Bio Exam Questions
Which of the following best represents the relationship between the pH of water, vinegar, and ammonia?
(See drawing) vinegar is acidic, water is neutral, and ammonia is basic
What would be the magnification of a specimen viewed with a compound light microscope that has an objective power of 10x and an ocular lens power of 5x?
50x
Which of the following best explains how a dissecting microscope differs from a compound light microscope?
A compound light microscope has much greater magnification power than a dissecting microscope.
What does this diagram represent?
A fat molecule forming through dehydration synthesis
Which of the following monomers would be used to make the double helix of a DNA molecule?
A monomer made up of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group bonded together.
Which of the following processes releases energy to be used by a cell?
A phosphate group is removed from ATP to form ADP.
Which of the following accurately describes an example of how materials can move across the cell membrane through active transport?
A protein acts as a pump and moves calcium ions from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration.
Describe how some cells came to have chloroplasts, according to the theory of endosymbiosis.
According to the theory of endosymbiosis, some cells came to have chloroplasts by ingesting free-living bacteria that preformed photosynthesis. These cells were prokaryotic cells that ingested other prokaryotic cells to form an endosymbiosis relationship with each other. Over time, both the bacteria and the prokaryotic cell lost the ability to function without the other and become dependent on each other.
The contracting and relaxing of muscle is regulated by the amount of calcium present in the cells of muscle fibers. These cells must be able to move the calcium ions from areas with low concentrations to areas with high concentrations. What process would be necessary for this movement to occur?
Active Transport
Under which of the following conditions would a chemical reaction most likely proceed at the fastest rate?
Adding an enzyme to decrease the activation energy of the reaction
A scientific study by a pesticide company claims that a new pesticide for spraying tomatoes is both highly effective and safe. The company claims that while pests are killed, the product is entirely safe to humans. At this point, what can a consumer know for certain about the validity of the company's claims?
Additional studies will be the reliability check for the claims.
What molecule is represented by the molecular model shown below?
Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)
Describe the structure of amino acids, including what makes amino acids different from each other.
Amino acids are made of an amino group, a carboxylic group, a side chain, and a central carbon atom. The side chain of an amino acid is what makes each amino acid different from each other.
A swimmer sprints a short distance for a competition. The swimmer is not able to take in enough oxygen to make the ATP needed for the sprint. Which of the following processes in most likely going to occur in the swimmers muscle cells during the competition?
Anaerobic respiration would be used to produce small amounts of ATP in the absence of oxygen.
Which of the following is not supported by the endosymbiotic theory?
Ancient prokaryotes ingested the smaller prokaryotes in a parasitic relationship.
Review the moth diagram. What can be correctly inferred from the information in the diagram? (Second part)
Black moths are adapted to their environment better than speckled moths.
Which answer correctly compares the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain?
Both occur in the mitochondria and result in producing more ATP.
Which of the following correctly compares the structures of plant and animal cells?
Both plant and animal cells have ribosomes which synthesize proteins for the cell.
What biological macromolecule is made up of monomers like the one shown below?
Carbohydrate
The great number and complexity of organic compounds is reflected in which of the following?
Carbon has four valence electrons and can form many other molecules.
Which of the following is a function of nucleic acids?
Carrying the genetic information of an organism
Christiaan Eijkman shared the Nobel Prize in 1929 for the discovery of vitamins. Eijkman went to Java to isolate the pathogen causing beriberi, an illness that appeared to be contagious as it was common in prisons and among ship crews. Eijkman noticed that chickens fed a diet of white rice also suffered from a similar disorder. When the chickens were fed a diet of red rice, the chickens quickly recovered. What can Eijkman safely infer at this point from his observations?
Diet may be the cause of beriberi, but more research is needed.
Which of the following best describes one way electron microscopes and light microscopes differ in structure?
Electron microscopes use a beam of electrons instead of light to magnify images.
Most of a cell's functions cannot use energy directly from the food we eat. Describe how the energy from food can be transferred to forms your cells can use.
Energy from our food can be transferred to forms our cells can use by being digested. When a food substance is being digested, it gets broken down by its chemical bonds breaking apart. This releases energy, which can then be used to power our cells' activities.
If a chemical reaction catalyzed by an enzyme is being carried out, and there is a sudden, drastic decrease in temperature, what is most likely to happen next?
Enzyme activity will decrease, and the reaction will proceed very slowly, or possibly not at all.
Which of the following is not part of the cell theory?
Every cells have a nucleus that contains genetic material.
Describe the structure and function of fatty acid molecules, including the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
Fatty acids are a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms with a carboxylic acid group on one end. Fatty acids are used for brain and health development, dissolving vitamins, controlling inflammation, maintaining fluidity of cell membranes, and preventing blood clots. Saturated fats are usually solids at room temperature and cause health problems if overused. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are kinked due to bends where double and triple bonds are.
A scientist who is researching marshes observes that marsh grass, Spartina bakeri, grows to different heights at different locations in the marsh. If the scientist wants to find the reason for this difference, what is the correct first step?
Form a research question based on knowledge of the marsh.
What polysaccharide serves as long-term glucose storage in the liver and muscle cells of animals?
Glycogen
The maltose molecule can be broken down into two individual glucose molecules with the help of an enzyme produced within a cell. Which of the following changes is most likely to slow down this reaction?
Increasing the pH within the cell
In a magazine advertisement, a manufacturer claims its laundry ball, which contains ceramic pellets, gets clothes clean by changing the pH of the water. The ad claims the product reduces wear on their clothing, contaminants in the environment, and the cost of doing laundry. What should the advertisement include to give a consumer more confidence in this product's claims?
Information about product testing in a study that includes a control group
One of water's unique properties is that it has strong surface tension. What do you predict would happen if water had weak surface tension?
Insects would not be able to land on or walk on water.
How does having many small chloroplasts rather than one large one within each cell benefit a plant?
It allows more of the chlorophyll to be exposed to light.
What ultimately happens to the light energy captured during photosynthesis?
It is used to produce glucose molecules.
What change to the following molecule's structure would result in a saturated fat?
It needs to gain a hydrogen atom to eliminate the double bond between the two carbons.
If a colony of cyanobacteria were added to a colony of anaerobic bacteria, how would the oxygen produced by the cyanobacteria most likely affect the anaerobes?
It would eventually kill the anaerobes.
What stage of cellular respiration occurs after the formation of acetyl-CoA?
Krebs cycle
Which of the following organelles is found in both plant and animal cells?
Mitochondrium
Which of the following serves as an electron carrier in cellular respiration?
NAD+
During fermentation, the conversion of pyruvate into lactic acid requires
NADH
If carbon dioxide and water were abundantly available to a heterotrophic prokaryotic cell, would it be possible for the cell to use them as a food source?
Neither carbon dioxide nor water contains energy the cell could use, so they would not be a food source.
Which answer correctly summarizes the essential elements of a scientific theory?
Never become laws; based on strong scientific support; may change based on evidence
What substances are used up as the reactants in cellular respiration?
O2 and C6H12O6
Which of the following is needed for cellular respiration to occur?
Oxygen
Claims about new scientific breakthroughs often appear in the media. If such a claim is made in each of the following, which media source should be considered most reliable?
Peer-reviewed journals
Describe Professor Kwang Jeon's observations of the amoebas and bacteria and explain how this relates to the endosymbiotic theory.
Professor Kwang Jeon's observations of amoebas and bacteria were that when they ingested invading bacteria, the bacteria killed most of the amoebas off. However, the surviving amoebas continued as normal with the bacteria inside of them. Those surviving amoebas and their offspring became dependent on the bacteria as time went on. This supports and relates to the endosymbiosis theory because it proves that a cell can ingest another cell and become dependent on it.
What happens during the Krebs cycle?
Pyruvate is broken down in a series of reactions to form CO2.
Which of the following releases energy? Nutrients entering a cell through the cell membrane Removing a phosphate group from an ATP molecule Building sugar or starch molecules for long-term energy storage Adding an additional phosphate group to an ADP molecule
Removing a phosphate group from an ATP molecule
Which type of microscope requires a nonmetal sample to be prepared for viewing by coating it with a thin layer of a conductive material?
Scanning electron microscope
Which of the following would most likely be key to gathering evidence that the "RNA World" hypothesis is valid?
Simulation of early Earth conditions and long-term study of the resulting molecules
Starch and ATP can both be described as molecules that store energy. Compare and contrast starch and ATP in terms of storing energy and supplying energy for a cell's work.
Starch and ATP are different in terms of storing energy and supplying enough energy for a cell's work because ATP is used for short-term energy storage and starch is used for long-term energy storage. The reason ATP is used for short-term storage is because it is too unstable for long term storage. Instead, it is used to make more stable molecules like starch. Starch can be broken down through digestion and release energy to "recharge" ATP.
In what ways are cellulose and starch similar to each other and in what ways are they different? Be specific in your comparison, being sure to discuss both structure and function.
Starch and cellulose are alike and different in structure and function. Starch and cellulose are similar because they are both made of monomer glucose, are related to plants, and are in our food. Also, they are both polysaccharides that are made up of lots of monosaccharide units. Starch and cellulose differ because animals can break down starch, whereas, animals cannot break down cellulose. In addition, starch is formed by plants and cellulose is a structural component in plants. Furthermore, starch has glucose molecules which is a good food source for energy, whereas, cellulose serves as a dietary fiber that help our digestive system. In summary, cellulose and starch are similar and different in structure and function.
What molecules can be used for long-term energy storage?
Starch and fat
What type of molecule is represented by the model below?
Steroid
Which statement best describes a characteristic of a scientific theory?
Supported by a substantial body of evidence observed in nature
Describe the ATP molecule and its function within a cell.
The ATP molecule is made of sugar, adenine, and three phosphate groups. It's purpose is to provide energy for the cell to use while conducting it's activities such as growing, building molecules, and digesting.
Which of the following was most likely responsible for the fact that organic molecules no longer form spontaneously on Earth?
The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere increased.
What can you conclude about the advantage of the double-layer arrangement of a cell membrane?
The cell requires a barrier between itself and its environment.
Which of the following outcomes would be most likely if the membrane of a cell were no longer selectively permeable?
The cell would die as it would not be able to regulate which substances could enter and leave.
Compare and contrast the structure and function of a compound light microscope and a dissecting microscope. Be sure to discuss when each would be more useful than the other.
The differences between a compound light microscope and a dissecting microscope are the dissecting microscope has the stage below the light source, there are two eyepieces, and one objective lens, whereas the compound light microscope has the light source below the stage, there is only one eyepiece, there are three objective lenses. Also, in the dissecting microscope the light is reflected off the specimen and the compound light microscope shines the light through the specimen. Further, the dissecting microscope is more useful when viewing objects with low magnification like organ tissues, whereas, the compound light microscope is used for viewing objects not visible with the naked eye like cells, or objects that need to be viewed in finer detail like blood samples. The similarities between the compound light microscope and the dissecting microscope are that they both use light, are in color, and can view living specimens.
Many experiments on Earth's early atmosphere have resulted in the formation of organic molecules, but have never resulted in cell formation. In which of the following ways do the experimental conditions prevent cell formation in the lab?
The experiments cannot last for billions of years as it did on early Earth.
While looking at a cell under a microscope, a scientist is able to see a biological molecule. This molecule is a nucleic acid with double strands and contains the nitrogenous bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. Based on this information, what conclusion can the scientist draw regarding this nucleic acid?
The nucleic acid is DNA and would be found in the cell's nucleus.
What would be the most likely effect if the side chain of an amino acid group was unable to vary its structure?
The organism would not be able to make more than one type of protein.
Which statement correctly compares the pH of water to that of other substances?
The pH of water is neutral; it is higher than the pH of acids and lower than the pH of bases.
Runners only have enough stored ATP in their muscle cells to run for about five seconds. Which answer correctly explains how the runner's body adjust to the longer distance, for example, a marathon (42.1 km)?
The runner's body will convert stored fat molecules into energy.
There are two main functions for polysaccharides in living things. Discuss these two functions, and how the structures of polysaccharide molecules support these functions.
The two main functions for polysaccharides in living things are structural support and energy storage. Polysaccharides, like cellulose, are used in plants to support their structure. They can be used for structural components because there are hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules that form a tight, rigid, stable structure. Polysaccharides, such as starch and glycogen, are used for energy storage because they can easily be broken down for energy use when needed.
In 1907, Dr. Duncan MacDougall performed a series of experiments in which he attempted to measure the weight of the soul as it left a dying person. In his experiments, MacDougall placed a dying person on a scale and measured their weight immediately prior to and following death. MacDougall determined the change in weight to be approximately 21 grams. From these experiments, he concluded that the soul exists and has mass. What is the fundamental scientific flaw in his conclusions?
They are based on the concept of the soul, which is beyond the bounds of science.
Which of the following best explains how the structures of chitin and cellulose make them hard to digest? Which of the following best explains how the structures of chitin and cellulose make them hard to digest?
They both have an alternating arrangement of glucose molecules, but cellulose has hydrogen bonds while chitin has amino group bonds.
What is true of saturated fatty acid chains?
They contain only single covalent bonds.
A group of research scientists believe that their laboratory has gathered scientific evidence for a new cancer treatment drug. What is the primary purpose for reporting their findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal?
To ensure the reliability of the evidence by allowing other scientists to check their findings
What is the best microscope to get a detailed view of the parts inside of a preserved plant cell?
Transmission electron microscope
The structure and function of mitochondria are often used as support for the endosymbiotic theory. Describe two of these properties and explain how they support the theory.
Two properties of mitochondrion's structure and function that are used to support the endosymbiosis theory are how they have their own DNA and their own reproduction. For example, mitochondrion contains its own DNA that is arranged in a circular formation very similar to how it is arranged in a prokaryotic cell and different than a eukaryotic cell. In addition, mitochondrion has the ability to reproduce unlike other organelles. Most organelles are duplicated by control of the nucleus, but mitochondrion reproduces on its own by pinching in half, the same way bacteria reproduces.
What is produced from the third stage of cellular respiration, the electron transport chain?
Water and ATP
Describe the details you were able to see when viewing specimens with the scanning electron microscope in the microscope activity.
When viewing specimens with the scanning electron microscope, I was able to see very clearly the the details of the surfaces of algae, a leaf, and blood cells. On the leaf, it appeared as if there were small tree-like structures on a bumpy surface. The blood cells appeared in the shape of a small doughnut with an indent instead of a hole. And finally, the algae appeared to have a lot of different folds, bumps, and wrinkles that looked like worms and spheres.
Which of the following questions can be answered scientifically?
Which liquid takes the longest to burn?
Which of the following correctly describes the image below?
amino acid
Alcoholic fermentation
forms fewer ATP molecules than cellular respiration
Carbon atoms can form
four single covalent bonds
In cellular respiration, energy is converted from
glucose to ATP
What stage of cellular respiration is anaerobic?
glycolysis
An advantage of electron microscopes compared to light microscopes is that electron microscopes
have higher resolution that allows you to view smaller specimens
A carbohydrate molecule is
made up of the monosaccharide glucose and serves as an energy reserve in plants and animals
Where does the Krebs cycle occur?
mitochondria
When a cell has to endure lasting changes in its environment that require it to actively transport more molecules than normal through the cell membrane, what effect will this have on the mitochondria of the cell? The cell will need
more mitochondria to meet the increased energy demand.
Enzymes and antibodies are examples of
proteins
The study of biology is important because it focuses on
the interactions of all living things