Choose one molecular biology technique discussed in this chapter and argue why it is the single most
important technique for forensic scientists. Justify your answer with the benefits of this method
compared to the others that are available to you.
What will be an ideal response?
In forensic science, sample sizes are very small and finite. For this reason, the most important tool is
PCR. This allows even a minute sample to be copied exponentially, generating relatively large
amounts of DNA that are then usable in other assays using the techniques described. Many other
research methods (Southern blotting, fingerprinting, cloning) require a substantial sample size in order
to do the assay. In the case of forensic science, the available materials are very limited in quantity, and
thus PCR is the method of choice.
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Which of the following statements about ocean acidification is false?
A. Ocean acidification increases the availability of carbonate ions in seawater. B. Increasing levels of CO2 in the ocean cause a decrease in the pH of seawater. C. The pH of surface oceans has dropped by 0.1 units in the past 40 years. D. Ocean acidification makes it more difficult for corals to secrete their skeletons. E. Ocean acidification is predicted to get worse as atmospheric CO2 levels rise.
Answer the question using the accompanying figure. Which graph represents the age span of worker bees primarily
involved in feeding the brood?
a. A b. B c. C d. D e. E
Four of the five population attributes can be calculated with the Hardy-Weinberg equation. Select the
exception.
a. the frequency of heterozygotes b. the frequency of homozygous dominant genotypes c. the frequency of a dominant allele d. the frequency of a recessive allele e. the frequency of mutation
How did an understanding of genetics lead to "the modern synthesis"?
A) It showed how traits could be passed from one organism to the next. B) It showed how many offspring a single individual was capable of producing. C) It showed the extent of variation for many traits. D) It showed the kind of environmental change that could cause evolution.