Biology
Potential midterm essay questions

Trial # times shower curtain clarity* of curtain
sprayed per week after three months

1	0	2
2	1	2
3	2	3
4	3	4
5	4	5
6	5	6
7	6	6
8	7	8

*clarity scale (1-cloudy to 10-clear)

Based on the above data,
What was the hypothesis (If/then format)
What is the independent variable?
What is the dependent variable?
List as many as three controlled variables.
Create an appropriate graph to represent your data. Be sure to label the X and Y axes and title
your graph.
What is your conclusion, based on the data, regarding the effectiveness Shower and Spray has in helping to maintain the cleanliness of the shower.


2. The ability to capture, produce and use energy is a major characteristic of life. Autotrophs and
heterotrophs work together to keep energy flowing in biological systems.
a. by what biological process do autotrophs capture and produce energy.
•What is the chemical reaction? Label the reactants and products.
•Where does this process take place?
•What is the primary force which determines how much energy is produced?
b. By what biological process do heterotrophs use the energy produced by autotrophs?
•What is the chemical reaction? Label the reactants and products.
•Where does this process take place?
•How does the amount of oxygen determine how much energy can be produced by this process? Use the terms anaerobic and aerobic in your explanation.
c. Explain how these two biochemical processes are interrelated to keep energy flowing
through biological systems.
d. How could deforestation of the tropical rain forests be devastating to the ability of
biological life to capture energy and survive on the planet.



3. As more and more information is discovered concerning DNA, such as its uses and manipulations,
knowing how DNA works has become essential. Demonstrate your knowledge of DNA by answering the
following questions in regards to the following DNA template:

DNA template: CTACGCTAGGATTATC

a. What would the complimentary DNA antitemplate base sequence be?
b. Describe the process of replication using this particular double helix of DNA. You may
illustrate your answer to explain your understanding of the process.
c. What messenger RNA strand will be transcribed off the template? d. Using your codon chart, name and explain the process by which a polypeptide, protein, will be
produced from this messenger RNA molecule.
e. What would happen to the amino acid sequence if the first T were accidentally changed
into an A? (CAACGCTAGGATTATC instead)



4. The Giant Panda, an endangered species of which there are only approximately 1300 living in the world
today, are located in a small range of southwestern China. Their ecosystem, which is part of a temperate
rain forest biome, is inhabited by the following organisms:

30,000 bamboo plants
50,000 coniferous trees
10,000 rice grass plants
5,000 crocuses
5,000 irises
1,000 pandas
5,000 bamboo rats
3,000 sheep
1,000 goats
300 snow leopards
700 eagles
100 humans

Create a pyramid of numbers containing four trophic levels by arranging the organisms, according to
their population sizes on each level in such a way that each level has 10% of the organisms found in the
previous trophic level.

Once the pyramid of numbers has been created, illustrate the flow of energy from one
trophic level to the next with food chains and food webs.

Label the types of organisms at each trophic level:
producer, 1^st order consumer, 2^nd order consumer, 3^rd order consumer

and what types of consumers they are:
herbivore, carnivore and/or omnivore

The giant panda occupies a very small niche consuming 99% of its diet in bamboo. Explain how being
adapted to such a small niche can actually endanger this species’ survival. In your explanation, define
and describe possible abiotic factors that would play a part in its endangerment.

Using the concept of biomagnification, explain how a dangerous pesticide could eventually cause the
endangerment of many species in the community.