
NY Released Regents Exam - Living Environment (Aug 2023)
Quiz by NYSED Living Environment
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After ingesting Vitamin D, the body converts it into a hormone that is transported throughout the body. This hormone affects cells in the intestines and bones. The reason that this hormone affects only certain cells in the body is because these cells have
Most scientists agree that a large asteroid struck Earth around 65 million years ago. The impact sent large amounts of fine dust particles into the atmosphere, which reduced the amount of sunlight reaching the planet. This event would have the most immediate effect on
The photic sneeze reflex, an inherited trait, causes some people to sneeze when they are exposed to bright sunlight. In the photic sneeze reflex, the sunlight acts as
Difficulties often occur when tissues or organs are transplanted from one person to another because the
In humans, digestion depends on a variety of organs, such as the stomach, small intestine, and liver. The interactions of these organs provide evidence that
An example of how a plant maintains homeostasis includes
Below is a list of events that might occur in a cell.
Which is the correct sequence in which these events could occur?

The structures most directly involved in the synthesis of cellular proteins are the
Hydrangea, a commonly used landscaping flower, can have dramatically different colors, depending on the pH of the soil in which it is grown.
The differences in color demonstrate that

Potato plants reproduce both sexually and asexually. Depending on the desired outcome, potato growers use both types of reproduction. A grower would most likely want the potato plants to reproduce asexually when
Creatine, a popular nutritional supplement, is used to decrease fatigue by increasing ATP in muscle cells. The cell structure directly responsible for the increased production of ATP in human muscle cells is the
Models A and B below illustrate two different methods of reproduction.
Which statement best describes the offspring that result from these methods?

As a population of organisms within a forest ecosystem increases, the size of the population is eventually limited by
Solar and wind power are options available to people interested in producing electricity while reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. A benefit of using these alternative energy sources is that they
Tourists travel to the Adirondacks in the fall to see the changing colors in the leaves of the trees. The leaves turn from green to many shades of red, yellow, and orange, as the chlorophyll slowly breaks down.
A decrease in green chlorophyll in the chloroplasts will directly result in

Which statement most accurately describes the expected effect on the carrying capacity of a population if a change in a factor occurs?
Powassan is a rare, tick-borne virus that is found in areas near the Great Lakes and the northeastern United States. The tick is not affected by the virus, but humans bitten by a tick carrying the virus will develop a serious illness. The risk of getting the Powassan virus is greatest in June and July. This information supports the concept that
Which two structures are directly involved in the normal development of a human fetus?
Which statement correctly describes an organism’s genetic information?
Forest ecosystems help regulate climate, prevent soil erosion, and play a role in the cycling of water. Since the 18th century, humans have cleared nearly half of Earth’s forests. Which statement best describes the effects of this deforestation?
The instructions for making an important protein in the blood-clotting process may be missing in some individuals. Scientists can now isolate these instructions and insert them into a yeast cell that will then produce the protein. Altering yeast cells in this way is known as
Snake venom is modified saliva containing enzymes and other proteins that break down tissue surrounding the bite and destroy blood cells. If bitten, the damage caused by this type of venom would most likely be slowed by
Which two processes are directly required for a human zygote to be produced?
The element carbon and its compounds are constantly cycled between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. This cycling is important because
Cane toads are native to parts of Central and South America. They were introduced to Australia in the 1930s to help control cane beetles. Cane toads have lethal toxins in their skin and release them from glands when attacked by predators. Cane toads disrupt food webs in Australia because they
The diagram below represents an energy pyramid.
At which level do the organisms all carry on both respiration and photosynthesis?

The diagram below represents some activities carried on by a single-celled organism.
This single-celled organism is maintaining homeostasis by

The diagram below represents the human female reproductive system.
Which row in the chart correctly describes the normal function of two of the labeled structures?

A proposal for a new manufacturing plant has been brought to a town’s planning board. A committee has been assigned the task of presenting the positive and negative effects that this new facility could have on the town and its ecosystem. Which row of the chart most accurately states possible effects of building this manufacturing plant?
The sea cucumber, a relative of sea stars and sea urchins, was once mostly ignored by humans. Even though no scientific evidence exists, some people believe that eating sea cucumbers has medical benefits. As a result, sea cucumbers that were once plentiful are now found in small numbers.
Which statement most directly describes this situation?

Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. The photographs represent the changing environment in the area of the Mt. St. Helens volcano in 1988 and 2001.
Following the volcanic eruption in 1980, which process occurred that resulted in an increase in the number of species?

The table below shows data collected during an experiment conducted by Jan Baptista van Helmont in the 1600s. The soil was dried before all masses were taken.
Which explanation is consistent with the data collected?

The graph below provides information about the number of mitochondria in various types of cells.
Which type of cells most likely require the greatest input of oxygen?

The news article below appeared in a New Zealand newspaper dated August 14, 1912:
The prediction in the news article, which was made over 100 years ago, may be considered

It has been widely accepted that humans inherit mitochondria from their mothers. DNA sequencing has recently provided evidence that children from several families with a history of mitochondrial disease have inherited mitochondria from their fathers. This discovery illustrates the concept that
The diagram represents events that occur during the early stages of embryonic development. The chart shows some of the genes (A-E) present in each of the three cell types shown in the diagram.
The genes that are shaded in the chart represent genes that are expressed and used by that cell type.
Different cell types can arise from genetically identical embryonic cells because

The diagram represents events that occur during the early stages of embryonic development. The chart shows some of the genes (A-E) present in each of the three cell types shown in the diagram.
The genes that are shaded in the chart represent genes that are expressed and used by that cell type.
A substance that is essential to the functioning of all cells is most likely coded for by gene

The diagram illustrates activities taking place with some bacteria.
Individuals who contract a disease caused by a strain of a drug-resistant bacteria are at risk. This is because, when they are treated with certain antibiotics

The graph below compares the number of species found in ecosystems with different salt concentrations.
Based on the data presented in the graph, which ecosystems are most likely to remain stable over time?

The diagram below represents a male and female frog with a model of their chromosomes and their tadpole offspring.
Identify the pattern of chromosomes possible in the tadpole offspring from these parent frogs.

Food webs representing two nearby locations are shown below.
Which statement best describes what would most likely happen if some of the owls from location B moved to location A?

Two human nerve cells are represented below.
The process represented in the diagram indicates that

Cellulose is the chemical name for the fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Cellulose is similar in structure to starch. It is most likely that humans can digest starch but not cellulose because
Galapagos Penguins
The Galapagos Islands, located just off the coast of Ecuador, are situated where the cool Humboldt current from the southeast, the warm Panama Flow current from the northeast, and the cold upwelling Cromwell current come together.
The islands are home to a large number of unique animal and plant species. Darwin’s finches are some of the most famous of the bird species. Another unique bird species is the Galapagos penguin. It is one of the smallest penguin species in the world. It is also the most northerly of all penguins. Their small population size and limited geographic range has resulted in them being classified as endangered.
In terms of diet, Galapagos penguins are generalists. They feed on animal life close to shore. They herd fish toward obstacles, such as rocks or boats, where they are trapped and easy to prey upon. The birds’ ability to thrive at this tropical latitude is a result of ocean upwelling that results in cold water from the depths being pushed closer to the surface. The upwelling brings food from deeper in the ocean up to where various animal species can feed on it.
Some researchers claim that global climate change is increasing the ability of the Galapagos penguin to survive and reproduce. Others claim that decreases in the size of the Galapagos penguin population are directly related to warming temperatures. The sea surface temperature (SST) of the water surrounding the Galapagos Islands has been measured and is recorded in the data table.
Ocean currents are associated with food availability for the Galapagos penguins. This is most likely due to the

Galapagos Penguins
The Galapagos Islands, located just off the coast of Ecuador, are situated where the cool Humboldt current from the southeast, the warm Panama Flow current from the northeast, and the cold upwelling Cromwell current come together.
The islands are home to a large number of unique animal and plant species. Darwin’s finches are some of the most famous of the bird species. Another unique bird species is the Galapagos penguin. It is one of the smallest penguin species in the world. It is also the most northerly of all penguins. Their small population size and limited geographic range has resulted in them being classified as endangered.
In terms of diet, Galapagos penguins are generalists. They feed on animal life close to shore. They herd fish toward obstacles, such as rocks or boats, where they are trapped and easy to prey upon. The birds’ ability to thrive at this tropical latitude is a result of ocean upwelling that results in cold water from the depths being pushed closer to the surface. The upwelling brings food from deeper in the ocean up to where various animal species can feed on it.
Some researchers claim that global climate change is increasing the ability of the Galapagos penguin to survive and reproduce. Others claim that decreases in the size of the Galapagos penguin population are directly related to warming temperatures. The sea surface temperature (SST) of the water surrounding the Galapagos Islands has been measured and is recorded in the data table.
Of all penguin species, the Galapagos penguin lives in the warmest climate. Which statement describes a behavioral adaptation that would allow these penguins to be successful in their warm environment?

The diagram represents a segment of DNA in a body cell that has undergone a change in one of the molecular base pairs.
What is a possible result of the change shown in the diagram?

The finches of the Galapagos Islands likely came from a few birds that were able to fly there from Ecuador about two to three million years ago. Once the finches reached the islands, some
The amino acid sequence of four species, Bc, X, Y, and Z, were compared to determine their evolutionary relationship. Based on the amino acid sequence below, identify the evolutionary tree that best represents the relationship between the species.

The gel electrophoresis patterns for two species can be compared to reveal similarities and differences in
Pulse Rates
A student heard a sports news report that several fans who were wearing smartwatches received irregular heart rate warnings as they were viewing the last few minutes of a football playoff game. The alert stated that they had an irregular increase in heart rate during a time in which they were inactive.
The student decided to conduct his own experiment in order to determine if watching an exciting sporting event would increase the pulse rates of viewers. He asked six of his friends to watch a championship game and had them take their pulse rates during the first quarter of the game and at the end of the game. The results are recorded in the data table below.
The dependent variable in this experiment is the

The differing rates of migration of DNA fragments in a gel electrophoresis procedure is mainly due to
Which part of the Beaks of Finches lab activity was changed in order to simulate the different conditions on various islands?