Dr. Matlack's Biol101

Practice Questions, Exam 1

These questions are designed to give you a feel for the style and depth of my exams.  Do not use these questions as a study guide because they cover only a small sample of the material for which you are responsible.  Also note that some of the material on the practice test may not be covered by the time of the test.  You will only be responsible for the material we cover prior to the test.

1.  Which of the following is/are characteristic of living organisms?

a.       Organized structure

b.      Responsiveness to stimuli

c.       Maintenance of homeostasis

d.   b and c are correct

e.   a, b, and c are correct

2.  Which of these is an organism?

a.   oak tree

b.   beetle

c.   dog

d.   bacterium

e.   all of these

3.  Using his antennae, the male moth finds female moths by following a trail of airborne chemicals, called pheromones, upwind to the female producing them. This is an example of how living things...

a.   acquire nutrients

b.   grow

c.   reproduce

d.   respond to stimuli

e.   maintain homeostasis

4.  A carefully formulated scientific explanation that is based on a large accumulation of observations and is in accord with scientific principles is termed a/an:

a.   Hypothesis

b.   Theory

c.   Fact

d.   Control

e.   Postulate

5.  Why do animals require "food" for survival?

a.   Food is a source of energy.

b.   Necessary chemicals are provided by food.

c.   Food is a primary source of water for all animals.

d.   a and b.

e.   a, b, and c.

6.  To which kingdom would a multicellular, eukaryotic, photosynthetic organism belong?

a.   Protista

b.   Fungi

c.   Plantae

d.   Animalia

e.   None of the above

7.  Which of the following represents the lowest level of organization in the group?

a.   Biosphere

b.   Community

c.   Population

d.   Species

e.   Ecosystem

8.  The Bacteria and Eukarya domains are distinguished by

a.   members of Bacteria being single-celled and members of Eukarya being multicellular.

b.   Bacteria getting nutrients via absorption and eukarya by ingestion and photosynthesis.

c.   the fact that only Eukarya have the ability to grow and reproduce.

d.   the absence or presence of organelles including a nucleus.

e.   none of the above.

9.  What determines the atomic number of an atom?

a.   Number of electrons in the outermost energy level.

b.   Total number of energy shells.

c.   Arrangement of neutrons in the atomic nucleus.

d.   Number of protons in the atomic nucleus.

e.   The total number of electrons and neutrons.

10.  Which of the following factors is the most significant when considering the reactivity of an atom?

a.   An atom is the smallest particle of an element.

b.   A molecule is the smallest unit of a compound.

c.   Atoms are held together by interactions between electrons.

d.   The number of protons affects the size of the atom.

e.   Atoms with many neutrons may be radioactive.

11.  For an atom to achieve maximum stability and become chemically unreactive, what must occur?

a.   Its outermost energy shell must be filled with electrons.

b.   The number of electrons must equal the number of protons.

c.   Sharing of electron pairs is necessary.

d.   Ionization is required.

e.   It must be inert.

12.  An atom's nucleus is composed of:

a.   protons

b.   neutrons

c.   protons and electrons

d.   protons and neutrons

e.   neutrons and electrons

13.  You have isolated a liquid from a sample of beans. You add the liquid to a beaker of water and shake vigorously. After a few minutes, the water and the other liquid separate into two layers. To which class of biological macromolecules does the unknown liquid most likely belong?

a.   Carbohydrates

b.   Lipids

c.   Proteins

d.   Enzymes

e.   Nucleic Acids

14.  Biological molecules primarily are joined by:

a.   Peptide bonds

b.   Ionic bonds

c.   Hydrogen bonds

d.   Disulfide bonds

e.   Covalent bonds

15.  How do buffers work?

a.   Soak up extra acid and base

b.   Accept or release H+

c.   Accept or release OH-

d.   Convert H+ and OH- to water

e.   Monitor the blood pH

16.  What is meant by saying water has a high specific heat?

a.   It can absorb a lot of energy without changing temperature.

b.   It grows hot very quickly.

c.   The boiling point of water is very low.

d.   Water can only heat up to a certain temperature.

e.   Water freezes easily.

17.  In a biological membrane, the phospholipids are arranged with the fatty acid chains facing the interior of the membrane. As a result, the interior of the membrane is

a.   hydrophobic.

b.   hydrophilic.

c.   charged.

d.   polar.

e.   filled with water.

18.  What type of chemical reaction results in the breakdown of organic polymers into their respective subunits?

a.   Condensation

b.   Oxidation

c.   Hydrolysis

d.   Ionization

e.   Reduction

19.  What maintains the secondary structure of a protein?

a.   Peptide bonds

b.   Disulfide bonds

c.   Hydrogen bonds

d.   Ionic bonds

e.   All of these

20.  All the following are true of hydrogen gas, H₂, except (H atomic number = 1):

a.   H₂ is stable.

b.   H₂ is covalently bonded.

c.   H₂ shares one pair of electrons.

d.   H₂ is polar.

e.   All of the above are true.

21.  The hydrogen bond between two water molecules arises because water is

a.   polar.

b.   nonpolar.

c.   a liquid.

d.   a small molecule.

e.   hydrophobic.

22.  The fact that salt dissolves in water is best explained by:

a.   The charged nature of water molecules

b.   The polar nature of water molecules

c.   The hydrophobic nature of salt

d.   The ionic nature of water molecules

e.   The hydrophobic nature of the water

23.  Which of the following correctly matches an organic polymer with its respective monomers?

a.   Protein and amino acids

b.   Carbohydrates and polysaccharides

c.   Hydrocarbon and monosaccharides

d.   Lipid and steroids

e.   DNA and ATP

24.  Sweating is a useful cooling device for humans because

a.   water takes up a great deal of heat in changing from its liquid state to its gaseous state.

b.   water takes up a great deal of heat in changing from its solid state to its liquid state.

c.   water can exist in three states at temperatures common on Earth.

d.   water is an outstanding solvent.

e.   water ionizes readily

25.  Which of the following best summarizes the relationship between dehydration reactions and hydrolysis?

a.   Dehydration reactions assemble polymers and hydrolysis breaks them down.

b.   Hydrolysis occurs during the day and dehydration happen at night.

c.   Dehydration reactions can occur only after hydrolysis.

d.   Hydrolysis creates monomers and dehydration reactions destroy them.

e.   Dehydration reactions occur only in animals and hydrolysis reactions occur only in plants.

26.  Which of the following provides long-term energy storage for plants?

a.   Glucose

b.   Glycogen

c.   Starch

d.   Cellulose

e.   ATP

27.  Cholesterol, testosterone, and estrogen are all examples of:

a.   Fatty acids

b.   Proteins

c.   Steroids

d.   Hormones

e.   Waxes

28.  The basic difference between a prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell is that the prokaryotic cell:

a.   Possesses membrane-bound organelles

b.   Lacks DNA

c.   Lacks a nuclear envelope

d.   Is usually considerably larger

e.   Is structurally more complex

29.  You drink a glass of lemonade, but your body's pH does not change. This is an example of how organisms:

a.   maintain homeostasis.

b.   maintain organization.

c.   adapt to their environment.

d.   are immune to acid.

e.   are what they eat.

30.  DNA carries genetic information in its

a.   helical form.

b.   sequence of bases.

c.   tertiary structure.

d.   phosphate groups.