Spider Silk Pre-Assessment Questions PDF

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. 1. **Why do different species of spiders produce silk with different properties?**\ a) Each spider eats different foods, which change their silk\ b) The proteins that make up the silk are different in each species\...

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. 1. **Why do different species of spiders produce silk with different properties?**\ a) Each spider eats different foods, which change their silk\ b) The proteins that make up the silk are different in each species\ c) The color of the spider determines how strong its silk is\ d) Spiders spin silk based on how many insects are in their environment 2. **Which of the following best describes a "trait" in spiders?**\ a) A spider's ability to learn new behaviors\ b) The way a spider moves in its web\ c) Characteristics inherited from parent spiders, such as silk strength\ d) The size of the insects a spider eats 3. **What happens when a spider inherits a genetic change that affects its silk protein?**\ a) The spider's silk may have different properties than its parents\' silk\ b) The spider will never make silk again\ c) The spider will only make sticky silk\ d) The spider's web will always be smaller 4. **Why is it important to study spider silk proteins?**\ a) Scientists can use them to create stronger materials for human use\ b) They help spiders build bigger webs\ c) They allow scientists to understand more about spider diets\ d) They make spiders grow faster 5. **How does protein structure affect the function of spider silk?**\ a) Proteins create different levels of flexibility and strength in silk\ b) Proteins only affect the color of the silk, not its function\ c) Proteins determine how much silk a spider can produce, but not its quality\ d) Proteins in silk are identical in all spider species 6. **What is the main reason different spiders produce silk with unique properties?**\ a) The temperature in their habitat changes the silk's flexibility\ b) The type of food they eat affects the strength of their silk\ c) The proteins that make up their silk have different structures\ d) The age of a spider determines the thickness of its silk 7. **Why are scientists interested in studying spider silk?**\ a) They want to understand how spiders use silk in their daily lives\ b) They want to develop strong, flexible materials for human use\ c) They are trying to make spider silk in a laboratory for fun\ d) They want to know why spiders don't get stuck in their own webs 8. **How does the structure of a protein affect its function?**\ a) The larger a protein is, the faster it works\ b) The way a protein is shaped determines how it interacts with other molecules\ c) Proteins function the same way regardless of their structure\ d) The structure of a protein only affects its color, not its job 9. **What role do proteins play in the human body?**\ a) They store energy like fats\ b) They help build muscles, repair tissues, and perform other functions\ c) They act as a main source of body heat\ d) They only provide color to skin and hair 10. **How do digital models help scientists understand protein structures?**\ a) They allow scientists to see how proteins are arranged and how they function\ b) They help scientists count the number of spiders in an ecosystem\ c) They show how spiders build webs in the wild\ d) They help scientists communicate with spiders 11. **What would happen if a mutation changed the structure of a silk protein?**\ a) The spider would stop making silk completely\ b) The silk might be stronger or weaker than normal\ c) The spider would grow additional legs\ d) The silk would always become stickier 12. **Why do different spider species have different types of silk?**\ a) They eat different foods, which change the silk\'s texture\ b) They inherit different genetic instructions for making silk proteins\ c) They live in different climates, which affects their silk production\ d) They choose the type of silk they want to produce 13. **How do offspring inherit traits related to silk production?**\ a) By choosing which type of silk they want to make\ b) Through genetic instructions passed down from parent spiders\ c) By copying the behavior of older spiders\ d) Through their diet after they hatch 14. **Which of the following is an example of a trait influenced by proteins in humans?**\ a) Eye color\ b) Ability to digest certain foods\ c) Hair texture\ d) All of the above Directions: Read each question carefully and respond. Make sure you are using a complete sentence and restating the question before answering. **Short Answer** Why do scientists study the proteins in spider silk, and how can this research benefit humans? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Describe how the structure of protein molecules affects the flexibility of spider silk. Why is this important for a spider's survival? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_