Quiz

QUIZ

1. How many pairs of human chromosomes are there?

a. 20 b. 23 c. 46 d. 52

Answer: b. Each organism has its own number of chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, which add to a total of 46 chromosomes. Of these 22 chromosome pairs are somatic and 1 pair is the sex chromosomes.

2. What is a variation in a gene called?

a. Allele b. Chromosome c. DNA d. RNA

Answer: a. An allele is a variation in a gene. Different alleles are what makes a person unique because they will encode for different proteins and different traits in a given person.

3. What best defines an asymptomatic carrier for a given trait?

a. A person who is homozygous for a dominant trait b. A person who is heterozygous for a dominant trait c. A person who is homozygous for a recessive trait d. A person who is heterozygous for a recessive trait

Answer: d. The person who is heterozygous for a recessive trait will not have the disease but will be a carrier for it, meaning they will pass the trait onto half of their offspring. Only if they mate with an individual who has the recessive trait in some form will there be a possibility of having a child who has the recessive disease.

4. What is the most common sex-linked disease?

a. X-linked dominant b. X-linked recessive c. Y-linked dominant d. Y-linked recessive

Answer: b. An X-linked recessive disease is the most common sexlinked disease. Things like colorblindness and hemophilia are x-linked recessive diseases.

5. What is the chemical messenger called that enters the synapse during a cellto-cell transmission of a message?

a. Postsynaptic receptor b. Neurotransmitter c. Synaptic vesicle d. Terminal button

Answer: b. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that goes into the synaptic cleft in order to send a message by binding to a postsynaptic receptor on the receiving or postsynaptic cell.

6. What is the name given to the potential across a nerve cell when it is not activated?

a. Threshold of activation b. Action potential c. Membrane potential d. Resting potential

Answer: d. When a neuron is in its resting state of readiness, it is not activated and is said to be at its resting potential. When activated, it generates an action potential.

7. Which lobe of the brain is most associated with sensory processing?

a. Parietal b. Temporal c. Frontal d. Occipital

Answer: a. The parietal lobe is associated with sensory processing. It contains the somatosensory cortex that handles input related to pain, touch, and temperature functions of the body.

8. Which lobe of the brain is most associated with the auditory cortex that helps with hearing?

a. Parietal b. Temporal c. Frontal d. Occipital

Answer: b. The temporal lobe is located on the side of the head. It contains the auditory cortex, which is associated with hearing.

9. What is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?

a. Dopamine b. Serotonin c. Glutamate d. GABA

Answer: c. Glutamate is the major neurotransmitter in the brain and is largely an excitatory neurotransmitter.

10. Low levels of which neurotransmitter have been implicated in the development of depression?

a. Dopamine b. Acetylcholine c. Glutamate d. Serotonin

Answer: d. Serotonin has many activities in the brain and body. Low levels of serotonin have been implicated in the development of depression and drugs that increase serotonin will improve depression.