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What describes a cell's reaction to being placed in a hypertonic solution?
- A. The cell will shrink as water is pulled out of the cell to equalize the concentrations inside and outside of the cell.
- B. The cell will swell as water is pulled into the cell to equalize the concentrations inside and outside of the cell.
- C. The cell will remain the same size since the concentrations inside and outside the cell are equal to begin with.
- D. The pH inside the cell will drop in order to equalize the pH inside and outside the cell.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A cell placed in a hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration outside the cell compared to inside. This creates a concentration gradient that causes water to move out of the cell through osmosis to equalize the concentrations on both sides. As a result, the cell will shrink or undergo plasmolysis, as water is pulled out of the cell. Choice B is incorrect because a hypertonic solution causes water to move out of the cell, leading to shrinkage rather than swelling. Choice C is incorrect as a hypertonic solution results in a concentration gradient that leads to water leaving the cell, causing it to shrink. Choice D is incorrect because pH is not directly affected by being placed in a hypertonic solution; the change in solute concentration primarily impacts water movement.
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What is the primary function of the large intestine?
- A. absorbing digested material into the blood
- B. nutrient processing and metabolizing
- C. absorbing water and compacting material into solid waste
- D. bile production and storage
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The large intestine's primary function is to absorb water from undigested food remnants and compact them into solid waste (feces). This process helps regulate hydration levels in the body and aids in waste elimination. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Absorbing digested material into the blood is mainly done in the small intestine, nutrient processing and metabolizing occur in various parts of the digestive system, and bile production and storage are functions of the liver and gallbladder, not the large intestine.
Which of the following is the primary physical barrier the body uses to prevent infection?
- A. mucus membranes
- B. stomach acid
- C. skin
- D. urine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is 'C: skin.' The skin is the primary physical barrier the body uses to prevent infection. It acts as a protective shield that prevents harmful microorganisms from entering the body. The outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, acts as a tough physical barrier that blocks the entry of pathogens. Additionally, the skin has special immune cells that can help fight off invaders that manage to breach the physical barrier. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. While mucous membranes, stomach acid, and urine play important roles in the body's defense against pathogens, the primary physical barrier is the skin, which covers the entire body and provides a robust protective barrier.
Chromatids divide into identical chromosomes and migrate to opposite ends of the cell in which of the following phases of mitosis?
- A. metaphase
- B. anaphase
- C. prophase
- D. telophase
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During anaphase of mitosis, the sister chromatids detach from each other and migrate to opposite poles of the cell. This process ensures that each daughter cell ultimately receives an identical set of chromosomes, as the chromatids separate and become individual chromosomes again. This is a crucial step in ensuring accurate distribution of genetic material during cell division. In metaphase, the chromosomes align at the cell's equator but do not separate yet. Prophase is the phase where chromatin condenses into chromosomes and the nuclear envelope breaks down. Telophase is the final phase where the nuclear envelope reforms around the separated chromosomes.
Which of the following sets of valves is primarily responsible for preventing blood flow from major blood vessels to the heart?
- A. atrioventricular valves
- B. semilunar valves
- C. tricuspid valves
- D. bicuspid valves
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: semilunar valves. Semilunar valves are primarily responsible for preventing blood flow from major blood vessels to the heart. These valves are located at the base of the aorta and the pulmonary artery, ensuring blood flows in one direction only by closing when the ventricles relax to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Atrioventricular valves (choice A) include the tricuspid and bicuspid valves, which prevent backflow between the atria and ventricles, not major blood vessels. Tricuspid valves (choice C) and bicuspid valves (choice D) are specific types of atrioventricular valves located between the atria and ventricles, not at the base of major blood vessels.
Which of the following basic mechanisms of evolution is described as the process where organisms with an advantageous trait survive more often and produce more offspring than organisms without the advantageous trait?
- A. gene flow
- B. genetic drift
- C. mutation
- D. natural selection
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Natural selection is the basic mechanism of evolution that explains how organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce in a given environment. This leads to the passing on of these favorable traits to their offspring, causing these traits to become more common in the population over time, resulting in evolutionary change. Natural selection is driven by environmental pressures that support the survival and reproduction of individuals with specific traits. Gene flow refers to the movement of genes between populations, genetic drift is the change in allele frequencies due to random events, and mutation is the source of genetic variation but is not the process by which advantageous traits become more prevalent in a population.