which of the following is a characteristic of an interneuron

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS Practice Science Test

1. Which of the following is a characteristic of an interneuron?

A. Forms neural circuits
B. Interacts with effectors
C. Sends impulses to the CNS
D. Functions as an efferent nerve cell

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct characteristic of an interneuron is that it forms neural circuits, connecting sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system. Interneurons facilitate communication between different neurons in the central nervous system, helping in the processing and integration of signals. Choice B is incorrect as interneurons primarily interact with other neurons, not effectors. Choice C is incorrect as interneurons typically do not send impulses to the CNS; they operate within the CNS. Choice D is incorrect as interneurons are not efferent nerve cells; they are mainly involved in processing signals within the CNS rather than transmitting signals to effectors.

2. Which type of muscle tissue contracts involuntarily and is found in organs like the heart and intestines?

A. Skeletal muscle
B. Cardiac muscle
C. Smooth muscle
D. All of the above

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Smooth muscle is the type of muscle tissue that contracts involuntarily and is found in organs like the heart and intestines. Skeletal muscle is responsible for voluntary movements, like those involved in skeletal system actions. Cardiac muscle is found in the heart and contracts involuntarily, but it is distinct from smooth muscle. The heart's muscle is specialized and forms the myocardium, which is not the same as the smooth muscle found in organs like the intestines. Therefore, the correct answer is C) Smooth muscle.

3. What information does a genotype provide that a phenotype does not?

A. The genotype necessarily includes the proteins coded for by its alleles.
B. The genotype will always display an organism's recessive alleles.
C. The genotype must include the organism's physical characteristics.
D. The genotype indicates what an organism's parents looked like.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The genotype provides information about the specific genetic makeup of an organism, including the alleles it possesses for a particular trait. This information is not always directly reflected in the phenotype, which is the observable physical characteristics of an organism. The genotype determines the proteins coded for by its alleles, but the phenotype is the expression of those proteins in the organism's traits. Therefore, the genotype necessarily includes the proteins coded for by its alleles, a detail not provided solely by the phenotype.\nChoice B is incorrect because the genotype may include dominant alleles as well, not just recessive ones. Choice C is incorrect because the genotype refers to genetic information, not physical characteristics. Choice D is incorrect because the genotype does not directly indicate what an organism's parents looked like; it primarily describes the genetic information inherited from parents.

4. Which of the following is a pair of nerves that originates from the brain?

A. Spinal nerves
B. Olfactory nerves
C. Sciatic nerve
D. Optic nerve

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The olfactory nerves, choice B, are a pair of cranial nerves that originate from the brain. They are responsible for the sense of smell and are the only cranial nerves that directly connect to the cerebrum. Spinal nerves, choice A, originate from the spinal cord, the sciatic nerve, choice C, is a large nerve that originates in the lower back, and the optic nerve, choice D, originates from the retina of the eye. Therefore, choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not originate directly from the brain.

5. Which of the following is NOT a mechanism of evolution?

A. Natural selection
B. Genetic drift
C. Lamarckism
D. Mutation

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A) Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on those traits to the next generation. B) Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that occurs due to random changes in allele frequencies in a population. C) Lamarckism, also known as the inheritance of acquired characteristics, is a discredited theory that suggests organisms can pass on traits acquired during their lifetime to their offspring. This mechanism has been largely rejected by the scientific community. D) Mutation is a mechanism of evolution that introduces new genetic variation into a population, which can lead to the emergence of new traits and adaptations over time.