Biology SAAT Tajmeat Comprehensive Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive flashcards covering all major topics from the biology SAAT transcript, including classification, human systems, genetics, and ecology.

What is the study of using genetic engineering to increase plant production called?

Agricultural improvement

What is the term for regulating an individual's internal conditions to maintain life?

Homeostasis

In an experiment testing fertilizers with and without nitrogen on plant growth, what is the dependent variable?

Plant growth

What is the scientific method step that involves a testable explanation?

Hypothesis

What type of measurement is 'color' in scientific experiments?

Qualitative

How can a scientist ensure the validity of an experiment's results?

Peer review

Which genus and species format correctly identifies the domestic cat?

Felis catus

What is the formal sequence of organization in living organisms?

Cells → Tissues → Organs → Systems

Which life characteristic is defined as an inherited trait resulting from structural adjustment to function?

Adaptation

What is the name for the factor changed by the researcher during an experiment?

Independent variable

How do desert plants adapt to water scarcity?

Modifying leaves into cavities for stomata, leaf curling, and reducing stomata count

Which taxonomic rank is used in place of 'phylum' for plants and bacteria?

Division

What is the largest taxonomic level?

Domain

What is the third taxonomic level when arranged from largest to smallest?

Phylum

Which scientist classified organisms based on external appearance and behavior?

Linnaeus

What is the term for a natural rule that unifies related observations to describe a recurring phenomenon?

Law

Why are mules considered sterile?

Because their parents are not of the same species

Which process involves a plant reacting to a stimulus such as light?

Response to a stimulus

Which bacterium is associated with a nervous system disease that can be prevented by vaccines?

Tetanus

What type of archaea is typically found in wastewater?

Methanogenic archaea

What color do Gram-positive bacteria stain when they have a thick layer of peptidoglycan?

Crimson (purple)

How many cells result from a single Salmonella cell dividing every $20$ minutes for two hours?

$64$ cells

Where does Escherichia coli naturally live in humans?

Intestines

Which vitamin is produced by Escherichia coli in the human body?

Vitamin K

What characteristic identifies an organism's cells as prokaryotic?

Presence of organelles not surrounded by membranes

What is the nutritional classification of cyanobacteria?

Phototrophic

Which process involves the exchange of genetic material between two bacterial cells?

Conjugation

Which bacterium is found in sewage and produces methane?

Methanogenic bacteria

What is the survival structure used by bacteria under harsh environmental conditions?

Endospore

What substance is found in the bacterial cell wall but absent in archaea?

Peptidoglycan

Which bacterial shape is associated with pneumonia?

Streptococci

What is a substance capable of killing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms called?

Antibiotic

Which non-cellular entity consists of a protein coat and nucleic acid?

Virus

What are prions specifically composed of?

Proteins

Which category of viruses contains $RNA$ instead of $DNA$?

Retrovirus

Why do individuals infected with the influenza virus experience extreme fatigue?

The virus consumes all available $ATP$ in the cell

What is the protein that acts against viruses in the human body called?

Interferon

How are viruses primarily classified?

Type of nucleic acid ($DNA$ or $RNA$)

What is an organism that only replicates inside living cells as an obligate parasite?

Virus

Which virus is known for having a spherical shape?

Influenza virus

What is the causative agent of polio?

Virus

Which microscopic protists are used as biological insecticides?

Microsporidium

Which mosquito species acts as the vector for malaria?

Female Anopheles

Which protist is characterized by having two nuclei (one large and one small)?

Paramecium

How does the Plasmodium parasite move through the human body?

By gliding in the blood

What is the function of the contractile vacuole in Euglena?

Excess water expulsion

Which vector transmits American sleeping sickness?

Triatomine bug (feces)

Which vector transmits African sleeping sickness?

Tsetse fly

What material makes up the cell wall of diatoms?

Silica

What causes the phenomenon known as 'red tide'?

Dinoflagellates

Which protist behaves like both plants (photosynthesis) and animals (movement)?

Euglena

What do diatoms store their excess food as to help them float?

Oils

What structure do amoebas use for movement and feeding?

Pseudopodia

Which protist is most suitable for the formation of fossils?

Foraminifera

What is the primary indicator used to study pollution levels in a forest?

Lichens

Which spiral-shaped autotrophic protist is famously known for its unique chloroplasts?

Spirogyra

What is the cell wall of fungi made of?

Chitin

Which class of fungi includes yeast and sac fungi?

Ascomycota

What term describes the symbiotic relationship where a fungus and algae live together?

Lichens

What nutrient does a fungus provide to the algae in a lichen relationship?

Water and minerals

Which group of fungi produces flagellated zoospores?

Chytridiomycota

How do non-segmented hyphae assist in fungal growth?

Nutrients move faster due to the absence of barriers (septa)

Which layer of the animal embryo develops into the skin and nerve tissues?

Outer layer (Ectoderm)

Which layer of the animal embryo forms the digestive organs?

Inner layer (Endoderm)

Which animal is a primary example of an organism lacking a nervous system?

Sponge

What substance is extracted from coral for facial bone reconstruction?

Hydroxyapatite (calcium phosphate)

What develops from the first opening of the gastrula in deuterostomes?

Anus

Which animal exhibits asymmetry?

Sponge

Which animal exhibits radial symmetry?

Jellyfish (also Starfish)

What is a body cavity called when it is between the middle and inner layers?

Pseudocoelom

What is the asexual reproduction process where unfertilized eggs develop into new individuals?

Parthenogenesis

Which animal lacks true tissues or organs?

Sponge

What structure in cnidarians is used to capture prey?

Nematocyst

How can one contract a Hookworm infection?

Walking barefoot on contaminated soil

Which worm is contracted by eating undercooked pork?

Trichina (Trichinella)

What is the intermediate host of the Schistosoma worm?

Snail

What is the infectious larval stage of Schistosoma that penetrates human skin?

Cercaria

Which worm was historically used as a substitute for cupping therapy?

Medicinal leech

What is the function of the nephridia in mollusks?

Removing waste and maintaining water balance

Which system in the human body is affected by filarial worms?

Lymphatic system

Which animal secretes ink to escape predators?

Octopus

What organ in flatworms is used for excretion?

Flame cells

Where is the mantle located in a mollusk?

Under the shell

What is the primary respiratory organ in spiders and scorpions?

Book lungs

Which respiratory organ is used by insects?

Tracheal tubes

Which structures serve as the excretory organs for arthropods?

Malpighian tubules

Why do cockroaches not sink when crossing water?

Hairs on their legs prevent breaking surface tension

What is the body segmentation of an insect?

Head, Thorax, and Abdomen

What is the function of spinnerets in spiders?

Producing silk

How many pairs of legs do crustaceans typically have?

$5$ pairs

Which arthropod is known for having a cephalothorax and abdomen instead of three segments?

Crustaceans (and Arachnids)

Which echinoderm has chewing structures that look like teeth?

Sea urchin

What unique system do echinoderms use for movement and respiration?

Water vascular system

Which animal belongs to the cephalochordates and has no backbone?

Lancelet (Amphioxus)

How many chambers are in a fish heart?

$2$ chambers

What are the scales of a sardine called?

Cycloid

Which structure in fish is responsible for sensing vibrations and maintaining balance?

Lateral line system

Which group of fish lacks scales?

Jawless fish (like Lamprey)

What organ helps a bony fish control its buoyancy?

Swim bladder

What is a common characteristic between jawless, cartilaginous, and bony fish?

Nephron