Nursing Elites

1. How do organisms maintain homeostasis?

• A. By increasing their body temperature, blood pH, and fluid balance.
• B. By undergoing biochemical processes and absorbing energy to increase entropy.
• C. By undergoing biochemical processes to maintain the order of their external environment.
• D. By using free energy and matter via biochemical processes to work against entropy.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Organisms maintain homeostasis by utilizing free energy and matter through biochemical processes to counteract entropy, which helps in preserving internal stability. This process involves maintaining a balance within the organism's internal environment despite external changes, ensuring proper functioning and survival. Choice A is incorrect because increasing body temperature, blood pH, and fluid balance alone do not define the comprehensive process of maintaining homeostasis. Choice B is incorrect as absorbing energy to increase entropy goes against the concept of maintaining internal stability. Choice C is incorrect as maintaining the order of the external environment does not directly contribute to the organism's internal stability and balance.

2. Which of these pairs represents an example of convergent evolution?

• A. Humans and chimpanzees
• B. Bats and birds
• C. Dolphins and sharks
• D. Snakes and earthworms

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Convergent evolution refers to the process by which different species independently evolve similar traits or characteristics due to similar environmental pressures. In the case of bats and birds, both have evolved wings for flight despite not sharing a recent common ancestor with wings. Bats are mammals, while birds are avians, yet they both have wings adapted for flight, which is a classic example of convergent evolution. A) Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor and have not independently evolved similar traits. C) Dolphins and sharks are not closely related, and their similarities are due to adaptations to their aquatic environment rather than convergent evolution. D) Snakes and earthworms belong to different classes (reptiles and annelids, respectively) and do not share recent common ancestors, making their similarities not a result of convergent evolution.

3. What causes varicose veins to occur?

• A. Atherosclerosis.
• B. Incompetent valves.
• C. Loss of skin turgor.
• D. Loss of blood vessel elasticity.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Varicose veins occur when the valves within the veins become incompetent, leading to blood pooling in the veins instead of being efficiently pumped back to the heart. This causes the veins to become enlarged, twisted, and visible under the skin. Factors such as genetics, aging, pregnancy, and prolonged standing or sitting can contribute to the development of incompetent valves and the resulting varicose veins. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in arteries, not veins, and does not directly cause varicose veins. Loss of skin turgor is related to skin elasticity and not a direct cause of varicose veins. Loss of blood vessel elasticity is a general term and does not specifically address the mechanism behind varicose veins, which is primarily due to incompetent valves.

4. What property of a substance refers to its ability to undergo a chemical change and form new substances?

• A. Density
• B. Mass
• C. Reactivity
• D. Volume

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Reactivity is the property of a substance that describes its ability to undergo a chemical change and form new substances. Density (A), mass (B), and volume (D) are physical properties of a substance and do not directly relate to its ability to undergo chemical changes. Density is the measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume, mass is the amount of matter in an object, and volume is the amount of space an object occupies. Therefore, reactivity (C) is the correct answer as it specifically addresses the substance's ability to undergo chemical changes.

5. The largest level of ecological organization is a:

• A. Population
• B. Community
• C. Ecosystem
• D. Biome

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A) Population: A population consists of individuals of the same species living in the same area. It is a smaller level of ecological organization compared to a biome. B) Community: A community consists of populations of different species living and interacting in the same area. It is a larger level of organization than a population but smaller than an ecosystem or biome. C) Ecosystem: An ecosystem includes all living organisms (biotic factors) and their physical environment (abiotic factors) interacting in a particular area. It is a larger level of organization than a community but smaller than a biome. D) Biome: The correct answer is D - Biome. A biome is the largest level of ecological organization and encompasses a large geographic area characterized by a specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. Biomes can be found on multiple continents and are defined by similar abiotic and biotic factors. Therefore, it is the largest level of ecological organization among the options provided, making it the correct answer.

Similar Questions