Problem: Brad and Joe studied atmospheric conditions on different planets of our solar system. Joe studied about Earth, while Brad studied more about Venus. Which person learned less about carbon dioxide clouds? Hint: Clouds on Earth are made of water vapor. Venus's clouds are a lot less pleasant. They are made of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and large amounts of corrosive sulfuric acid! The atmosphere of Venus is so thick that the pressure on the surface of Venus is very high. In fact, it is 90 times greater than the pressure at Earth's surface! The thick atmosphere causes a strong greenhouse effect. As a result, Venus is the hottest planet. Even though it is farther from the Sun, Venus is much hotter even than Mercury. Temperatures at the surface reach 465C (860F). That's hot enough to melt lead!

A: Joe

Problem: Ted had 2 uncles. Uncle Jerry was getting up there in age, he was 78 years-old. Uncle Tom was younger, he was in his early 50's and still very active and productive. Which uncle had more strength and stamina? Hint: Old age begins in the mid-60s and lasts until the end of life. Most people over 65 have retired from work, freeing up their time for hobbies, grandchildren, and other interests. Stamina, strength, reflex time, and the senses all decline during old age, and the number of brain cells decreases as well. The immune system becomes less efficient, increasing the risk of serious illnesses such as cancer and pneumonia. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease that cause loss of mental function also become more common.

A: Tom

Problem: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened. Who had a somatic mutation? Hint: Once again, a mutation is the change in the DNA or RNA sequence. In multicellular organisms, mutations can be subdivided into germline mutations and somatic mutations. Germline mutations occur in the DNA of sex cells, or gametes, and are therefore potentially very serious. These mutations can be passed to the next generation. If the zygote contains the mutation, every cell in the resulting organism will have that mutation. If the mutation results in a disease phenotype, the mutation causes what is called a hereditary disease. Somatic mutations , which occur in somatic, or body, cells, cannot be passed to the next generation (offspring). Mutations present in a somatic cell of an organism will be present (by DNA replication and mitosis) in all descendants of that cell. If the mutation is present in a gene that is not used in that cell type, the mutation may have no effect. On the other hand, the mutation may lead to a serious medical condition such as cancer.

A: Holly

Problem: A team of biologists has been monitoring the deer population in the state of Wisconsin. They use past data and current conditions to predict how the population will grow or shrink and recommend how many hunting licenses the state should issue during hunting season to keep the population stable. Will deer birth rates be higher or lower if there has been less available food this year when compared to last year? Hint: In nature, when the population size is small, there is usually plenty of food and other resources for each individual. When there is plenty of food and other resources, organisms can easily reproduce, so the birth rate is high. As the population increases, the food supply, or the supply of another necessary resource, may decrease. When necessary resources, such as food, decrease, some individuals will die. Overall, the population cannot reproduce at the same rate, so the birth rates drop. This will cause the population growth rate to decrease.

A:
lower