Item EB056001: When a mouse grows, its increased mass comes from atoms of molecules from its food that were incorporated into its body structures.
Over the course of 7 weeks, a baby mouse with a mass of 0.5 grams grows into an adult mouse with a mass of 19 grams. Where does the additional 18.5 grams of mass in the animal’s body come from?
- The mouse gains mass from atoms it creates. As it grows, its body uses energy from the molecules that make up its food to create these atoms.
- The mouse gains mass from the atoms of newly created cells. As it grows, its cells divide, increasing the total number of atoms.
- The mouse gains mass from the atoms that make up the molecules in its food. As it grows, these atoms become part of body structures.
- The mouse gains mass from the atoms that make up the molecules in its food. As it grows, these molecules are kept inside the mouse’s body but do not become a part of it.
- Distribution of Responses
- Points Earned
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 259 | 37% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 9–12 | 88 | 226 | 39% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 53 | 134 | 40% |
| Female | 33 | 91 | 36% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 81 | 213 | 38% |
| Other | 5 | 11 | 45% |
- Distribution of Responses
- Points Earned
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 146 | 298 | 49% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 9–12 | 135 | 270 | 50% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 68 | 151 | 45% |
| Female | 63 | 115 | 55% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 123 | 251 | 49% |
| Other | 10 | 15 | 67% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- LS1.C Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions in which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, to support growth, or to release energy.
LS1.C The sugar molecules thus formed contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen: their hydrocarbon backbones are used to make amino acids and other carbon-based molecules that can be assembled into larger molecules (such as proteins or DNA), used for example to form new cells.