Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Cellular foundations
Pages: 3-4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
In a bacterial cell, the DNA is in the:
A) cell envelope.
B) cell membrane.
C) nucleoid.
D) nucleus.
E) ribosomes.
2. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: E
A major change occurring in the evolution of eukaryotes from prokaryotes was the development of:
A) DNA.
B) photosynthetic capability.
capability.
C) plasma membranes.
D) ribosomes.
E) the nucleus.
3. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
In eukaryotes, the nucleus is enclosed by a double membrane called the:
A) cell membrane.
B) nuclear envelope.
C) nucleolus.
D) nucleoplasm.
E) nucleosome.
4. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
The dimensions of living cells are limited, on the lower end by the minimum number of biomolecules
necessary for function, and on the upper end by the rate of diffusion of solutes such as oxygen.
Except for highly elongated cells, they usually have lengths and diameters in the range of:
A) 0.1 µm to 10 µm.
B) 0.3 µm to 30 µm.
C) 0.3 µm to 100 µm.
D) 1 µm to 100 µm.
E) 1 µm to 300 µm.
,2 Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry
5. Cellular foundations
Page: 5 Difficulty: 2 Ans: B
The bacterium E. coli requires simple organic molecules for growth and energy—it is therefore a:
A) chemoautotroph.
B) chemoheterotroph.
C) lithotroph.
D) photoautotroph.
E) photoheterotroph.
6. Cellular foundations
Page: 10 Difficulty: 2 Ans: B
Which one of the following has the cellular components arranged in order of increasing size?
A) Amino acid < protein < mitochondrion < ribosome
B) Amino acid < protein < ribosome < mitochondrion
C) Amino acid < ribosome < protein < mitochondrion
D) Protein < amino acid < mitochondrion < ribosome
E) Protein < ribosome < mitochondrion < amino acid
7. Cellular foundations
Page: 11 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
The three-dimensional structure of macromolecules is formed and maintained primarily through
noncovalent interactions. Which one of the following is not considered a noncovalent interaction?
A) carbon-carbon bonds
B) hydrogen bonds
C) hydrophobic interactions
D) ionic interactions
E) van der Waals interactions
8. Chemical foundations
Page: 12 Difficulty: 2 Ans: E
Which one of the following is not among the four most abundant elements in living organisms?
A) Carbon
B) Hydrogen
C) Nitrogen
D) Oxygen
E) Phosphorus
9. Chemical foundations
Page: 13 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
The four covalent bonds in methane (CH 4) are arranged around carbon to give which one of the
following geometries?
A) linear
B) tetrahedral
C) trigonal bipyramidal
D) trigonal planar
E) trigonal pyramidal
,Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry 3
10. Chemical foundations
Page: 14 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
What functional groups are present on this molecule?
A) ether and aldehyde
B) hydroxyl and aldehyde
C) hydroxyl and carboxylic acid
D) hydroxyl and ester
E) hydroxyl and ketone
11. Chemical foundations
Page: 16 Difficulty: 1 Ans: D
The macromolecules that serve in the storage and transmission of genetic information are:
A) carbohydrates.
B) lipids.
C) membranes.
D) nucleic acids.
E) proteins.
12. Chemical foundations
Page: 17 Difficulty: 1 Ans: D
Stereoisomers that are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other are known as:
A) anomers.
B) cis-trans isomers.
C) diastereoisomers.
D) enantiomers.
E) geometric isomers.
13. Chemical foundations
Page: 20 Difficulty: 3 Ans: E
The enzyme fumarase catalyzes the reversible hydration of fumaric acid to l-malate, but it will not
catalyze the hydration of maleic acid, the cis isomer of fumaric acid. This is an example of:
A) biological activity.
B) chiral activity.
C) racemization.
D) stereoisomerization.
E) stereospecificity.
, 4 Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry
14. Physical foundations
Pages: 21-22 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
Humans maintain a nearly constant level of hemoglobin by continually synthesizing and degrading it.
This is an example of a(n):
A) dynamic steady state.
B) equilibrium state.
C) exergonic change.
D) free-energy change.
E) waste of energy.
15. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
If heat energy is absorbed by the system during a chemical reaction, the reaction is said to be:
A) at equilibrium.
B) endergonic.
C) endothermic.
D) exergonic.
E) exothermic.
16. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 2 Ans: D
If the free energy change ∆G for a reaction is -46.11 kJ/mol, the reaction is:
A) at equilibrium.
B) endergonic.
C) endothermic.
D) exergonic.
E) exothermic.
17. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 2 Ans: C
The major carrier of chemical energy in all cells is:
A) acetyl triphosphate.
B) adenosine monophosphate.
C) adenosine triphosphate.
D) cytosine tetraphosphate.
E) uridine diphosphate.
18. Physical foundations
Page: 26 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
Enzymes are biological catalysts that enhance the rate of a reaction by:
A) decreasing the activation energy.
B) decreasing the amount of free energy released.
C) increasing the activation energy.
D) increasing the amount of free energy released.
E) increasing the energy of the transition state.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Cellular foundations
Pages: 3-4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
In a bacterial cell, the DNA is in the:
A) cell envelope.
B) cell membrane.
C) nucleoid.
D) nucleus.
E) ribosomes.
2. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: E
A major change occurring in the evolution of eukaryotes from prokaryotes was the development of:
A) DNA.
B) photosynthetic capability.
capability.
C) plasma membranes.
D) ribosomes.
E) the nucleus.
3. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
In eukaryotes, the nucleus is enclosed by a double membrane called the:
A) cell membrane.
B) nuclear envelope.
C) nucleolus.
D) nucleoplasm.
E) nucleosome.
4. Cellular foundations
Page: 4 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
The dimensions of living cells are limited, on the lower end by the minimum number of biomolecules
necessary for function, and on the upper end by the rate of diffusion of solutes such as oxygen.
Except for highly elongated cells, they usually have lengths and diameters in the range of:
A) 0.1 µm to 10 µm.
B) 0.3 µm to 30 µm.
C) 0.3 µm to 100 µm.
D) 1 µm to 100 µm.
E) 1 µm to 300 µm.
,2 Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry
5. Cellular foundations
Page: 5 Difficulty: 2 Ans: B
The bacterium E. coli requires simple organic molecules for growth and energy—it is therefore a:
A) chemoautotroph.
B) chemoheterotroph.
C) lithotroph.
D) photoautotroph.
E) photoheterotroph.
6. Cellular foundations
Page: 10 Difficulty: 2 Ans: B
Which one of the following has the cellular components arranged in order of increasing size?
A) Amino acid < protein < mitochondrion < ribosome
B) Amino acid < protein < ribosome < mitochondrion
C) Amino acid < ribosome < protein < mitochondrion
D) Protein < amino acid < mitochondrion < ribosome
E) Protein < ribosome < mitochondrion < amino acid
7. Cellular foundations
Page: 11 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
The three-dimensional structure of macromolecules is formed and maintained primarily through
noncovalent interactions. Which one of the following is not considered a noncovalent interaction?
A) carbon-carbon bonds
B) hydrogen bonds
C) hydrophobic interactions
D) ionic interactions
E) van der Waals interactions
8. Chemical foundations
Page: 12 Difficulty: 2 Ans: E
Which one of the following is not among the four most abundant elements in living organisms?
A) Carbon
B) Hydrogen
C) Nitrogen
D) Oxygen
E) Phosphorus
9. Chemical foundations
Page: 13 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
The four covalent bonds in methane (CH 4) are arranged around carbon to give which one of the
following geometries?
A) linear
B) tetrahedral
C) trigonal bipyramidal
D) trigonal planar
E) trigonal pyramidal
,Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry 3
10. Chemical foundations
Page: 14 Difficulty: 1 Ans: B
What functional groups are present on this molecule?
A) ether and aldehyde
B) hydroxyl and aldehyde
C) hydroxyl and carboxylic acid
D) hydroxyl and ester
E) hydroxyl and ketone
11. Chemical foundations
Page: 16 Difficulty: 1 Ans: D
The macromolecules that serve in the storage and transmission of genetic information are:
A) carbohydrates.
B) lipids.
C) membranes.
D) nucleic acids.
E) proteins.
12. Chemical foundations
Page: 17 Difficulty: 1 Ans: D
Stereoisomers that are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other are known as:
A) anomers.
B) cis-trans isomers.
C) diastereoisomers.
D) enantiomers.
E) geometric isomers.
13. Chemical foundations
Page: 20 Difficulty: 3 Ans: E
The enzyme fumarase catalyzes the reversible hydration of fumaric acid to l-malate, but it will not
catalyze the hydration of maleic acid, the cis isomer of fumaric acid. This is an example of:
A) biological activity.
B) chiral activity.
C) racemization.
D) stereoisomerization.
E) stereospecificity.
, 4 Chapter 1 The Foundations of Biochemistry
14. Physical foundations
Pages: 21-22 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
Humans maintain a nearly constant level of hemoglobin by continually synthesizing and degrading it.
This is an example of a(n):
A) dynamic steady state.
B) equilibrium state.
C) exergonic change.
D) free-energy change.
E) waste of energy.
15. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 1 Ans: C
If heat energy is absorbed by the system during a chemical reaction, the reaction is said to be:
A) at equilibrium.
B) endergonic.
C) endothermic.
D) exergonic.
E) exothermic.
16. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 2 Ans: D
If the free energy change ∆G for a reaction is -46.11 kJ/mol, the reaction is:
A) at equilibrium.
B) endergonic.
C) endothermic.
D) exergonic.
E) exothermic.
17. Physical foundations
Page: 23 Difficulty: 2 Ans: C
The major carrier of chemical energy in all cells is:
A) acetyl triphosphate.
B) adenosine monophosphate.
C) adenosine triphosphate.
D) cytosine tetraphosphate.
E) uridine diphosphate.
18. Physical foundations
Page: 26 Difficulty: 2 Ans: A
Enzymes are biological catalysts that enhance the rate of a reaction by:
A) decreasing the activation energy.
B) decreasing the amount of free energy released.
C) increasing the activation energy.
D) increasing the amount of free energy released.
E) increasing the energy of the transition state.
