In the following data table of an experiment carried out at 4°C (39.2 F) over 4 hours 

Solution in bag	Solution outside bag	Bag mass change (g):
water	Water	-0.2
20% sucrose	Water	+2.4
, 40% sucrose	Water	+4.3
, 60% sucrose	water	+5.8

 

Which of the following options represents the dependent variable? 

The approximate threshold value for mammalian neurons is -55 mV.

The threshold potential is the critical level to which a membrane potential must be depolarized to initiate an action potential.

Most often, the threshold potential is a membrane potential value between –50 and –55 mV

The membrane potential of a neuron is determined by the distribution of ions across the cell membrane.

At rest, the inside of a neuron is more negative than the outside due to the presence of negatively charged proteins and other molecules.

The movement of ions across the cell membrane can change the membrane potential.

For example, when sodium ions enter the cell, they make the inside of the cell more positive (less negative), causing depolarization.

Choice B is incorrect because -80 mV is below the typical threshold value for mammalian neurons.

Choice C is incorrect because +35 mV is above the typical threshold value for mammalian neurons.

Choice D is incorrect because 0 mV is above the typical threshold value for mammalian neurons.

Heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects.

The data in the table shows that as the number of filters (and therefore the mass) increases, the terminal velocity also increases.

This means that the heavier objects (with more filters) are falling faster than the lighter objects (with fewer filters).

Choice A is not supported by the data in the table as much as it is true.

Terminal velocity is indeed when the force of gravity is equal to air resistance, but this definition does not provide any information about the relationship between mass and terminal velocity.

Choice B is also not supported by the data in the table.

The data does not provide any information about the time it takes for an object to reach terminal velocity.

Choice D is not supported by the data in the table.

The data shows that as the number of filters increases, the terminal velocity also increases.

This means that the greater the number of filters, the greater (not smaller) the terminal velocity.

A myocardial infarction affects the coronary blood vessels of the heart.

A myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops in the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle 1.

Choice B is incorrect because the aorta is not a blood vessel of the heart.

The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Choice C is incorrect because the pulmonary blood vessels are not affected by a myocardial infarction.

The pulmonary blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.

Choice D is incorrect because the vena cava is not a blood vessel of the heart.

The vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.

Control.

A control group is a group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or manipulation being tested and is used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do.

The control group is used to minimize the effects of all variables except the independent variable.

This allows researchers to determine if changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation of the independent variable or if they are due to some other factor.

Choice A.

Responding is not the correct answer because it refers to the dependent variable, which is the variable that is being measured in an experiment.

Choice B.

Manipulated is not the correct answer because it refers to the independent variable, which is the variable that is being manipulated in an experiment.

Choice D.

Variable is not the correct answer because it refers to any factor that can change in an experiment and can include both independent and dependent variables.

Microtubule organization.

Centrosomes are organelles that serve as the main microtubule-organizing centers for animal cells.

They regulate the movement of microtubules and other cytoskeletal structures, thereby facilitating changes in the shapes of the membranes of animal cells.

Choice A, Organelle trafficking, is not the correct answer because while centrosomes do play a role in intracellular trafficking during interphase by organizing an astral ray of microtubules, their main function is microtubule organization.

Choice B, Pathogen digestion, is not the correct answer because centrosomes do not play a direct role in pathogen digestion.

Choice C, Cytoplasm formation, is not the correct answer because centrosomes do not play a direct role in cytoplasm formation.

A tsunami is a catastrophic ocean wave that is usually caused by a submarine earthquake.

It can also be caused by an underwater or coastal landslide, the eruption of a volcano, or the impact of a meteor or comet in a body of water.

Choice A is not correct because sunspot activity does not cause tsunamis.

Choice B is not correct because lightning strikes do not cause tsunamis.

Choice D is not correct because flooding does not cause tsunamis.

The polarity of water molecules explains its solvent abilities for certain substances.

Water is a polar molecule because it has a partial positive charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other end due to the unequal sharing of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

This polarity allows water to dissolve other polar substances and ionic compounds.

Choice A.

Kinetic energy of liquid water molecules is not the correct answer because kinetic energy refers to the energy of motion and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Choice B.

High specific heat is not the correct answer because specific heat refers to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Choice C.

High surface tension is not the correct answer because surface tension refers to the cohesive forces between liquid molecules and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Diameter.

The diameter is the measurement of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on its circumference.

In this case, the line across the center of the cell represents the diameter of the cell.

Choice A, Area, is not the correct answer because area refers to the amount of space inside a two-dimensional shape.

Choice C, Volume, is not the correct answer because volume refers to the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object.

Choice D, Radius, is not the correct answer because radius refers to the distance from the center of a circle to its circumference and is half the length of the diameter.

Reverse transcriptase, an enzyme encoded by the virus.

Reverse transcriptase is a virus-specific enzyme that transcribes an RNA template to DNA1.

This allows the AIDS virus, which contains RNA, to insert viral DNA into the DNA of a host cell after the AIDS virus enters the cell.

Choice A, The phospholipids found on the envelope of the virus, is not the correct answer because phospholipids are a major component of cell membranes and do not play a direct role in inserting viral DNA into the DNA of a host cell.

Choice C, Receptor proteins located on the surface of the virus, is not the correct answer because receptor proteins located on the surface of the virus play a role in attachment and fusion of HIV virons to host cells, but do not play a direct role in inserting viral DNA into the DNA of a host cell.

Choice D, The protein that makes up the capsid of the virus, is not the correct answer because capsid is the outer protein shell of a virus and does not play a direct role in inserting viral DNA into the DNA of a host cell.

Amino acids have a unique structure consisting of an amino group (-NH3⁺) and a carboxyl group (-COO⁻) attached to a central carbon (called the α-carbon). At physiological pH (around 7.4), these functional groups often exist in their ionized forms:

• The amino group (-NH3⁺) is positively charged, acting as a proton acceptor (a base).
• The carboxyl group (-COO⁻) is negatively charged, acting as a proton donor (an acid).

This results in a zwitterion — a molecule with both a positive and a negative charge. Because amino acids can accept or donate protons depending on the pH of their environment, they have buffering capacity. This means they can resist changes in pH by stabilizing the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺).

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Monosaccharides: These are simple sugars without ionizable functional groups, so they cannot act as buffers.
• B. Ribonucleotides and D. Deoxyribonucleotides: While nucleotides have phosphate groups that can donate protons, they lack the dual positive and negative functional groups necessary for the strong buffering effect seen in amino acids.

Therefore, amino acids are the correct choice because their zwitterionic nature provides them with excellent buffering capacity.