GED Science Life Science 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A child inherits one allele for brown eyes (dominant) and one allele for blue eyes (recessive). The child's eye color will most likely be:
- Blue
- A mix of brown and blue
- Brown (Correct answer)
- Neither brown nor blue
Correct answer: Brown
Because brown eye color is dominant, having even one dominant allele results in brown eyes being expressed.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship?
- A tapeworm living inside a human intestine
- Clownfish living among sea anemone tentacles for protection while cleaning the anemone (Correct answer)
- A lion hunting and eating a zebra
- Barnacles attaching to a whale's skin without harming or helping it
Correct answer: Clownfish living among sea anemone tentacles for protection while cleaning the anemone
Clownfish and sea anemones both benefit — the fish gets shelter and the anemone gets cleaned — making this mutualism.
Question 3: During which phase of mitosis do chromosomes line up along the cell's equator?
- Prophase
- Anaphase
- Metaphase (Correct answer)
- Telophase
Correct answer: Metaphase
During metaphase, chromosomes align at the cell's midline (metaphase plate) before being pulled apart.
Question 4: Which of the following correctly describes the flow of energy in a food chain?
- Consumers → Producers → Decomposers
- Sun → Producers → Consumers → Decomposers (Correct answer)
- Decomposers → Consumers → Producers → Sun
- Consumers → Decomposers → Producers → Sun
Correct answer: Sun → Producers → Consumers → Decomposers
Energy flows from the sun to producers via photosynthesis, then to primary consumers, secondary consumers, and finally to decomposers.
Question 5: A red blood cell is placed in a very salty (hypertonic) solution. What will happen to the cell?
- It will swell and burst
- It will shrink as water leaves by osmosis (Correct answer)
- It will remain unchanged
- It will divide rapidly
Correct answer: It will shrink as water leaves by osmosis
In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell by osmosis toward the higher solute concentration outside, causing the cell to shrink.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a function of proteins in the human body?
- Providing structural support (e.g., collagen)
- Catalyzing chemical reactions (enzymes)
- Storing long-term energy reserves (Correct answer)
- Transporting oxygen in the blood (hemoglobin)
Correct answer: Storing long-term energy reserves
Long-term energy storage is primarily the role of fats (lipids), not proteins; proteins serve structural, enzymatic, and transport functions.
Question 7: Two species of finch live on the same island and eat the same seeds. Over many generations, one species shifts to eating insects. This is an example of:
- Predation
- Competitive exclusion
- Character displacement driven by competition (Correct answer)
- Commensalism
Correct answer: Character displacement driven by competition
Character displacement occurs when competing species evolve to use different resources, reducing direct competition between them.
GED Science Life Science 4
A child inherits one allele for brown eyes (dominant) and one allele for blue eyes (recessive).
The child's eye color will most likely be: