Unlock hundreds more features
Save your Quiz to the Dashboard
View and Export Results
Use AI to Create Quizzes and Analyse Results

OR
Sign inSign in with Facebook
Sign inSign in with Google
Quizzes > Science > Biology

Ready to Master Taxis and Kinesis? Take the Quiz!

Think you can ace taxis kinesis concepts? Dive in now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
paper art illustration cells and microorganisms moving toward light and food on coral background for taxis and kinesis quiz

Ready to unravel the secrets of organismal movement? Our Taxis and Kinesis Quiz: Test Your Movement Biology IQ invites curious learners to dive into taxis kinesis concepts and explore how cells and creatures steer, wander, or surge toward stimuli. Whether you're curious about taxis vs kinesis distinctions or eager to quiz yourself on cell movement taxis patterns, this free quiz sharpens your grasp of types of taxis kinesis and helps you master response behaviors. Boost your study by trying our cell transport quiz and reviewing an expert breakdown of types of kinesis. Ready to challenge your biology IQ? Get started now!

Which term describes the directional movement of an organism toward or away from a stimulus?
Kinesis
Tropism
Taxis
Kinotaxis
Taxis refers to the oriented movement of an organism toward (positive taxis) or away (negative taxis) from a specific stimulus. It differs from tropism, which is growth toward a stimulus, and kinesis, which is a non-directional movement change. This behavior is seen in many microorganisms and small animals. Learn more
What is kinesis in the context of animal movement?
Growth toward light
Cyclic locomotion pattern
Non-directional change in activity in response to stimulus intensity
Directional movement toward a stimulus
Kinesis involves changes in the speed or frequency of movement that are not oriented toward or away from a stimulus gradient. It contrasts with taxis by lacking a directional component. An organism increases or decreases its activity level based on stimulus intensity. Read more
Which example illustrates positive phototaxis?
Moths flying toward a porch light
Earthworms burrowing away from light
Bacteria increasing random turns in light
Salmon swimming upstream
Positive phototaxis is the movement of organisms toward a light source, as seen in moths that fly toward porch lamps. Earthworms show negative phototaxis by avoiding light, while random turning in light is a kinesis response. Salmon swimming upstream illustrate rheotaxis. Source
What defines orthokinesis?
Alternation of movement polarity
Change in locomotion speed in response to stimulus intensity
Directional change toward a stimulus
Change in turning rate in response to stimulus
Orthokinesis is characterized by changes in the speed of movement depending on the intensity of a stimulus, such as moving faster in unfavorable conditions. It differs from klinokinesis, which involves changes in turning rate. This is a type of kinesis since it lacks a directional component. Reference
How does klinokinesis differ from orthokinesis?
It involves changes in turning rate, while orthokinesis involves speed changes
It is directional while orthokinesis is not
It requires bilateral receptors
It occurs only in invertebrates
Klinokinesis refers to changes in the turning frequency of an organism in response to stimulus intensity, whereas orthokinesis refers to changes in movement speed. Neither is directional, distinguishing them from taxis. This behavior helps animals stay in favorable environments by adjusting turning. More details
Which behavior best exemplifies a kinesis response in woodlice placed in a dry environment?
They turn toward light sources
They move directly toward the nearest moist shelter
They slow down and reduce movement speed as humidity drops
They increase their random movement rate the drier it gets
In dry conditions, woodlice exhibit orthokinesis by increasing their movement speed randomly to find a more humid area. This response is non-directional and based on moisture intensity, fitting the definition of kinesis. They do not orient toward a specific direction. Study
In bacterial chemotaxis, the 'run and tumble' strategy enables cells to:
Randomly reverse direction along a fixed path
Maintain a constant speed regardless of chemicals
Increase tumbling when moving away from attractant to reorient
Grow pseudopods toward attractant
Bacteria like E. coli alternate between running (straight movement) and tumbling (random reorientation). When moving away from an attractant, they tumble more to change direction and eventually move back up the gradient. This chemotaxis mechanism increases their chances of reaching favorable environments. Learn more
Which of the following is an example of rheotaxis?
Moths navigating by moonlight
Seedlings bending toward light
Bacteria increasing speed in a strong current
Salmon swimming upstream to spawn
Rheotaxis is the oriented movement of organisms in response to water current. Salmon display positive rheotaxis by swimming upstream for spawning. This behavior relies on sensing flow direction. It differs from phototaxis (light) and kinesis (non-directional movement). More info
Which sensory mechanism enables E. coli to detect changes in chemical concentration?
Chloroplast receptors
Ocelli
Lateral line organ
Membrane-bound chemoreceptors
E. coli uses transmembrane chemoreceptors, called methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins, to sense extracellular chemical gradients. These receptors modulate signaling pathways that control flagellar rotation and movement. The process allows bacteria to move toward attractants and away from repellents. Reference
Which type of taxis involves simultaneous comparison of stimulus intensity between two spatially separated receptors?
Klinotaxis
Tropotaxis
Anemotaxis
Orthokinesis
Tropotaxis is the mechanism by which organisms compare stimulus strengths at two or more spatially separated sensors (e.g., antennae) to orient directionally toward or away from a source. It contrasts with klinotaxis, where a single receptor samples sequentially. Tropotaxis is common in insects navigating odor plumes. Source
In amoeboid chemotaxis, which component is critical for directional sensing and movement?
Mitochondrial ATP synthase
Flagellar motors
G-protein coupled chemoreceptors
Chloroplast complexes
Amoebae detect chemoattractants through G-protein coupled receptors that trigger intracellular signaling leading to actin polymerization at the front of the cell. This establishes polarity and drives directional movement toward higher concentrations. Disruption of these receptors impairs chemotaxis. Study
How do E. coli cells adapt to persistent chemoeffector stimuli to maintain gradient sensitivity?
Methylation and demethylation of chemoreceptor proteins
Increasing membrane fluidity
Adjusting flagellar motor speed permanently
Synthesizing new receptors continuously
E. coli adapts to sustained stimuli through reversible methylation of its chemoreceptors (methyl-accepting proteins), tuning receptor sensitivity and allowing cells to respond to temporal changes in concentration. Demethylation returns sensitivity after attractant removal. This feedback mechanism is key for precise chemotaxis. Read more
0
{"name":"Which term describes the directional movement of an organism toward or away from a stimulus?", "url":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/QPREVIEW","txt":"Which term describes the directional movement of an organism toward or away from a stimulus?, What is kinesis in the context of animal movement?, Which example illustrates positive phototaxis?","img":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/3012/images/ogquiz.png"}

Study Outcomes

  1. Understand taxis and kinesis distinctions -

    Readers will grasp the key differences between directional taxis movements and non-directional kinesis responses to environmental stimuli.

  2. Identify types of taxis and kinesis -

    Readers will recognize various forms of taxis (e.g., phototaxis, chemotaxis) and kinesis (e.g., orthokinesis, klinokinesis) in different organisms.

  3. Differentiate taxis vs kinesis responses -

    Readers will be able to compare and contrast how organisms use taxis versus kinesis to navigate environmental cues.

  4. Analyze stimulus-driven movement behaviors -

    Readers will interpret quiz scenarios to determine which movement strategy an organism employs in response to specific stimuli.

  5. Apply taxis and kinesis principles -

    Readers will predict how organisms adjust their movement patterns under hypothetical environmental conditions using taxis and kinesis concepts.

  6. Evaluate cell movement taxis examples -

    Readers will assess real-world cases of cell movement taxis, understanding how cells navigate toward or away from chemical and physical signals.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Directional vs Nondirectional Movement -

    Taxis and kinesis are key modes of organism movement: taxis is a directional response toward or away from a stimulus, while kinesis is a change in speed or turning frequency without orientation. For example, Euglena exhibits positive phototaxis toward light, whereas woodlice increase random turns in dry habitats via klinokinesis (University of Cambridge Behavioral Ecology).

  2. Major Types of Taxis -

    Common taxis kinesis categories include chemotaxis (chemical gradients), phototaxis (light), thermotaxis (temperature), and rheotaxis (fluid flow). Use the mnemonic "CHeM PHoTo THer" to remember Chemotaxis, Phototaxis, Thermotaxis, and Rheotaxis easily (MIT OpenCourseWare).

  3. Signal Transduction in Chemotaxis -

    Cells detect chemical gradients via receptor-mediated G-protein cascades; the local concentration difference dC/dx influences actin polymerization at the leading edge. This process is modeled mathematically by Keller - Segel equations, linking taxis and kinesis phenomena in cell migration studies (Journal of Cell Biology).

  4. Orthokinesis vs Klinokinesis -

    Orthokinesis changes an organism's speed in response to stimulus intensity, while klinokinesis adjusts turning rate; together they enable adaptive movement when precise direction isn't needed. For instance, bacteria speed up in favorable environments (orthokinesis) and tumble more in unfavorable zones (klinokinesis) (Nature Reviews Microbiology).

  5. Lab Assays and Research Applications -

    Modern microfluidic devices and Transwell migration assays quantify taxis and kinesis by establishing controlled gradients and measuring cell trajectories over time. These methods underpin studies in immunology and cancer metastasis, offering quantitative insights into cell movement taxis vs kinesis (Nature Protocols).

Make a Quiz (FREE) Copy & Edit This Quiz Create a Quiz with AI

Biology Quizzes

Powered by: Quiz Maker