how do organisms maintain homeostasis

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS Science

1. How do organisms maintain homeostasis?

A. By increasing their body temperature, blood pH, and fluid balance.
B. By undergoing biochemical processes and absorbing energy to increase entropy.
C. By undergoing biochemical processes to maintain the order of their external environment.
D. By using free energy and matter via biochemical processes to work against entropy.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Organisms maintain homeostasis by utilizing free energy and matter through biochemical processes to counteract entropy, which helps in preserving internal stability. This process involves maintaining a balance within the organism's internal environment despite external changes, ensuring proper functioning and survival. Choice A is incorrect because increasing body temperature, blood pH, and fluid balance alone do not define the comprehensive process of maintaining homeostasis. Choice B is incorrect as absorbing energy to increase entropy goes against the concept of maintaining internal stability. Choice C is incorrect as maintaining the order of the external environment does not directly contribute to the organism's internal stability and balance.

2. What is the acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface?

A. 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s²)
B. 6.3 meters per second squared (m/s²)
C. 5.0 meters per second squared (m/s²)
D. 12.5 meters per second squared (m/s²)

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface is approximately 9.8 m/s². This value is commonly used in physics calculations and represents the rate at which an object accelerates towards the Earth when in free fall. The acceleration due to gravity is a constant value near the Earth's surface and affects the motion of all objects. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not represent the standard value of 9.8 m/s². Understanding the correct value of acceleration due to gravity is fundamental in physics as it helps in solving various problems related to motion, forces, and energy.

3. Where does fertilization, the fusion of sperm and egg, typically occur in the human body?

A. Ovary
B. Uterus
C. Fallopian tube
D. Vagina

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Fertilization typically occurs in the fallopian tube. This is where the sperm and egg meet and fuse to form a zygote. The fallopian tube provides the optimal environment for fertilization as it helps in the transportation of the egg and provides a suitable site for fertilization before the resulting embryo travels to the uterus for implantation. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. The ovary is where eggs are produced, the uterus is where the fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus, and the vagina is the canal that leads to the cervix, but fertilization itself does not occur in these locations.

4. Which neurotransmitter is responsible for stimulating muscle contraction?

A. Dopamine
B. Acetylcholine
C. Serotonin
D. Norepinephrine

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating muscle contraction at the neuromuscular junction. When an action potential reaches the end of a motor neuron, acetylcholine is released into the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors on the muscle cell membrane, leading to muscle contraction. Dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that have different functions in the nervous system and are not directly involved in stimulating muscle contraction. Dopamine is involved in reward and pleasure pathways, serotonin regulates mood and behavior, and norepinephrine is involved in the 'fight or flight' response.

5. In which medium does light propagate at its highest speed?

A. Air
B. Water
C. Glass
D. Diamond

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Light travels at its highest speed in a vacuum. However, among the options provided, air is the closest medium to a vacuum, making it the correct answer. In general, light travels slower in denser mediums due to interactions with atoms and molecules in the medium. Water, glass, and diamond are denser mediums compared to air, causing light to propagate at slower speeds in these materials, hence making them incorrect choices.