Question

Question 4 (2.25 points)

Which of the following characteristics of living things best explains why birds fly
south for the winter?
a. Living things respond to their environment.
b. Living things maintain internal balance.
c. Living things are made up of units called cells.
d. Living things are based on a universal genetic code.

Help asap!!!

Answer 1

a.

Explanation:

first of all, this is not mathematics.

but come on, this is just common sense.

let's look at b.

why would winter change their internal balance ? whatever that means, anyway ?

so, no.

let's look at c.

yes, true, we are all made up of cells. that explains how our bodies work internally. but that has no impact on the external behavior. no living thing is aware of its cells and makes a decision to e.g. move based on this.

so, no.

let's look at d.

while it is true that (almost) all living things on Earth (with very few and rare exceptions, actually) are based on the same genetic code system, but every individual has its own code, when looking at the details. so, not everybody and everything moves south for the winter.

therefore, this cannot be it either.

so, yes, it is a., because the genetic code and the corresponding cell structure allows us to respond species specific and even individually specific to changes in our environment.

and b. is just a little bit aligned with all of that, but in general nonsense.