Bio Launchpad Quiz

25 July 2022
4.7 (114 reviews)
60 test answers

Unlock all answers in this set

Unlock answers (56)
question
Which statement is NOT part of the modern cell theory?
answer
a. Cellular reactions include both energy-releasing and biosynthetic types. b. Cells are able to synthesize their entire complement of biomolecules. c. Cells arise from other cells. d. All living organisms consist of one or more cells. e. Cells contain hereditary information that passes from one generation of cells to the next. Answer:B
question
Which of the following statements about phospholipids is FALSE?
answer
a. A phospholipid consists of a glycerol molecule attached to two fatty acid chains. b. Phospholipid molecules have hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. c. A phospholipid contains one negatively charged phosphate group. d. Phospholipids are a principal component of the plasma membrane. e. All of the above are true. Answer: E
question
Which of the following is NOT a correct statement about passive transport across the cell membrane?
answer
a. Passive transport increases entropy in a system. b. Passive transport decreases free energy. c. Diffusion across an electrochemical gradient is one form of passive transport. d. Passive transport may involve chemical energy in the form of ATP. e. Facilitated diffusion by transport proteins is one form of passive transport. Answer: D
question
Diffusion across the cell's outer membrane:
answer
a. is also called dynamic equilibrium. b. occurs without the input of energy. c. always results with the molecules moving from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration. d. never occurs; all molecules cross the membrane within protein carriers. e. None of the above is correct. Answer: B
question
Which of the following are not components of animal cells?
answer
a. chloroplasts b. endoplasmic reticulum c. mitochondria d. cell walls e. Both a and d are not components of animal cells. Answer: E
question
The smooth endoplasmic reticulum:
answer
a. modifies proteins that will be shipped elsewhere in the organism. b. processes and packages proteins, lipids, and other molecules. c. directs cellular activity and stores hereditary information. d. digests and recycles cellular waste products and consumed materials. e. synthesizes lipids and detoxifies molecules. Answer :E
question
The Golgi apparatus:
answer
a. synthesizes lipids and detoxifies molecules. b. directs cellular activity and stores hereditary information. c. digests and recycles cellular waste products and consumed materials. d. modifies proteins that will be shipped elsewhere in the organism. e. processes and packages proteins, lipids, and other molecules. Answer: E
question
Which of the following is NOT true about prokaryotic cells?
answer
a. They have a circular loop of DNA instead of multiple linear DNA molecules. b. They are always single-celled organisms and they never contain mitochondria. c. They all have a rigid cell wall instead of a plasma membrane. d. They may have flagella but they never have cilia. e. They lack a nucleus but they do have ribosomes. Answer: C
question
In chemistry class we learn the rule "like dissolves like" when studying why polar substances dissolve in each other (like sucrose in water) and why non-polar substances dissolve in each other (like fats in oil). Which of the following statements illustrates this rule?
answer
a. Ribosomes are found inside of prokaryotic cells rather than outside. b. Prokaryotes lack a nuclear membrane while eukaryotes have one. c. More prokaryotic cells could fit inside a 1-cm cube than eukaryotic cells could. d. Transmembrane proteins remain in the plasma membrane even though they are not attached to anything. e. Chemical messengers or hormones bind tightly to their receptor proteins on the outside of a cell. Answer: D
question
The "fingerprint" found on the outsides of cells is the BEST underlying explanation for:
answer
a. why you cannot catch HIV by casual contact. b. why blood can easily be transferred between any two people. c. why mucus accumulates in the lungs in individuals with cystic fibrosis. d. why beta blockers reduce anxiety. e. why a person can successfully donate his heart to another unrelated person. Answer: A
question
Facilitated diffusion of magnesium ions (Mg++) would occur OUT of a cell if the Mg++ concentration was ________ outside the cell than inside, and ________.
answer
a. higher, Mg++ could move through a transport protein across the membrane b. higher, Mg++ could move directly through the phospholipid bilayer of the membrane c. lower, Mg++ could move through a transport protein across the membrane d. the same, Mg++ could move directly through the phospholipid bilayer of the membrane e. lower, Mg++ could move directly through the phospholipid bilayer of the membrane Answer: C
question
Which is NOT true about chloroplasts and mitochondria?
answer
a. Animal cells don't have chloroplasts. b. Plants have chloroplasts instead of mitochondria. c. Mitochondria break down food energy to make ATP. d. Both mitochondria and chloroplasts are involved with energy production. e. Chloroplasts produce food from sunlight energy. Answer: B
question
Cellular "fingerprints":
answer
a. are made from cholesterol. b. are "erased" by the HIV virus. c. are exposed on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. d. can help the immune system distinguish "self" from "non-self." e. All of the above are correct. Answer: D
question
The pH of the liquid inside a lysosome is acidic, about 4.5. The molecules normally found inside the lysosome are designed to work best at this pH. Which of the follow statements is the BEST explanation for why the pH of the lysosome interior is so low?
answer
a. Constructive: the acid inside helps lysosomes construct bigger and longer molecules. b. Protective: if the corrosive broth of a lysosome ever leaked out, the digestive enzymes in it would become non-functional in the higher pH of the cytoplasm. c. Efficiency: the acid assists the lysosome in performing photosynthesis. d. Stability: the acidic pH helps keep lysosomes stiff and round. e. Concentration: acid contains large amounts of H+ ions, necessary for lysosomal ATP production. Answer: B
question
A scientist tries to build a eukaryotic cell in her laboratory. She remembers to include most of the organelles, but forgets one. Among other abnormalities, her newly created cell cannot synthesize the enzymes needed to detoxify drugs and poisons. Which organelle is missing?
answer
a. the Golgi apparatus b. the mitochondria c. the cytoskeleton d. the smooth endoplasmic reticulum e. the nucleus Answer: D
question
What major advantage does the presence of organelles offer eukaryotic cells?
answer
a. They separate chemicals into different compartments, concentrating them for certain reactions. b. They help to blend together the chemicals throughout the cell. c. They make eukaryotic cells stronger. d. They help make eukaryotic cells larger. e. They greatly simplify eukaryotic cells, making them less complex. Answer: A
question
Which of the following describes pinocytosis?
answer
a. A cell performs endocytosis, bringing in dissolved particles and liquids. b. A molecule triggers a receptor on the cell exterior, the cell membrane folds inward. c. ATP is used to pump sodium ions from outside of the cell inwards through a membrane protein. d. Vesicles in the cytoplasm dump their "garbage" outside of the cell membrane by fusion with it. e. An amoeba engulfs a bacterium, bringing it inside of the cell. Answer: A
question
Which of the following statements is TRUE about a plasma membrane?
answer
a. It is composed of a single layer of phospholipids. b. It is a rigid structure that protects the cell like a shell. c. The molecules that make up most of the plasma membrane are polar at their heads and tails. d. The molecules that make up the membrane are lipids. e. The molecules that make up the membrane are linked to each other by covalent bonds. Answer: D
question
In Tay-Sachs disease, a genetic mutation causes a malfunction in a certain organelle that leads to a backup of molecules and proteins, ultimately interfering with the entire functioning of the cell. Which organelle is primarily affected by this disease?
answer
a. the nucleus b. the Golgi apparatus c. the endoplasmic reticulum d. the lysosomes e. the peroxisomes Answer: D
question
Which of the following organelles contains a small circular loop of DNA?
answer
a. nucleus b. Golgi apparatus c. smooth endoplasmic reticulum d. lysosomes e. mitochondria Answer: E
question
The proposed explanation for a phenomenon is BEST described as:
answer
a. a hypothesis. b. a conclusion. c. an observation. d. an experiment. e. a testable prediction. Answer: A
question
Statistical methods make it possible to:
answer
a. prove any hypothesis is true. b. reject any hypothesis. c. unambiguously learn the truth. d. determine how likely it is that certain results may have occurred by chance. e. test non-falsifiable hypotheses. Answer: D
question
A relationship that has been established based on a large amount of observational and experimental data is:
answer
a. a fact. b. an assumption. c. a conjecture. d. a theory. e. a hypothesis. Answer: D
question
By 1796 it had been observed that milk maids who had been exposed to cowpox did not succumb to the deadly plague of smallpox that was ravishing both Europe and Britain. From this observation, Edward Jenner was able to construct the world's first successful vaccine. Which of the following statements best fits Jenner's hypothesis that led him to his creation of the vaccine?
answer
a. If exposure to cowpox gives immunity to smallpox in milkmaids, then exposure to cowpox should give immunity to smallpox in other individuals as well. b. Exposure to smallpox always gives immunity to cowpox. c. Cowpox and smallpox are caused by the same microorganism. d. If milkmaids exposed to cowpox are immune to smallpox, then cowpox and smallpox are the same disease. e. If exposure to cowpox gives immunity to smallpox in milkmaids, then milkmaids have a natural immunity and their blood should be used to develop a smallpox vaccine. Answer: A
question
Assume you hear males of a particular species of bird calling in their natural environment and question why they call. You design the follow experiment to try to answer your question. You cage one male individual and record his calling rate in response to four treatments. You vary the sex and species of the birds that your male subject could see. Your treatments are: no birds of the same species; 10 male birds of the same species; 10 female birds of the same species; 5 male and 5 female birds of the same species. The results of the experiment show that the rate at which the male subject called is the same across all four treatments. Which one of the following might represent a null hypothesis that this experimental design could reject?
answer
a. Males of your species call less often than do females. b. Males of your species call when called to. c. Males of your species call at a rate that is independent of the sex composition of the audience. d. Males of your species call more often than do females. e. Males of your species do not call. Answer: C
question
If your hypothesis is "Hair that is shaved grows back coarser and darker," what is your null hypothesis?
answer
a. There is no difference in the color of hair that is shaved relative to hair that is not shaved. b. There is no difference in the coarseness of hair that is shaved relative to hair that is not shaved. c. Hair that is taken off with a cream depilatory grows back coarser and darker. d. Hair that is shaved grows back finer and lighter. e. There is no difference in the coarseness or color of hair that is shaved relative to hair that is not shaved. Answer: E
question
If your hypothesis is "Eyewitness testimony is always accurate," which of the following is a reasonable testable prediction?
answer
a. Individuals who have witnessed a crime will correctly identify the criminal regardless of whether multiple suspects are presented wearing different styles of clothing or the same style of clothing. b. Individuals who have witnessed a crime will correctly identify the criminal regardless of whether multiple suspects are presented one at a time or all at the same time. c. Individuals who have witnessed a crime will correctly identify the criminal regardless of whether multiple suspects are presented in a police line-up or at the scene of the crime. d. Individuals who have witnessed a crime will correctly identify the criminal regardless of whether multiple suspects are presented in person or in photographs. e. All of the above are reasonable testable predictions for this hypothesis. Answer: E
question
In 1998, the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, reported that 12 children in England who received the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) exhibited symptoms of autism soon after the vaccination. Which of the following, if true, would cast doubt on the causal linkage between the vaccine and the development of autism?
answer
a. Later studies of hundreds of thousands of children in Denmark found no statistical difference in the incidence of autism among children who were vaccinated and children who were not. b. A later study in Japan showed that after the use of the MMR vaccine was stopped, the incidence of autism continued to increase. c. The original English sample was selected rather than randomized. d. All of the above cast doubt on the causal linkage between the vaccine and the development of autism. e. Only a and c cast doubt on the causal linkage between the vaccine and the development of autism. Answer: D
question
To be useful in the scientific method, an observation must be:
answer
a. proven. b. measurable. c. definite. d. metaphysical. e. hypothetical. Answer: B
question
The purpose of the experimentation phase of the scientific method is to:
answer
a. gather preliminary data from which a hypothesis can be made. b. gather evidence to support or reject a hypothesis. c. gather evidence to formulate a theory. d. make predictive, testable statements about observations. e. formulate a null hypothesis. Answer: B
question
Statistics are used by scientists mainly to determine:
answer
a. whether a study needs to be repeated. b. whether differences in results between control and treatment groups is theoretical. c. whether differences in results between control and treatment groups is significant and important. d. whether two numbers are the same or not. e. whether or not there was a bias in the study. Answer: C
question
Which of the following would be the most reasonable testable prediction for the hypothesis: "All birds can fly"?
answer
a. In a double-blind study, take 100 random animals to see if they all can fly. b. Locate places in the world where flight would be advantageous, and count the number of birds that live there. c. Take a random sampling of 5 birds from around the world to verify that they can all fly. d. Observe all the birds outside your home for a week to see if they all can fly. e. Examine the list of all known species of birds and determine if any cannot fly. Answer: E
question
If the results of experimentation support a particular hypothesis, then:
answer
a. the hypothesis is a true fact about how the world works. b. no further testing is required. c. the hypothesis becomes a theory. d. new and more specific testable predictions should be made to refine a hypothesis. e. all of the predictive, testable statements made in the study are supported. Answer: D
question
Which of the following qualifies as a randomized, double-blind, controlled experimental study?
answer
a. 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with real sugar; the people are then observed for signs of sleepiness; the scientist knows which candy bar type the people ate, but the subjects don't know this. b. 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with real sugar; 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with artificial sweetener; 50 men and women of various ages get no candy bar; the people are then observed for signs of sleepiness; neither the scientist nor the observer nor the subjects know what type of candy bar was eaten, if any. c. 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with real sugar; 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with artificial sweetener; 50 men and women of various ages get no candy bar; the people are then observed for signs of sleepiness; the scientist knows which people ate what but the subjects don't know this. d. 50 men (who are 35 years old) are given a candy bar with real sugar; 50 women (who are 35 years old) are given a candy bar with artificial sweetener; 50 men and women (who are 35 years old) get no candy bar; the people are then observed for signs of sleepiness; neither the scientist nor the observer knows what type of candy bar the subjects ate, if any. e. 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with real sugar; 50 men and women of various ages are given a candy bar with artificial sweetener; 50 men and women of various ages get no candy bar; the people are then observed for signs of sleepiness; the subjects know which type of candy they ate but the observing scientist does not. Answer: B
question
Drug companies sometimes hire independent research laboratories to evaluate whether a drug they've discovered is effective or not in treating an illness. Companies MOST LIKELY do this to:
answer
a. test whether the drug is toxic to animals. b. find out if the drug can pass governmental approval. c. reduce public fear that the drug is actually a poison. d. learn whether the public is likely to buy the drug. e. demonstrate that the scientists conducting the trial are not biased in concluding that the drug is effective. Answer: E
question
Iridology is a medical technique where practitioners can diagnose health problems by studying changes in the irises of a patient's eyes. Which of the following statements, if true, would suggest that iridology is a pseudoscience?
answer
a. Doctors of standard medicine generally agree with the diagnoses of iridologists. b. Patients going to both standard doctors and iridologists become measurably healthier. c. The irises of people remain unchanged throughout life. d. Statistically, patients going to iridologists are healthier than those who go to standard doctors. e. Iridology is taught as an alternative medical diagnostic procedure in most medical schools. Answer: C
question
In the steps of the scientific method, what is the process where a scientist writes down tentative explanations or statements about what he/she expects might happen under certain conditions?
answer
a. observations b. hypotheses formation c. theory formation d. experimentation e. conclusions Answer: B
question
Why would a scientist choose to state their hypothesis as a null hypothesis?
answer
a. Because even if strongly supported, a hypothesis can always be disproved. b. Because a hypothesis can only be strongly supported, never proven. c. Because only a single observation rejecting the null hypothesis is needed to disprove it. d. Because it is easier to disprove than prove things in science. e. All of the above are reasons for stating a null hypothesis. Answer: E
question
During an experiment to determine if people with more symmetrical body features have a lower incidence of disease, a researcher first measures the length of several bones in the subject's hands and arms. The device used to measure length does not display a readout of the measurement taken. Instead, a wire connects the measuring device to a computer that records the data. The computer monitor is kept out of sight of the subject and the researcher. Why is such an elaborate device used?
answer
a. So that the subject will not know if he or she is part of the control group. b. So that the experiment will be repeatable. c. So that the subject will not be injured by the experiment. d. So that the identity of the subject will remain anonymous. e. So that the measurements are not biased by the researcher. Answer: E
question
The pie charts above are related to the following analysis: In 2001, the journal Behavioral Ecology changed its policy for reviewing manuscripts submitted for publication. They changed their policy from a single-blind to a double-blind process. In an analysis of papers published between 1997 and 2005, it turned out that after 2001, when the double-blind policy took effect, there was a significant increase in the number of published papers in which the first author was a female. What does the "whole pie" represent?
answer
a. all of the papers published in the journal Behavioral Ecology b. the proportion of all papers published in the journal Behavioral Ecology that had a male first author c. the proportion of all papers published in the journal Behavioral Ecology that had a female first author d. the total number of papers published in the journal Behavioral Ecology that had a male first author e. the total number of papers published in the journal Behavioral Ecology between 1997 and 2005 that had a female first author Answer: A
question
The ingredient label on a container of shortening indicates partially hydrogenated vegetable oil." This means that during processing the number of carbon-carbon double bonds in the oil was reduced. What is the result of decreasing the number of double bonds?
answer
a. The oil now has a lower melting point. b. There are more "kinks" in the fatty acid chains, reducing the membrane density. c. The fatty acid is modified from a diglyceride into a triglyceride. d. The oil now contains a higher percentage of carbohydrate. e. The oil is now more likely to be solid at room temperature. ANswer: E
question
Enzymes:
answer
a. reduce the energy released in a reaction by one of four different mechanisms. b. can only catalyze energy-releasing reactions. c. can only catalyze reactions that require an input of energy. d. are always consumed by catalyzing a reaction. e. None of the above. Answer: E
question
Which of the following phenomena is most likely due to the high specific heat capacity of water?
answer
a. A lizard, called the "Jesus lizard," can run across the surface of liquid water for short distances. b. Lakes and rivers freeze from the top, not the bottom. c. Adding salt to snow makes it melt. d. The temperature of the Santa Monica Bay, off the coast of Los Angeles, fluctuates less than the air temperature throughout the year. e. All of the above are due to the high specific heat capacity of water. Answer: D
question
One molecule of water consists of:
answer
a. one atom of oxygen covalently bonded to two atoms of hydrogen via a shared pair of electrons. b. one atom of oxygen bound to two atoms of hydrogen via ionic bonds. c. one atom of oxygen bound to two atoms of hydrogen via van der Waals bonds. d. one atom of oxygen bound to two atoms of hydrogen via hydrogen bonds. e. one atom of oxygen covalently bonded to two atoms of hydrogen via one shared electron. Answer: A
question
Lipids and carbohydrates are composed of the same elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. How do lipids and carbohydrates differ?
answer
a. Lipids have more hydrogen relative to oxygen than do carbohydrates. b. Lipids and carbohydrates have different functions. c. Lipids don't dissolve easily in water, while carbohydrates do. d. Lipids do not chain together to form larger molecules, while carbohydrates do. e. All of the above are correct. Answer: E
question
A partial sequence of a molecule is "AACTGCT." The molecule is:
answer
a. a polysaccharide. b. a protein. c. a nucleic acid. d. a triglyceride. e. an oligosaccharide. Answer: C
question
In contrast to the ______________________________ that lead to ionic bonds, covalent bonds form when __________________________.
answer
a. sharing of neutrons; there is a complete transfer of electrons b. complete transfer of electrons; two atoms share one or more pairs of inner-shell electrons c. change in atomic number; the atomic number remains unchanged d. sharing of electrons; there is a complete transfer of electrons e. complete transfer of electrons; two atoms share one or more pairs of outer-shell electrons Answer: E
question
In the chemical formula 3H2O, how many atoms are there of each element?
answer
a. 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen b. 5 hydrogen and 3 oxygen c. 6 hydrogen and 3 oxygen d. 3 hydrogen and 3 oxygen e. 3 hydrogen and 1 oxygen Answer: C
question
Picture the DNA double helix as a ladder and pick from the selection below the INCORRECT corresponding analogy.
answer
a. The rails are comprised of alternating units of deoxyribose and phosphate joined with covalent bonds. b. The rungs are comprised of the bonds between the nitrogen-containing groups. c. The rails are comprised of the sugar-phosphate "backbone." d. The rungs are comprised of A-T and G-C base pairs joined by hydrogen bonds. e. All of the above are correct. Answer: E
question
The image of "beads on a string" is often used to describe the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide. Which aspect of protein structure does this image most resemble?
answer
a. quaternary structure b. primary structure c. secondary structure d. overall structure e. tertiary structure Answer: B
question
Which of the following statements is true regarding protein structure?
answer
a. Tertiary structure refers to the shape of a polypeptide resulting from interactions between the side chains ("R" groups) of various amino acids. b. Secondary structure refers to the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide. c. Primary structure refers to the coils and folds that result from hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups in a polypeptide. d. Quaternary structure refers to the overall protein structure that results from the aggregation of polypeptide subunits. e. Both a and d are correct. Answer: E
question
An atom of sodium (Na) has 11 protons. What is its approximate atomic mass?
answer
a. 22 b. 16.5 c. 5 d. 44 e. 11 Answer: A
question
A nasty trick to play on a water strider bug is to add detergent to a puddle on which the strider is standing. Water striders are light enough to stand on the water's surface. Adding a detergent or other surfactant to the puddle would cause the water strider to sink. What must a surfactant do to change the water surface?
answer
a. It must cause the hydrogen bonds between surface water molecules to be broken. b. It must cause water molecules to break apart into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. c. It must increase the weight of the water strider, causing it to sink. d. It must cause the hydrogen atoms of water to become slightly negatively charged, and the oxygen atoms to be positively charged. e. It must deflate little air sacs on the water strider that allow it to float on the surface. Answer: A
question
A lake in rural Maine drops in pH from 7 to 5 as a result of acid rain falling into it. How has the H+ ion concentration changed as a result of the acid rain?
answer
a. The H+ ion concentration has increased 100 times its starting concentration. b. The H+ ion concentration has decreased by half its starting concentration. c. The H+ ion concentration has decreased by 20 times its starting concentration. d. The H+ ion concentration hasn't changed, but the OH- ion concentration has doubled. e. The H+ ion concentration has doubled its starting concentration. Answer: A
question
In terms of energy storage, _______ is to animals what _______ is to plants.
answer
a. lactose; starch b. sucrose; glucose c. glycogen; starch d. glucose; fructose e. monosaccharides; disaccharides Answer: C
question
In terms of structural materials, _______ is to plants what _______ is to lobsters and crabs.
answer
a. chitin; starch b. cellulose; chitin c. glycogen; cellulose d. monosaccharides; polysaccharides e. starch; glycogen Answer: B
question
Lipids are made up of long hydrocarbon chains, composed of all carbon and hydrogen atoms. This characteristic makes lipids insoluble in water ("oil and water don't mix") because:
answer
a. hydrocarbons are non-polar. b. hydrocarbons are commonly found in plants, where they push water to the tops of plants. c. hydrocarbons are polar. d. hydrocarbons form the rigid outer skeletons of crabs and lobsters, which repel water. e. hydrocarbons are hydrophilic. Answer: A
question
DNA is sometimes described as a ladder-shaped molecule. What would be the BEST description of the composition of the rail portion that runs up each side of the ladder?
answer
a. a chain of nitrogen-containing bases b. a chain of RNA nucleotides c. a chain of alternating sugars and phosphates d. a chain of sugars e. a chain of alternating sugars and bases Answer: C
question
Which of the following statements about enzymes is incorrect?
answer
a. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions. b. Enzymes can initiate chemical reactions. c. Enzymes contain an active site for binding of particular substrates. d. Enzymes undergo a permanent change during the reactions they promote. e. Enzymes often induce conformational changes in the substrates that they bind. Answer: D
question
Which of the following is an important conclusion you can draw from this figure?
answer
a. Some food sources, mostly from plants, do not contain all of the essential amino acids. b. Plant food sources are less healthy for you. c. Some food sources do not contain tryptophan. d. There are 9 essential amino acids. e. Lentils contain the amino acids methionine and cysteine. Answer: A