Question

An ant releases a chemical when it dies, and its fellows then carry it away to the compost heap. Apparently, the comμnication is highly effective; a healthy ant painted with the death chemical will be dragged to the funeral heap again and again. (Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember, Cultural Anthropology, 7th ed.)

Premise 1: Ants release a chemical when they die.
Premise 2: Fellows carry the dead ant to the compost heap.
Conclusion: Healthy ants painted with the death chemical will be dragged to the funeral heap repeatedly.

a. True
b. False
c. Not specified
d. Inconclusive

Answer 1

The ants communicate using pheromones, and when an ant dies, its fellows carry it to the compost heap. Healthy ants painted with the death chemical will be dragged to the funeral heap repeatedly.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question is Biology.

The ant colony communicates using chemicals called pheromones. When an ant dies, it releases a chemical which signals other ants to carry it to the compost heap. This communication is highly effective, as even healthy ants painted with the death chemical will be repeatedly dragged to the funeral heap. Therefore, the conclusion that healthy ants painted with the death chemical will be dragged to the funeral heap repeatedly is true.