MS Sample Set 7, Round 1 from NSB
For reasons known only to her, Susie wants her houseplant Reggie the Radish to make as much oxygen as possible. Which of the following should Susie do to increase Reggie’s rate of oxygen production? W) Bring in more plants to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the room X) Put the plant in the corner of the room where there is less light present Y) Put a humidifier next to the plant Z) Set the thermostat to the lowest temperature possible in the room
W: W) Bring in more plants to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the room
X: X) Put the plant in the corner of the room where there is less light present
Y: Y) Put a humidifier next to the plant
Z: Z) Set the thermostat to the lowest temperature possible in the room
Answer: Y) Y) Put a humidifier next to the plant
Place the following four levels of life in order from the level that refers to the lowest number and variety of organisms to the level that refers to the highest number and variety of organisms: 1) Biosphere; 2) Communities; 3) Ecosystems; 4) Organisms.
Choices:
Correct Order:
The universe is which of the following, according to the latest theory? W) Continuously expanding X) Continuously contracting Y) Sometimes expanding and sometimes contracting Z) Staying the same size
W: W) Continuously expanding
X: X) Continuously contracting
Y: Y) Sometimes expanding and sometimes contracting
Z: Z) Staying the same size
Answer: W) W) Continuously expanding
What force keeps planets and their moons in orbit?
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What is the slope of a line parallel to the line 3x – y = 8?
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A class of 10 students earns the following 10 grades: 100, 80, 79, 40, 75, 90, 95, 74, 100, 100. What is the median grade? W) 80 X) 83.3 Y) 85 Z) 90
W: W) 80
X: X) 83.3
Y: Y) 85
Z: Z) 90
Answer: Y) Y) 85
Which of the following can NOT be a direct source of energy for living organisms? W) Heat X) Sunlight Y) Water Z) Radiation
W: W) Heat
X: X) Sunlight
Y: Y) Water
Z: Z) Radiation
Answer: Y) Y) Water
In a hydrogen fuel cell, the anodic reaction is hydrogen oxidation at 0.00 volts and the cathodic reaction is at 1.23 volts. What is the electric potential of the cell in volts?
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Which of the following major cities is located next to a major subduction zone? W) London, England X) Victoria, Canada Y) Los Angeles, USA Z) Paris, France
W: W) London, England
X: X) Victoria, Canada
Y: Y) Los Angeles, USA
Z: Z) Paris, France
Answer: X) X) Victoria, Canada
What is the name of the transform plate boundary that runs along the western edge of southern California to the Mendocino triple junction in northern California?
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Using the International System of Units, which of the following units would be most appropriate to express force? W) Electron volts X) Watts Y) Newtons Z) Joules
W: W) Electron volts
X: X) Watts
Y: Y) Newtons
Z: Z) Joules
Answer: Y) Y) Newtons
Which of the following usually indicates a physical change? W) Change in odor X) Release of light Y) Formation of a gas Z) Change of phase
W: W) Change in odor
X: X) Release of light
Y: Y) Formation of a gas
Z: Z) Change of phase
Answer: Z) Z) Change of phase
Imagine you are dropped at a random place on planet Earth. You are not told where you are. However, you are told that the average temperature here is 78° Fahrenheit and that over 180 inches of rain fall here every year. In what kind of biome do you most likely find yourself? W) Taiga X) Temperate rain forest Y) Tropical seasonal forest Z) Tropical rain forest
W: W) Taiga
X: X) Temperate rain forest
Y: Y) Tropical seasonal forest
Z: Z) Tropical rain forest
Answer: Z) Z) Tropical rain forest
Equal numbers of fruit flies, ducks, blue jays, and raccoons are each found in their own ideal environment with no natural predators. Assuming that resources are plentiful, which species will grow to have the largest population after one year?
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Which of the following structures is present in plant cells but absent in animal cells? W) Mitochondrion X) Cell wall Y) Nucleolus Z) Endoplasmic reticulum
W: W) Mitochondrion
X: X) Cell wall
Y: Y) Nucleolus
Z: Z) Endoplasmic reticulum
Answer: X) X) Cell wall
What process provides the main source of energy for a star?
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Which of the following statements is NOT true about the diagonals of a rectangle? W) They are always congruent X) They are always perpendicular Y) They always bisect each other Z) They intersect at one point
W: W) They are always congruent
X: X) They are always perpendicular
Y: Y) They always bisect each other
Z: Z) They intersect at one point
Answer: X) X) They are always perpendicular
Given points A with coordinates (5, k), B with coordinates (2, 0), and C with coordinates (-2, 6), what is the value of k for which the measure of angle ABC = 90°? W) 2 X) ½ Y) -2 Z) -3
W: W) 2
X: X) ½
Y: Y) -2
Z: Z) -3
Answer: W) W) 2
Hot springs are sources of which of the following types of energy? W) Hydroelectric X) Geothermal Y) Solar Z) Fossil fuel
W: W) Hydroelectric
X: X) Geothermal
Y: Y) Solar
Z: Z) Fossil fuel
Answer: X) X) Geothermal
Which of the following factors does NOT affect solar panel performance? W) Panel orientation X) Roof slope Y) Energy price Z) Elevation
W: W) Panel orientation
X: X) Roof slope
Y: Y) Energy price
Z: Z) Elevation
Answer: Y) Y) Energy price
What type of fault is associated with the Basin and Range Province of the southwestern United States? W) Normal X) Reverse Y) Strike-slip Z) Thrust
W: W) Normal
X: X) Reverse
Y: Y) Strike-slip
Z: Z) Thrust
Answer: W) W) Normal
If Yellowstone Caldera suffered a catastrophic eruption today, which of the following types of volcanic hazard is most likely to have the farthest reaching effects? W) Lahars X) Ash fall Y) Pyroclastic flows Z) Lava bombs
W: W) Lahars
X: X) Ash fall
Y: Y) Pyroclastic flows
Z: Z) Lava bombs
Answer: X) X) Ash fall
Which of the following is NOT a method by which heat travels? W) Radiation X) Convection Y) Conduction Z) Convention
W: W) Radiation
X: X) Convection
Y: Y) Conduction
Z: Z) Convention
Answer: Z) Z) Convention
In order to kill microorganisms, materials can be placed under pressurized hot steam in an autoclave. If the temperature of the autoclave is 121° Celsius, what is the temperature in Kelvin to the nearest whole number?
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Which of the following environmental limits on population growth is density-independent? W) Disease X) Parasites Y) Competition Z) Weather
W: W) Disease
X: X) Parasites
Y: Y) Competition
Z: Z) Weather
Answer: Z) Z) Weather
Cell theory, one of the most fundamental principles of modern biology, consists of three main ideas. Which of the following is NOT one of cell theory’s main ideas? W) All organisms are composed of one or more cells X) Cells cause infectious disease Y) The cell is the basic unit of organization for organisms Z) All cells come from preexisting cells
W: W) All organisms are composed of one or more cells
X: X) Cells cause infectious disease
Y: Y) The cell is the basic unit of organization for organisms
Z: Z) All cells come from preexisting cells
Answer: X) X) Cells cause infectious disease
Coal deposits today are the remains of which of the following prehistoric organisms that have undergone carbonization? W) Plants X) Water animals Y) Land animals Z) Bacteria
W: W) Plants
X: X) Water animals
Y: Y) Land animals
Z: Z) Bacteria
Answer: W) W) Plants
Which of the following is true regarding mass and weight? W) The weight of an object determines its mass X) Mass and weight are independent of each other Y) Weight is affected by gravity; mass is not Z) An object’s mass can vary depending on the environment, but its weight will not
W: W) The weight of an object determines its mass
X: X) Mass and weight are independent of each other
Y: Y) Weight is affected by gravity; mass is not
Z: Z) An object’s mass can vary depending on the environment, but its weight will not
Answer: Y) Y) Weight is affected by gravity; mass is not
Adam drove 126 miles in 2 hours and 15 minutes. What was his average speed in miles per hour? W) 46 X) 56 Y) 59 Z) 63
W: W) 46
X: X) 56
Y: Y) 59
Z: Z) 63
Answer: X) X) 56
Find all real numbers that satisfy the inequality |3 − 2x| > 7.
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If a system expends a 2 newton force over a 3 meter distance, then the energy state of the system does which of the following? W) Increases by 6 joules X) Increases by 18 joules Y) Decreases by 6 joules Z) Decreases by 18 joules
W: W) Increases by 6 joules
X: X) Increases by 18 joules
Y: Y) Decreases by 6 joules
Z: Z) Decreases by 18 joules
Answer: Y) Y) Decreases by 6 joules
Electromagnetic radiation is carried by photons. The speed of photons through vacuum does which of the following? W) Remains constant X) Varies depending on the amount of energy they carry Y) Varies depending on their frequency Z) Varies depending on their temperature
W: W) Remains constant
X: X) Varies depending on the amount of energy they carry
Y: Y) Varies depending on their frequency
Z: Z) Varies depending on their temperature
Answer: W) W) Remains constant
Los Angeles is located on what tectonic plate?
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What type of lava rock is currently erupting from the Hawaiian Island volcanic vent of Pu’u O’o?
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Which of the following is the same for all electromagnetic waves traveling in a vacuum? W) Speed X) Velocity Y) Energy Z) Wavelength
W: W) Speed
X: X) Velocity
Y: Y) Energy
Z: Z) Wavelength
Answer: W) W) Speed
A 10 kilogram block is suspended from a thick cord of negligible mass attached to the ceiling. Given that g is 10 meters per second squared, what is the force on the ceiling by the cord, in newtons? W) 0 X) 1 Y) 100 Z) 10,000
W: W) 0
X: X) 1
Y: Y) 100
Z: Z) 10,000
Answer: Y) Y) 100
What is the primary purpose of floral nectar? W) It is produced as a food source for the plant X) It is produced as a byproduct of plant metabolism Y) It reduces the randomness of pollination Z) It is used as an antibiotic to protect the plant from microbes
W: W) It is produced as a food source for the plant
X: X) It is produced as a byproduct of plant metabolism
Y: Y) It reduces the randomness of pollination
Z: Z) It is used as an antibiotic to protect the plant from microbes
Answer: Y) Y) It reduces the randomness of pollination
What is the greatest source of organic material that reaches the sea floor? W) Dissolved organic material X) Minerals dissolved in superheated water from hydrothermal vents Y) Dead and sinking phytoplankton Z) Dead and sinking animals
W: W) Dissolved organic material
X: X) Minerals dissolved in superheated water from hydrothermal vents
Y: Y) Dead and sinking phytoplankton
Z: Z) Dead and sinking animals
Answer: Y) Y) Dead and sinking phytoplankton
DNA and RNA are both nucleotides, but are built with different sugars. What sugar is found in RNA?
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What is the most abundant element in air?
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The first month of business for Becky’s Comics produced $1200 in sales. The second month produced $800 in sales. To the nearest whole number percent, what was the percent decrease in sales? W) 33% X) 40% Y) 50% Z) 67%
W: W) 33%
X: X) 40%
Y: Y) 50%
Z: Z) 67%
Answer: W) W) 33%
The sum of eight consecutive integers is 2012. What is the largest of these eight integers?
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What is the mineral form of sodium chloride, or common table salt?
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In what type of Earth’s crust is gabbro most often found?
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Which of the following is an accurate description of the liquid phase of matter? W) Constant volume and fixed shape X) Constant volume, but variable shape Y) Constant shape, but variable volume Z) Variable volume and shape
W: W) Constant volume and fixed shape
X: X) Constant volume, but variable shape
Y: Y) Constant shape, but variable volume
Z: Z) Variable volume and shape
Answer: X) X) Constant volume, but variable shape
A friend tells you that he thinks that all processes that change a substance’s color are chemical changes. Which of the following processes could you use as an example of a color change that is NOT a chemical change? W) Dilution X) Tarnishing Y) Burning Z) Rusting
W: W) Dilution
X: X) Tarnishing
Y: Y) Burning
Z: Z) Rusting
Answer: W) W) Dilution
Name the molecule that adenosine diphosphate is converted to during the chemical processes of fermentation, anaerobic respiration, and aerobic respiration.
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Which of the following is NOT a method by which speciation is known to occur? W) A group of similar animals moves to a new landmass with no natural predators X) A busy highway is built through a forest Y) A predator randomly selects animals from a prey population to consume Z) Chromosome ploidy changes during plant reproduction
W: W) A group of similar animals moves to a new landmass with no natural predators
X: X) A busy highway is built through a forest
Y: Y) A predator randomly selects animals from a prey population to consume
Z: Z) Chromosome ploidy changes during plant reproduction
Answer: Y) Y) A predator randomly selects animals from a prey population to consume
Which of the following types of rock is formed directly from magma or lava? W) Metamorphic X) Igneous Y) Stationary Z) Sedimentary
W: W) Metamorphic
X: X) Igneous
Y: Y) Stationary
Z: Z) Sedimentary
Answer: X) X) Igneous
In which of the following types of rock would you expect to find fossils? W) Stationary X) Metamorphic Y) Igneous Z) Sedimentary
W: W) Stationary
X: X) Metamorphic
Y: Y) Igneous
Z: Z) Sedimentary
Answer: Z) Z) Sedimentary