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Biology for AP® Courses

Critical Thinking Questions

Biology for AP® CoursesCritical Thinking Questions
37 .
Which statement explains how the two types of sensory transduction differ?
  1. Receptors can respond to multiple stimuli, whereas free nerve endings are specialized cells that detect a specific stimulus.
  2. Receptors are specialized cells that detect a specific stimulus, whereas free nerve endings can respond to multiple stimuli.
  3. Receptors are similar for different stimuli, whereas free nerve endings are different for different stimuli.
  4. Receptors are specialized cells that detect a specific stimulus, whereas free nerve endings can respond to pressure.
38 .
Describe how the steps of sensory perception would be affected if a person sustains damage to axons that lead from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.
  1. Reception would not be affected. However, signal transduction and perception will be incomplete.
  2. Perception would not be affected. However, signal transduction and reception will be incomplete.
  3. Signal transduction would not be affected. However, reception and perception will be incomplete.
  4. Reception and signal transduction would not be affected. However, perception will be incomplete.
39 .
(credit: modification of work by Ziemer, Tim)

This graph shows the just noticeable difference versus the sound loudness. The CPS values show sound frequency.

What is a claim that can be said based on this graph?

  1. People cannot hear more minute differences for louder sounds.
  2. Sound frequency has no effect on hearing minute differences.
  3. People hear more minute differences in louder sounds.
  4. People can hear more minute differences in sounds with higher CPS (frequency)
40 .
Humans have both special and general senses. Which statement explains what both types of senses have in common?
  1. All types of senses undergo sensory transduction by converting a stimulus into a chemical signal via the central nervous system.
  2. All types of senses undergo sensory transduction by converting a stimulus into an electrical signal via the peripheral nervous system.
  3. All types of senses undergo sensory transduction by converting a stimulus into a chemical signal via the nervous system.
  4. All types of senses undergo sensory transduction by converting a stimulus into an electrical signal via the nervous system.
41 .
Explain why there are more Merkel’s disks and Meissner’s corpuscles in your fingertips than in your palms.
  1. These two types of thermoreceptors are used to detect warmth and cold which is necessary to maintain body temperature.
  2. These two types of mechanoreceptors are used to detect fine details necessary for many roles of fingertips but not palms such as typing.
  3. These two types of proprioceptors are used to detect fine details necessary for many roles of fingertips but not palms, such as typing.
  4. These two types of mechanoreceptors are used to detect fine details, which are necessary for many roles of fingertips as well as palms.
42 .
(credit: modification of work by Silva, Paula et al./Semantic Scholar)

The table shows the results of the two-point discrimination test for a population.

In the test, two sharp points, such as two thumbtacks, are brought into contact with the subject’s skin. The subject reports if he or she feels one point or two points. The test can be used to determine the density of receptors in skin.

What is a conclusion that can be made based on this data?

  1. The highest concentration of mechanoreceptors are in the lower arm.
  2. The upper arm has a higher density of receptors than the lower arm.
  3. The long and little fingers have the highest concentration of receptors.
  4. There are no mechanoreceptors in the fingers other than the thumb, the long finger and the little finger.
43 .
Explain why some people think that peppers are painful or hot, while other people do not find peppers painful or hot.
  1. Peppers contain capsaicin, which opens the same sodium channels as warm receptors. Excess stimulation gives the perception of pain. Thus people who can tolerate more heat find peppers to be less painful.
  2. Peppers contain capsaicin, which opens the same calcium channels as warm receptors. Excess stimulation gives the perception of pain. Thus people who can tolerate more heat find peppers to be less painful.
  3. Peppers contain quinine, which opens the same calcium channels as warm receptors. Excess stimulation gives the perception of pain. Thus people who can tolerate more heat find peppers to be less painful.
  4. Peppers contain quinine, which opens the same sodium channels as warm receptors. Excess stimulation gives the perception of pain. Thus people who can tolerate more heat find peppers to be less painful.
44 .
Discuss how the location of mechanoreceptors affect their ability to sense different stimuli.
  1. Merkel’s disks and Meissner’s corpuscles are found in specialized regions and detect the amount of stretch. Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings are able to sense deeper touch, such as deeper pressure.
  2. Merkel’s disks and Meissner’s corpuscles are found deeper in the skin and are able to sense deeper touch, such as deeper pressure. Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings are able to better detect fine touch.
  3. Merkel’s disks and Meissner’s corpuscles are found deeper in the skin and detect fine touch. Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings are able to sense deeper touch, such as deeper pressure.
  4. Merkel’s disks and Meissner’s corpuscles are found in more upper parts of the skin and detect fine touch. Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings are able to sense deeper touch, such as deeper pressure.
45 .
(credit: modification of work by Arianna Vignini et al./Hindawi, CC BY-SA 4.0)

This graph shows the relation between body-mass index (BMI) and taste sensitivity.

Which option is a conclusion you can draw from this graph?

  1. BMI and sense of taste are not related.
  2. People with higher BMI tend to have a weaker sense of taste on average.
  3. People with higher BMI tend to have a stronger sense of taste on average.
  4. People with low BMI tend to have the weakest sense of taste.
46 .
Predict a possible effect on an animal of not being able to perceive taste.
  1. The animal might not be able to eat food.
  2. The animal might not be able to eat sweet and unspoiled food.
  3. The animal might not be able to distinguish food that is bitter and sour.
  4. The animal might not be able to distinguish food that is dangerous, bitter, spoiled, sour or sweet.
47 .
If a young child goes missing, predict why a bloodhound and not a poodle would be used to find the child.
  1. Bloodhounds were bred to have a better sense of smell, and thus have fewer olfactory receptors and larger olfactory epithelia.
  2. Bloodhounds were bred to have a better sense of smell, and thus have more olfactory receptors and larger olfactory epithelia.
  3. Bloodhounds were bred to have a better sense of smell, and thus have more olfactory receptors and smaller olfactory epithelia.
  4. Bloodhounds were bred to have a better sense of smell, and thus have more olfactory bulbs and larger olfactory receptors.
48 .
Explain how pheromones differ from other odorants, from the perspective of the recipient of the signal.
  1. Pheromones are sent to the main olfactory bulb instead of the amygdala and are not consciously perceived.
  2. Pheromones are sent to the amygdala instead of the main olfactory bulb and are consciously perceived.
  3. Pheromones are sent to the amygdala instead of the main olfactory bulb and are not consciously perceived.
  4. Pheromones are sent to the main olfactory bulb instead of the amygdala and are consciously perceived.
49 .
(credit: modification of work by Cmglee/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0)

The table shows the hearing range of some animals.

What is a conclusion we can draw from this data?

  1. Elephants can hear higher pitched sounds than humans can.
  2. A gerbil would not be able hear a sound at 40 kHz.
  3. Dolphins and whales can hear extremely high pitched sounds compared to humans.
  4. A sheep cannot hear a sound that is louder than 1 kHz.
50 .
You are having a debate with someone in a library. A librarian asks you to “speak softer.” What characteristic of sound does the librarian want you to change and how can you change it?
  1. wavelength, by lowering the amplitude at which you are speaking
  2. amplitude, by lowering the frequency at which you are speaking
  3. frequency, by lowering the volume at which you are speaking
  4. amplitude, by lowering the volume at which you are speaking.
51 .
Refer to Figure 27.13
.

The image shows the structure of a healthy ear.

If an individual was born without the malleus in either ear, explain why they might have problems with hearing.

  1. Without the malleus and incus, the vibrations of the tympanum would not be able to reach the stapes and then be sent to the cochlea.
  2. Without the malleus and incus, the vibrations of the pinna would not be able to reach the stapes and then be sent to the cochlea.
  3. Without the malleus and incus, sound waves would not be collected by the tympanum.
  4. Without the malleus and incus, sound waves would not be collected by the pinna.
52 .
The moon has less gravity than Earth. How might this affect vestibular sensation of an astronaut on the Moon?
  1. Vestibular sensation relies on gravity’s effects to function properly. At a different gravity, the perception of motion would be different.
  2. Vestibular sensation does not rely on gravity’s effects, but requires pressure. Inside a pressurized suit, the astronaut would not feel any different.
  3. Vestibular sensation cannot function without Earth's gravity. On the Moon, astronauts would need to function completely without it.
  4. Vestibular sensation function with better efficiency in lower gravity. On the Moon, the astronauts senses would be enchanced.
53 .
(credit: modification of work by Imaging Tech Solutions)

The image is taken by a special camera that can see bats on a dark night.

Why are human eyes unable to see bats like this?

  1. Warm objects give out infrared radiation. The frequency of infrared radiation is too low for our eyes to detect.
  2. Warm objects give out ultraviolet radiation. The frequency of infrared radiation is too low for our eyes to detect.
  3. The camera bounces off infrared light off the bats, and then detects it. Our eyes cannot emit light like the camera does.
  4. The camera bounces off ultraviolet light off the bats, and then detects it. Our eyes cannot emit light like the camera does.
54 .
Refer to Figure 27.21
.

This graph shows the wavelengths of light the rods and cones of the eye can detect.

What receptors are active if you are seeing a white building on a bright day?

  1. All three cones in your eyes are stimulated when you see the color white. The rods do not play a role in color vision.
  2. The L and M cones are stimulated in your eyes when you see the color white. The rods do not play a role in color vision.
  3. The S cones and the rods are stimulated in your eyes when you see the color white.
  4. The L cones and the rods are stimulated in your eyes when you see the color white.
55 .
Discuss how the relationship between photoreceptors and bipolar cells is different from other sensory receptors and adjacent cells.
  1. Photoreceptors and bipolar cells are depolarized, whereas other sensory receptors typically remain polarized.
  2. Photoreceptors and bipolar cells are hyperpolarized, whereas other sensory receptors typically remain polarized.
  3. Photoreceptors and bipolar cells are depolarized, whereas other sensory receptors typically become hyperpolarized.
  4. Photoreceptors and bipolar cells are hyperpolarized, whereas other sensory receptors typically become depolarized.
56 .
Explain what happens once visual signals reach the visual cortex.
  1. Some signals go to the temporal lobe, which detects “where” information, and other signals go to the parietal lobe, which detects “where” and “what” signals.
  2. Some signals go to the parietal lobe, which detects “where” information, and other signals go to the temporal lobe, which detects “what” signals.
  3. Some signals go to the parietal lobe, which detects “where” and “what” information and other signals go to the temporal lobe, which also detects “where” and “what” signals.
  4. Some signals go to the parietal lobe, which detects “where” information, and other signals go to the temporal lobe, which detects “where” and “what” signals.
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