MS Sample Set 15, Round 10 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following geologic intervals went from 2.6 million years ago to approximately 12,000 years ago, and is commonly referred to as the Ice Age? W) Holocene X) Neogene Y) Paleogene Z) Pleistocene

W: W) Holocene

X: X) Neogene

Y: Y) Paleogene

Z: Z) Pleistocene

Answer: Z) Z) Pleistocene

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements that are true of the supercontinent Pangaea: 1) What is now North America was adjacent to what is now Africa; 2) What is now India was adjacent to what is now Asia; 3) What is now Australia was adjacent to what is now Antarctica.

Choices:

  • What is now North America was adjacent to what is now Africa
  • What is now India was adjacent to what is now Asia
  • What is now Australia was adjacent to what is now Antarctica

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 3

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are studying how sorghum withstands arid conditions. One adaptation is that during drought, sorghum will reduce symbiotic connections with fungi that penetrate the cortical root cells of the plant. What is the term for this structure?

Acceptable Answers:

  • MYCORRHIZA
  • ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA

BONUS energy multiselect

Scientists are using the Advanced Photon Source to understand P-glycoprotein, a channel responsible for many forms of drug resistance. Identify all of the following three types of organisms that contain P-glycoprotein: 1) Bacteria; 2) Mammals; 3) Fungi.

Choices:

  • Bacteria
  • Mammals
  • Fungi

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

Which of the following terms refers to signals that are secreted by glands into the bloodstream, and have effects on distant organs? W) Paracrine X) Autocrine Y) Exocrine Z) Endocrine

W: W) Paracrine

X: X) Autocrine

Y: Y) Exocrine

Z: Z) Endocrine

Answer: Z) Z) Endocrine

BONUS bio order

Place the following three evolutionary history events in chronological order: 1) Cambrian explosion; 2) First mammals appear; 3) First flowering plants appear.

Choices:

  • Cambrian explosion
  • First mammals appear
  • First flowering plants appear

Correct Order:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the slope of a line perpendicular to the line that contains the points (4, 4) and (10, 11)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • –6/7

BONUS math phrase

What are the coordinates of the image of the point (–2, 5) when rotated 180 degrees about the point (6, –8)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • (14, –21)

TOSS-UP phys phrase

By what factor is the gravitational force between two objects multiplied if the distance between them is tripled?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1/9

BONUS phys phrase

A sample of an ideal gas has a volume of 10 liters at 27 °C. If all other factors remain constant, at how many degrees Celsius would the gas have a volume of 5 liters?

Acceptable Answers:

  • –123

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Consider a Sun-like star that has been fusing hydrogen for 5 billion years. Which of the following best describes the distribution of hydrogen and helium in the star? W) The core is mostly hydrogen, with helium primarily on the surface of the star X) The core is mostly helium, with little hydrogen elsewhere in the star Y) The core is mostly helium and the percentage of the star that is hydrogen rises with increasing distance from the core Z) The star is entirely hydrogen

W: W) The core is mostly hydrogen, with helium primarily on the surface of the star

X: X) The core is mostly helium, with little hydrogen elsewhere in the star

Y: Y) The core is mostly helium and the percentage of the star that is hydrogen rises with increasing distance from the core

Z: Z) The star is entirely hydrogen

Answer: Y) Y) The core is mostly helium and the percentage of the star that is hydrogen rises with increasing distance from the core

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements that are true of interstellar dust: 1) Blue light is preferentially absorbed by interstellar dust; 2) Dust grains tend to be very spherical; 3) Dust clouds are typically around 273 K.

Choices:

  • Blue light is preferentially absorbed by interstellar dust
  • Dust grains tend to be very spherical
  • Dust clouds are typically around 273 K

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Scientists supported by the Department of Energy are using supervised learning to classify genetic data. “Supervised learning,” in this case, means which of the following? W) A researcher must classify the training data, which the model then learns X) A researcher must watch the model as it is classifying the data Y) There is no distinction between training and hold-out data Z) The hold-out data is gathered under supervision

W: W) A researcher must classify the training data, which the model then learns

X: X) A researcher must watch the model as it is classifying the data

Y: Y) There is no distinction between training and hold-out data

Z: Z) The hold-out data is gathered under supervision

Answer: W) W) A researcher must classify the training data, which the model then learns

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are studying plants that produce poly-hydroxy-butyrate. What type of polymer is this? W) Polyamide X) Polyethylene Y) Polystyrene Z) Polyester

W: W) Polyamide

X: X) Polyethylene

Y: Y) Polystyrene

Z: Z) Polyester

Answer: Z) Z) Polyester

TOSS-UP bio phrase

The fluid-mosaic model is a representation of the structure and behavior of what cell structure?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Plasma membrane
  • Cell membrane

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following best characterizes the material that is presented by antigen-presenting cells to T cells? W) Short peptides X) Protein domains Y) RNA sequences Z) DNA sequences

W: W) Short peptides

X: X) Protein domains

Y: Y) RNA sequences

Z: Z) DNA sequences

Answer: W) W) Short peptides

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is 3²⁵² – 3³³²?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 136

BONUS math phrase

The first term of a geometric sequence is one, and the second is ¾. When the sum of the first 5 terms of the sequence is written as a mixed fraction, what is the fractional part?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 13/256

TOSS-UP phys phrase

Butyric acid can condense with ethanol to produce an ester and what other molecule?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Water
  • H₂O

BONUS phys order

Rank the following three metals in order of most spontaneous to least spontaneous oxidation of the metal: 1) Calcium; 2) Mercury; 3) Zinc.

Choices:

  • Calcium
  • Mercury
  • Zinc

Correct Order:

  • 1
  • 3
  • 2

TOSS-UP ess phrase

What layer of Earth lies below the lithosphere and consists of rock that undergoes plastic deformation?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Asthenosphere

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements regarding reefs and volcanic islands that are true: 1) Fringing reefs typically form before barrier reefs; 2) Atolls typically form before barrier reefs; 3) Atolls are the first reefs to form around active volcanos.

Choices:

  • Fringing reefs typically form before barrier reefs
  • Atolls typically form before barrier reefs
  • Atolls are the first reefs to form around active volcanos

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are studying materials in which neighboring spins are aligned in opposite directions. What is the term for the type of magnetism these materials demonstrate?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Antiferromagnetism

BONUS energy multiselect

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are studying magnetars. Identify all of the following three statements that are true of magnetars: 1) They are a type of neutron star; 2) They may be the source of soft gamma ray repeaters; 3) They spin very slowly compared to main-sequence stars.

Choices:

  • They are a type of neutron star
  • They may be the source of soft gamma ray repeaters
  • They spin very slowly compared to main-sequence stars

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What effect is a form of genetic drift that occurs when a population declines to a very low number, then rebounds?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Bottleneck effect
  • Population bottleneck, Genetic bottleneck

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following interactions is the best example of commensalism? W) A cleaner fish eats parasites from a larger fish X) An oak tree blocks the sunlight of a nearby sapling Y) A wasp lays its eggs inside of a caterpillar Z) A dung beetle eats the feces of a buffalo

W: W) A cleaner fish eats parasites from a larger fish

X: X) An oak tree blocks the sunlight of a nearby sapling

Y: Y) A wasp lays its eggs inside of a caterpillar

Z: Z) A dung beetle eats the feces of a buffalo

Answer: Z) Z) A dung beetle eats the feces of a buffalo

TOSS-UP math phrase

In the set of integers from 1 through 21, inclusive, let A be the set of those that are odd, and let B be the set of those that are multiples of 5. How many elements are in A union B?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 13

BONUS math phrase

A 3-by-3-by-3 cube is made of 14 red unit cubes and 13 blue unit cubes pasted together. What is the minimum possible visible surface area of the large cube that is colored red?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 20

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the adjective for a thermodynamic process that occurs without transferring heat or mass between the system and its surroundings?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Adiabatic

BONUS phys phrase

A certain energy level in an atom can contain up to 32 electrons. How many subshells does this energy level possess?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4