Q: I read this background article the other day: A mycorrhiza (Greek for "fungus roots") is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a plant. In a mycorrhizal association, the fungus may colonize the roots of a host plant by either growing directly into the root cells, or by growing around the root cells. This association provides the fungus with relatively constant and direct access to glucose, which the plant produces by photosynthesis. The mycelia of the fungi increase the surface area of the plant's root system. The larger surface area improves water and mineral nutrient absorption from the soil. I am facing a new situation today: Two gardeners started their planting season at the same time. Bill used mycorrizal fungi compost for the garden, while Hank used regular top soil. Bill was very happy with the harvest. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which gardener had less fungus colonize the roots of a host plant?
A: Hank

Q: I read this background article the other day: In endurance sports such as cycling and running, hitting the wall or the bonk is a condition of sudden fatigue and loss of energy which is caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. Milder instances can be remedied by brief rest and the ingestion of food or drinks containing carbohydrates. The condition can usually be avoided by ensuring that glycogen levels are high when the exercise begins, maintaining glucose levels during exercise by eating or drinking carbohydrate-rich substances, or by reducing exercise intensity. I am facing a new situation today: Two groups of athletes were part of an experiment. Group One ran 10 miles without charging up their body with glycogen at the start of the exercise, and didn't eat or drink other supplements during the race. Group Two did everything by the book and had better overall results. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which group had more runners experiencing sudden loss of energy?
A: One

Q: I read this background article the other day: As Figure above shows, the distance between particles is much smaller for the solid and liquid states than for the gas state. In the solid state, particles are fixed in place, while particles are more free to move in the liquid and gas states. The particles in the solid and liquid states "stick together," but in the gas state, they move freely about the container. In general, it requires energy to separate individual particles. If we want to make a solid adopt a liquid form, we can add energy in the form of heat, increasing the temperature of the substance. Conversely, if we want to convert a substance from a gas to a liquid or from a liquid to a solid, we remove energy from the system and decrease the temperature. Pressure also plays an important role in changes of state, which will be discussed later on. We will study these difference in greater detail in the chapter States of Matter. I am facing a new situation today: Matt is preparing food for a dinner party in his kitchen. His guests will be arriving shortly, so he fills up a pitcher with some water and puts it in the freezer to cool it down. He then takes a solid block of ice out of his freezer that he is planning to carve into a sculpture of some kind. Before he can start sculpting, there is a knock on his door that he must answer. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Are particles in the water more or less freely able to move than in the ice?
A: more

Q: I read this background article the other day: Predators play an important role in an ecosystem. For example, if they did not exist, then a single species could become dominant over others. Grazers on a grassland keep grass from growing out of control. Predators can be keystone species . These are species that can have a large effect on the balance of organisms in an ecosystem. For example, if all of the wolves are removed from a population, then the population of deer or rabbits may increase. If there are too many deer, then they may decrease the amount of plants or grasses in the ecosystem. Decreased levels of producers may then have a detrimental effect on the whole ecosystem. In this example, the wolves would be a keystone species. I am facing a new situation today: Two teams studied two types of animals: team A studied predators, while team B studied grazers. They learned a lot from this experience. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which team learned more about wolves?
A:
team A