Lab Exam - Midterm

What is a tissue?

A group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function.

What is a vertebrate?

An animal with a backbone, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

What is an invertebrate?

An animal without a backbone, including insects, mollusks, and cnidarians.

What is a hydrostatic skeleton?

A flexible, fluid-filled internal cavity that provides structure and support.

What is an exoskeleton?

A hard, external structure that supports and protects an animal’s body.

What is an endoskeleton?

An internal skeleton made of bone or cartilage.

What elements give bone strength?

Calcium, phosphorus, and collagen.

What is the purpose of the Haversian canal?

It carries blood vessels and nerves to nourish bone cells.

What is voluntary muscle tissue?

Skeletal muscle, responsible for movement.

What are the other two types of muscle tissue?

Cardiac muscle (heart) and smooth muscle (organs, blood vessels).

What is the general purpose of muscle tissue?

To contract and generate movement, using actin and myosin proteins.

What is the general purpose of nervous tissue?

To transmit electrical and chemical signals throughout the body.

What do sensory neurons do?

They detect stimuli and send signals to the brain.

What do motor neurons do?

They send signals from the brain to muscles.

Why do birds have a keeled sternum?

It provides an attachment point for powerful flight muscles.

How do teeth relate to an animal's diet?

Carnivores have sharp teeth for tearing meat, while herbivores have flat teeth for grinding plants.

What can bone structure indicate about a fossilized animal?

It can indicate how an animal moved (e.g., bipedal vs. quadrupedal).

What are the steps of the scientific method?

Observation → Hypothesis → Experiment → Data Collection → Analysis → Conclusion.

What is an observation in science?

Gathering information using the senses.

What is a hypothesis?

A testable explanation for an observation.

What is a quantitative observation?

Measured with numbers (e.g., height, weight).

What is a qualitative observation?

Descriptive observations (e.g., color, texture).

What is an independent variable?

What is changed in an experiment.

What is a dependent variable?

What is measured in an experiment.

What are controlled variables?

Factors that remain constant to ensure valid results.

What is a protist?

A diverse group of eukaryotic organisms, often unicellular.

What is a protozoan?

A single-celled, animal-like protist.

What is an eukaryote?

An organism with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

What is plankton?

Small aquatic organisms that drift in water.

How does Paramecium move?

Moves via cilia and obtains food through an oral groove.

What is the stigma (eyespot) of Euglena?

Detects light for photosynthesis.

What energy sources can Euglena use?

Can use photosynthesis or consume food.

What type of organisms are dinoflagellates?

They cause red tide, a harmful algal bloom.

What are diatoms important for?

Global oxygen production and marine food chains.

What is fission in protists?

Asexual reproduction by cell division.

What is the definition of a definitive host?

The organism in which a parasite reaches adulthood.

What is an intermediate host?

A host where a parasite develops but doesn’t reach adulthood.

What is parthenogenesis?

Asexual reproduction without fertilization.

What is a turbullarian?

A free-living flatworm.

What is a planaria?

A type of flatworm with light-sensitive eyespots and a pharynx used for feeding.

What structures does Clonorchis (fluke) have?

Uterus and sucker for attachment.

What is the scolex of a tapeworm?

The head of the tapeworm.

What does the corona in rotifers do?

It has crown-like cilia for movement and feeding.

What are nematocysts?

Stinging structures found in cnidocytes.

What is the mesoglea?

The gelatinous layer in jellyfish.

What is the difference between a polyp and a medusa?

Polyp is sessile and reproduces asexually; medusa is free-swimming and reproduces sexually.

What is peristalsis?

Muscle contractions for movement.

What are castings in earthworms?

Nutrient-rich worm waste.

What is sexual dimorphism?

When males and females have different appearances.

What defines a complete gut?

A gut with two openings (mouth/anus).