Question
The Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) of all living things is thought to have lived between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years ago. This is the last organism with which the organisms of today share a common descent. Despite their differences, all living things share the same basic characteristics of life.
Examine the phylogenetic tree below, then choose the response that explains why, in terms of the characteristics of life, both bacterial kingdoms are separated on the tree from animals, plants, protists, and fungi.
image 103ef1d695aa424988c0867f130b5180
a
All living things must use energy. The method that bacteria use to obtain energy is different than the other kingdoms. Both bacterial kingdoms are capable of making their own energy from chemicals in their environment. Animals, protists, and fungi have to find their own food, whereas plants use photosynthesis to make glucose.
b
All living things contain at least one cell. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all contain eukaryotic cells. Both bacterial kingdoms contain organisms with prokaryotic cells.
c
All living things grow and develop. Bacteria are small but do get bigger when they are ready to undergo mitosis. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all grow due to the process of meiosis, the process that makes new body cells.
d
All living things must reproduce. People can compare the two bacterial kingdoms based on their mode of reproduction, which is binary fission. The animals, plants, protists, and fungi all reproduce sexually, a characteristic that allows people to compare those kingdoms.
Examine the phylogenetic tree below, then choose the response that explains why, in terms of the characteristics of life, both bacterial kingdoms are separated on the tree from animals, plants, protists, and fungi.
image 103ef1d695aa424988c0867f130b5180
a
All living things must use energy. The method that bacteria use to obtain energy is different than the other kingdoms. Both bacterial kingdoms are capable of making their own energy from chemicals in their environment. Animals, protists, and fungi have to find their own food, whereas plants use photosynthesis to make glucose.
b
All living things contain at least one cell. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all contain eukaryotic cells. Both bacterial kingdoms contain organisms with prokaryotic cells.
c
All living things grow and develop. Bacteria are small but do get bigger when they are ready to undergo mitosis. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all grow due to the process of meiosis, the process that makes new body cells.
d
All living things must reproduce. People can compare the two bacterial kingdoms based on their mode of reproduction, which is binary fission. The animals, plants, protists, and fungi all reproduce sexually, a characteristic that allows people to compare those kingdoms.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct response to explain why both bacterial kingdoms are separated on the phylogenetic tree from animals, plants, protists, and fungi, in terms of the characteristics of life, is:
**b. All living things contain at least one cell. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all contain eukaryotic cells. Both bacterial kingdoms contain organisms with prokaryotic cells.**
This option accurately highlights the fundamental difference between the two groups: bacteria are prokaryotic, meaning their cells lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, while animals, plants, protists, and fungi are all eukaryotic, which means they have more complex cells with nuclei and organelles. This distinction is a key reason for the separation of these groups in the phylogenetic tree.
**b. All living things contain at least one cell. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all contain eukaryotic cells. Both bacterial kingdoms contain organisms with prokaryotic cells.**
This option accurately highlights the fundamental difference between the two groups: bacteria are prokaryotic, meaning their cells lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, while animals, plants, protists, and fungi are all eukaryotic, which means they have more complex cells with nuclei and organelles. This distinction is a key reason for the separation of these groups in the phylogenetic tree.