How to find data representation in biology - ACT Science

A researcher studies the olfactory (scent-related) senses of the giant forest ant, Camponotus gigas. The researcher places 120 ants in a three-chambered cell. The cell has an end section with a cotton ball soaked in a saline solution and another end with a cotton ball soaked in a glucose solution. The ants are placed in the middle and timed for 15 minutes. Their initial and final positions in the cell are recorded (see Table 1). The researcher's null hypothesis states that the distribution of ants across the three chambers will be equal to one another. In other words, the glucose solution will have no effect and there will be no significant difference in the distribution of the insects.

Table 1

The researcher decides to perform a statistical test known as a Chi-squared test of independence to interpret the experiment's results. The test is performed by calculating a Chi-squared statistic by utilizing observed and expected values for distribution (see Table 2). If the sum of the Chi-squared test statistic is higher than the critical value, then the null hypothesis can be rejected. This indicates that the distribution of insects is not random and the variable in question has a pronounced effect on the subjects. A critical value is calculated by determining the degrees of freedom, which in this experiment is equal to the number of categories in the study minus one, and then locating the proper number on a table (see Table 3). There are three possible categories in this experiment: the glucose end, the control end (with the saline-solution soaked cotton ball), and middle portion of the chamber.

Table 2

Table 3

What is the critical value of this experiment?

A researcher studies the olfactory (scent-related) senses of the giant forest ant, Camponotus gigas. The researcher places 120 ants in a three-chambered cell. The cell has an end section with a cotton ball soaked in a saline solution and another end with a cotton ball soaked in a glucose solution. The ants are placed in the middle and timed for 15 minutes. Their initial and final positions in the cell are recorded (see Table 1). The researcher's null hypothesis states that the distribution of ants across the three chambers will be equal to one another. In other words, the glucose solution will have no effect and there will be no significant difference in the distribution of the insects.

Table 1

The researcher decides to perform a statistical test known as a Chi-squared test of independence to interpret the experiment's results. The test is performed by calculating a Chi-squared statistic by utilizing observed and expected values for distribution (see Table 2). If the sum of the Chi-squared test statistic is higher than the critical value, then the null hypothesis can be rejected. This indicates that the distribution of insects is not random and the variable in question has a pronounced effect on the subjects. A critical value is calculated by determining the degrees of freedom, which in this experiment is equal to the number of categories in the study minus one, and then locating the proper number on a table (see Table 3). There are three possible categories in this experiment: the glucose end, the control end (with the saline-solution soaked cotton ball), and middle portion of the chamber.

Table 2

Table 3

If the null hypothesis for this study were supported, what could be said about the ants' distribution?

There is a certain species of rabbit that is known to reproduce quickly. 250 of these rabbits were introduced into a new environment, and their population was measured in ten year intervals.

What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

A group of scientists wanted to test the effects of Nitra-Grow, a chemical additive that can be given to plants to help them grow. 3 test groups of plants were given all the same time of sunlight, the same type of soil, and the same amount of water. Plant A was given no extra chemicals. Plant B was given 5g of Nitra-Grow. Plant C was given 5g of Ammonia to see if Nitra-Grow worked any better than a basic nitrogen-based household product. The plants are then measured on 5 consecutive days to find their average height (in cm).

On Day 7, what would be plant A’s approximate height?

A group of scientists wanted to test the effects of Nitra-Grow, a chemical additive that can be given to plants to help them grow. 3 test groups of plants were given all the same time of sunlight, the same type of soil, and the same amount of water. Plant A was given no extra chemicals. Plant B was given 5g of Nitra-Grow. Plant C was given 5g of Ammonia to see if Nitra-Grow worked any better than a basic nitrogen-based household product. The plants are then measured on 5 consecutive days to find their average height (in cm).

Which plant is the control group?

The table above shows measurements for tumor size growth over time within three different possible treatment methods. Each tumor was first documented at an initial size of 2 inches. Every month each tumor was measured, for a total of five measurements of each tumor.

Looking at the "Surgery and Chemotherapy" treatment column, where could one infer that chemotherapy was performed?

The table above shows measurements for tumor size growth over time within three different possible treatment methods. Each tumor was first documented at an initial size of 2 inches. Every month each tumor was measured, for a total of five measurements of each tumor.

Based on the table above, which single method is most effective at reducing tumor size in the shortest period of time?

Which represents a population that has more than two modes of phenotypic expression?

The table above shows measurements for tumor size growth over time within three different possible treatment methods. Each tumor was first documented at an initial size of 2 inches. Every month each tumor was measured, for a total of five measurements of each tumor.

What information would be most important to know before drawing conclusions based on this data?

The table above shows measurements for tumor size growth over time within three different possible treatment methods. Each tumor was first documented at an initial size of 2 inches. Every month each tumor was measured, for a total of five measurements of each tumor.

Based on the chart above, what conclusion could be drawn about the "no treatment" option?

The table above shows measurements for tumor size growth over time within three different possible treatment methods. Each tumor was first documented at an initial size of 2 inches. Every month each tumor was measured, for a total of five measurements of each tumor.

What conclusion CANNOT be reached based on the data shown above?

| | G | g | | | ---- | -- | -- | | g | Gg | gg | | g | Gg | gg |

Scientist’s believe they have found the gene accountable for intelligence. The allele “G” is dominant, and the allele “g” is recessive. The intelligence gene is optimally expressed in the homozygous recessive form. The chart above shows the trait in the heterozygous form and the homozygous form. The form “gg” is from the mother, and “Gg” is from the father. The parents want to know what the gene might look like in their child.

What form of the gene expresses optimal intelligence?

| | G | g | | | ---- | -- | -- | | g | Gg | gg | | g | Gg | gg |

Scientist’s believe they have found the gene accountable for intelligence. The allele “G” is dominant, and the allele “g” is recessive. The intelligence gene is optimally expressed in the homozygous recessive form. The chart above shows the trait in the heterozygous form and the homozygous form. The form “gg” is from the mother, and “Gg” is from the father. The parents want to know what the gene might look like in their child.

According to the chart above, what are the chances of the child inheriting the optimal form of the gene?

Amino acids, when strung together in extensive chains, serve as the building blocks of muscles and proteins. At around 37ºC, these amino acid chains allow the body to carry out both macroscopic processes, like moving arms and legs, and microscopic processes, like increasing the rate of chemical reactions. A special class of proteins called enzymes assists in combining reactants to produce products by speeding up the rate of a reaction in one of three ways.

The first way enzymes increase reaction rate is by lowering the activation energy of a reaction. This is done by balancing positively charged amino acids with negatively charged amino acids, creating an electrically neutral environment. This process is called electrostatic interaction. Another way enzymes increase reaction rate is through the use of non-charged amino acids, such as valine and isoleucine, in a process called Van der Waals interactions. In Van der Waals interactions, the non-charged amino acids become temporarily polarized, similar to the permanent polarity of positively and negatively charged amino acids. This interaction brings non-charged amino acids together to stabilize the reactants. The final way enzymes increase reaction rates is by sharing the electrons in its hydrogen atoms with nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine on the reactant molecules to trap them at the active site. The active site is the part of an enzyme where molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Enzymes are designed to work in specific parts of the body depending on their functions. For example, an enzyme in the stomach responsible for breaking down food would work most effectively at low pH while an enzyme in the small intestine responsible for absorbing food would work most effectively at high pH. Some enzymes, such as those that function in the blood, work best at intermediate pH. Some enzymes function better at lower temperatures while others require higher temperatures. All enzymes have exponential relationships between their rates of reactions and both pH and temperature, meaning that they function best in narrow pH and temperature windows. Graphs of four enzymes and their rates of reaction at various pH levels and temperature are presented below.

Based on the figures, which enzyme is most likely to function in the small intestine?

| | G | g | | | ---- | -- | -- | | g | Gg | gg | | g | Gg | gg |

Scientist’s believe they have found the gene accountable for intelligence. The allele “G” is dominant, and the allele “g” is recessive. The intelligence gene is optimally expressed in the homozygous recessive form. The chart above shows the trait in the heterozygous form and the homozygous form. The form “gg” is from the mother, and “Gg” is from the father. The parents want to know what the gene might look like in their child.

According to the data given, what could one infer about the phenotype for "Gg?"

| | G | g | | | ---- | -- | -- | | g | Gg | gg | | g | Gg | gg |

Scientist’s believe they have found the gene accountable for intelligence. The allele “G” is dominant, and the allele “g” is recessive. The intelligence gene is optimally expressed in the homozygous recessive form. The chart above shows the trait in the heterozygous form and the homozygous form. The form “gg” is from the mother, and “Gg” is from the father. The parents want to know what the gene might look like in their child.

What genotypes would two parents want to have to increase their chances of a child exhibiting an optimal intelligence phenotype?

The chart above shows the height growth of three different plant species after a period of 2 weeks. Each plant species was grown in 4 different soil mediums. All the plants were grown in the same environment with equal amounts of light, water, and oxygen.

What could be added to this experiment to improve the data representation?

The significant increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since pre-industrial levels can be seen in the world’s oceans which absorb the CO2 and in turn undergo changes in chemistry. The consequences of increased CO2 include acidification of seawater and a decrease in carbonate ion (CO32-) concentration.

Changes in seawater chemistry affect marine organisms. The early life stages of invertebrates, such as squid, may be particularly vulnerable to changes in carbon dioxide levels. Acting as both predator and prey, squid are a significant component of marine ecosystems. For example, fish and sea birds, such as tuna and albatross, are dependent on squid as a source of prey. Furthermore, the fishing industry is impacted by the health of squid populations. California fisheries produce the majority of market squid.

In order to determine how increased levels of carbon dioxide affect the development of squid, eggs were hatched in two different conditions: normal (380 µatm) and elevated (2100 µatm) levels of CO2. The time to hatch and the size of the larval mantle (the anatomical feature that includes the body wall and fins) were measured and recorded. Two trials were conducted for each carbon dioxide concentration.

Compared to the hatch time data in Trial 1, _________.

There is a certain species of rabbit that is known to reproduce quickly. 250 of these rabbits were introduced into a new environment, and their population was measured in ten year intervals.

Which of the following is an accurate graphic representation of the data?

The significant increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since pre-industrial levels can be seen in the world’s oceans which absorb the CO2 and in turn undergo changes in chemistry. The consequences of increased CO2 include acidification of seawater and a decrease in carbonate ion (CO32-) concentration.

Changes in seawater chemistry affect marine organisms. The early life stages of invertebrates, such as squid, may be particularly vulnerable to changes in carbon dioxide levels. Acting as both predator and prey, squid are a significant component of marine ecosystems. For example, fish and sea birds, such as tuna and albatross, are dependent on squid as a source of prey. Furthermore, the fishing industry is impacted by the health of squid populations. California fisheries produce the majority of market squid.

In order to determine how increased levels of carbon dioxide affect the development of squid, eggs were hatched in two different conditions: normal (380 µatm) and elevated (2100 µatm) levels of CO2. The time to hatch and the size of the larval mantle (the anatomical feature that includes the body wall and fins) were measured and recorded. Two trials were conducted for each carbon dioxide concentration.

For water with a carbon dioxide concentration of 380 µatm, when would half of squid eggs be expected to be hatched?