How can bacteria acquire new genetic material from their environment?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: A) Transformation: Transformation is the process by which bacteria can take up free DNA from their environment and incorporate it into their own genome, leading to the acquisition of new genetic material and traits. B) Transduction: Transduction involves the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. The bacteriophage carries bacterial DNA from one host cell to another, facilitating the transfer of genetic material. C) Conjugation: Conjugation is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria where genetic material is transferred between two bacterial cells in direct contact. This transfer is facilitated by a conjugative plasmid carrying the genetic information. Therefore, all the processes mentioned (transformation, transduction, and conjugation) are ways in which bacteria can acquire new genetic material from their environment.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: - The majority of the body's immune cells are located in the blood. Immune cells, such as white blood cells (leukocytes), circulate throughout the body via the bloodstream to detect and fight off infections and foreign invaders. - While immune cells are also present in other parts of the body like the lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow, the blood serves as a primary conduit for immune cells to travel to different tissues and organs to carry out their functions. - The brain (option B) is protected by the blood-brain barrier, which limits the entry of immune cells into the brain to prevent inflammation and damage. - The skin (option C) contains immune cells like Langerhans cells that help protect against pathogens, but the largest concentration of immune cells is found in the blood. - The large intestine (option D) also houses a significant amount of immune cells due to its role in interacting with the external environment through the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, but the primary location for most of the body's immune cells is the blood.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Osmosis (Option B) is the correct process by which the body reabsorbs water from the large intestine. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. In the large intestine, water is reabsorbed through osmosis to maintain the body's fluid balance. Dehydration (Option A) refers to the condition of having insufficient water in the body, not the process of water reabsorption in the large intestine. Filtration (Option C) is a process where a liquid or gas passes through a filter to separate the components, not the primary mechanism for water reabsorption in the large intestine. Secretion (Option D) is the release of substances from cells, but it is not the process by which the body reabsorbs water from the large intestine.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: A solution is formed when one substance dissolves in another. This process creates a homogeneous mixture where the solute is dispersed in the solvent, resulting in a uniform composition throughout the mixture. Choice B is incorrect because chemical reactions involve the transformation of substances into new compounds, not the formation of solutions. Choice C is incorrect as it describes a physical change from a solid to a liquid, not the formation of a solution. Choice D is incorrect as one substance dissolving in another is the defining characteristic of a solution.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C - 'Balanced equation'. A balanced equation is a representation of a chemical reaction that shows the reactants, products, and their stoichiometric coefficients. It ensures that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the equation, following the law of conservation of mass. Choice A, 'Hypothesis', is incorrect as it refers to a proposed explanation based on limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. Choice B, 'Chemical formula', is incorrect as it represents the composition of a compound using symbols and subscripts. Choice D, 'Reaction mechanism', is incorrect as it describes the step-by-step process by which a chemical reaction occurs, not just the overall representation of the reaction itself.