Biology STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

Which of the following describes a scientific name?

1. It is the common name of an organism

2. It includes the genus name followed by the specific name

3. It is only written in uppercase letters

4. It is based on the organism's physical characteristics

The correct answer is: It includes the genus name followed by the specific name

The correct choice highlights that a scientific name is comprised of two parts: the genus name followed by the specific name, creating a binomial nomenclature. This system, developed by Carl Linnaeus, allows scientists to universally identify and classify organisms in a standard way. The first part, the genus, is capitalized, while the specific name is written in lowercase, both italicized or underlined when handwritten, thus aiding in precise communication about different species across various languages and regions. In contrast, common names can vary by region and language, making them less reliable for scientific communication. While physical characteristics can inform naming, they do not define the systematic approach of binomial nomenclature. The rule of using only uppercase letters does not apply because only the genus name is capitalized. Thus, the choice that accurately describes a scientific name is the one indicating it includes both the genus and specific name.