survival

b)

the plant produces pollen for reproduction of its species

c)

the plant generates sugars that are consumed as food by other organisms

d)

the plant produces offspring with characteristics similar to the parent

6.

Robert Hooke observed cork tissue from a plant using a microscope and saw small, honeycomb-like structures. What contribution did Hooke make to biology based on his observation?

a)

he named the small structures organelles

b)

he named the small structures cells

c)

he stated that all living things come from preexisting cells

d)

he stated that every living thing is made up of more than one cell

7.

Rudolf Virchow rejected the idea that living things could generate spontaneously from nonliving things. which part of the cell theory supports this?

a)

all organisms are made up of cells

b)

cells exist in various forms and sizes

c)

all cells come form preexisting cells

d)

cells are the fundamental units of life

8.

Matthias Schleiden proposed that a plant grows by the division of cells and is composed entirely of cells. Which component of the cell theory is supported by this?

a)

the activity of an organism depends on the energy it consumes

b)

all living things are made up of one or many cells

c)

all cells are physically and chemically similar

d)

energy flow occurs within cells

9.

Theodore Schwann discovered that animal tissues are made of cells. Which part of the cell theory is based in part on this?

a)

all organisms are made up of cells

b)

new cells come from preexisting cells

c)

all organisms are composed of one or more cells

d)

cells produce proteins for the functioning of organisms

10.

Schleiden and Schwann claimed that all living things are made of cells. Which piece of evidence support this claim?

a)

water and gases are found in different types of cells

b)

cells require energy to reproduce

c)

plants and animals are made of different types of cells

d)

cells have limited lifespans

11.

How are unicellular organisms similar to multicellular organisms?

a)

both types of organisms are the same size and shape

b)

both types of organisms carry out all functions needed to sustain life

c)

both types of organisms can only be seen with a microscope

d)

both types of organisms are composed of many different cells

12.

Which statement is true about organs in the human body

a)

they are composed of only one type of specialized cell

b)

they are the basic unit of structure and function for the organism

c)

they are typically microscopic and function interdependently with other organs

d)

they are composed of multiple tissue types working together to perform a specific activity

13.

What organ system includes red blood cells, arteries, and capillaries?

a)

circulatory

b)

digestive

c)

nervous

d)

respiratory

14.

What is the most complex level of organization in an organism?

a)

cell

b)

organ

c)

system

d)

tissue

15.

Which level of organization is formed when similar cells specialized to perform a specific function come together?

a)

organ

b)

organism

c)

system

d)

tissue

16.

Which organism could be considered nonliving because it cannot carry out all the functions of life on its own as described in the cell theory

a)

a virus

b)

a multicellular algae

c)

a unicellular algae

d)

a prokaryote

17.

What evidence would prevent scientists from classifying viruses as living organisms?

a)

some viruses use RNA (not DNA) as genetic material

b)

some viruses do not contain any proteins or carbohydrates

c)

viruses reproduce asexually

d)

viruses require a host cell to reproduce

18.

Which feature of viruses is the most similar to a feature of living things?

a)

viruses do not groe or develop

b)

viruses have a way to reproduce new viruses

c)

viruses have a basic structure that is not based on cells

d)

viruses require host cells in order to be active

19.

Which statement justifies that viruses are nonliving?

a)

viruses lack organelles

b)

viruses lack genetic material

c)

viruses lack structures for movement

d)

viruses lack membranes around their DNA

20.

Research provides that the HIV virus requires a host to carry out its metabolic activities. Which evidence supports that the HIV virus is nonliving?

a)

it has complicated DNA

b)

it has complicated structures

c)

it lacks food-producing or energy- producing cell organelles

d)

it lacks the genetic material needed to create more viruses