HESI A2
Biology HESI A2 Practice Exam
1. Which of the following is a tertiary consumer?
- A. Owl
- B. Shrew
- C. Grasshopper
- D. Wheat
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Owl. Tertiary consumers are organisms that feed on secondary consumers, which, in turn, feed on primary consumers. Owls are considered tertiary consumers because they primarily feed on animals such as rodents, which are secondary consumers. Shrew (choice B) is a secondary consumer, feeding on insects and worms, placing it at a lower trophic level than the owl. Grasshopper (choice C) is a primary consumer, feeding on plants. Wheat (choice D) is not a consumer in the food chain but a plant.
2. Which of the following is not true about enzymes?
- A. They catalyze reactions
- B. They lower the activation energy needed
- C. They have an active site
- D. They are typically proteins
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for a reaction to occur, not raise it. By lowering the activation energy, enzymes facilitate reactions, making them occur more easily and rapidly. Choice A is correct as enzymes indeed catalyze reactions. Choice C is correct as enzymes have specific active sites where substrates bind. Choice D is correct as enzymes are commonly proteins, although some RNA molecules also exhibit catalytic properties.
3. Which of the following is a protein?
- A. cellulose
- B. hemoglobin
- C. estrogen
- D. ATP
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is 'hemoglobin' because it is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood. Cellulose is a carbohydrate found in the cell walls of plants, not a protein. Estrogen is a hormone, not a protein. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule that carries energy within cells, not a protein.
4. When plants do not receive enough water, their photosynthetic rate drops. This is because:
- A. water is a raw material for the light reactions in photosynthesis
- B. carbon dioxide is not available
- C. water provides the carbon atoms used to make sugar
- D. not enough oxygen is produced to keep fermentation running
Correct answer: A
Rationale: When plants do not receive enough water, their photosynthetic rate drops because water is a raw material required for the light reactions in photosynthesis. In the light reactions, water is split to provide electrons, which are then utilized to produce energy carriers used in converting carbon dioxide into glucose during the Calvin cycle. Therefore, without sufficient water, the light reactions cannot proceed effectively, ultimately leading to a decrease in photosynthetic rate. Choice B is incorrect because carbon dioxide is a separate raw material needed for the Calvin cycle, not the light reactions. Choice C is incorrect as water provides electrons, not carbon atoms, for photosynthesis. Choice D is incorrect because fermentation is not directly related to photosynthesis; oxygen is produced during photosynthesis, not fermentation.
5. Imagine that two parents both carry the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis. Any homozygous recessive offspring will manifest the disease. What percentage of the offspring is predicted to be carriers but not manifest the disease?
- A. 0%
- B. 25%
- C. 50%
- D. 100%
Correct answer: B
Rationale: When both parents carry the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis (homozygous recessive), there is a 25% chance for each offspring to inherit two recessive alleles and, therefore, manifest the disease. There is also a 50% chance for each offspring to inherit one recessive allele and one dominant allele, making them carriers of the disease but not manifest it. Therefore, 25% of the offspring are predicted to be carriers but not manifest the disease. Choice A (0%) is incorrect because there is a portion of offspring that will be carriers. Choice C (50%) is incorrect as this percentage corresponds to carriers who will not manifest the disease. Choice D (100%) is incorrect as not all offspring will be carriers and not manifest the disease.
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