Updated/Latest 2025–2026 Test Bank For OpenStax Microbiology Comprehensive Exam Questions Answers And Rationales Study Guide For Microbiology Biology Allied Health Nursing Medical Sciences Academic Excellence And Professional Success.

TEST BANK FOR OPEXSTAX MICROBIOLOGYJ J J J J




QUESTIONSANDSOLUTIONS.ALLCHAPTERS J J J J




INCLUDED

Chapter 1: An Invisible World
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* = Correct answer Multiple
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Choice

1. Yeasts are which of the following?
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A. a type of algae J J J




B. a type of protist
J J J




C. any unicellular microbe J J




D. unicellular fungi* J




Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 20 J




3. The cell walls of archaeans often contain which of the following substances?
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A. cellulose
B. chitin
C. peptidoglycan
D. pseudopeptidoglycan* J




ASM Standard: 20 J J




4. Which of the following is not true of archaeans? A. Some species live on the human body.
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B. They are genetically distinct from bacteria.
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C. They are only found in extreme environments.*
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D. They have substantial metabolic differences from bacteria.
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Difficulty:DifficultASM J J J




Standard: 20 J




Page/ 1/ of/ 17

,Which of the following is not true about the process of
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fermentation? A. It can help preserve foods, preventing J J J J J J J J




spoilage.
B. It converts sugars to organic acids, alcohols, and/or gases such as carbon dioxide.
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C. It is carried out exclusively by unicellular eukaryotes such as yeast.*
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D. It is used to make foods such as cheese and bread.
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Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 11, 23, 26 J J J J




5. The Romans may have reduced their risk of waterborne infectious diseases by using which of
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




the following? J




A. a variety of pharmaceutical products
J J J J




B. aqueducts and a sewer system* J J J J




C. prophylactic antibiotics J




D. quarantine of people with leprosy J J J J J




Difficulty: Moderate J




ASM Standard: 23 J J




6. For which of the following is Thucydides known?
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A. developing an effective sewer system in ancient Greece, helping to reduce levels of J J J J J J J J J J J J J




disease in cities J J




B. observing microbes, using a microscope, for the first time, even distinguishing between J J J J J J J J J J J J




bacteria and fungi J J




C. proposing that disease was caused by microorganisms J J J J J J




D. realizing that people who had been infected by the Athenian plague had immunity to
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




reinfection*

Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 23,31 J J J




7. Ernst Haeckel proposed a classification system consisting of which of the following
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subgroups? A. five kingdoms J J J




B. four kingdoms*
J J




C. two domains and three kingdoms
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D. two domains and five kingdoms
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Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: N/A J




Page/ 2/ of/ 17

,8. Viruses not included in phylogenetic trees for which of the following reasons? A. It is too
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difficult to observe their characteristics.
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B. They are acellular and nonliving.*
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C. They do not have any genes, which prevents genetic analysis.
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D. They lack a nucleus.
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Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 5 J




9. Which is the best description of the primary purpose of a phylogeny? A. Phylogenies show all
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the alterative names for each species.
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B. Phylogenies show all the common names for each species.
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C. Phylogenies show evolutionary relatedness between organisms.*
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D. Phylogenies show interactions between species in a shared habitat.
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Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 5 J




10. Current phylogenetic analyses include which of the following?
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A. information from a range of sources, including morphological, genetic, and biochemical
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data*
B. information on visible similarities only J J J J




C. information regarding how to classify organisms on the basis of external morphological
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characteristics and visible behaviors J J J




D. varied morphological and structural characteristics, with preference for leaving historical
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classifications to prevent confusion J J J




Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 5 J




11. Diatoms are classified within which of the following domains?
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A. Archaea
B. Bacteria
C. Eukarya*
D. Prokaryota

Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: N/A J




12. Horizontal gene transfer involves which of the following?
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A. any transfer of genes in a laboratory setting
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Page/ 3/ of/ 17

, B. the transfer of genes from a virus to a bacterium or vice versa but not any other form of gene
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transfer
C. the transfer of genes from one individual to another, including from one species to
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another, but not from parent to offspring* D. the transfer of genes from parent to
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




offspring

Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 2, 4 J J J




13. Bacteria are generally identified to species by using which of the following?
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A. a combination of genetic, biochemical, and microscopic approaches*
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B. a combination of microscopic and physiological approaches, but not genetics
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C. primarily characteristics such as motility that can be visualized using microscopy
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D. primarily morphological characteristics of individual cells J J J J J




Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 34,36J J J




14. For taxonomic classification of microbes, serological tests typically are used to do which of
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




the following?
J




A. determine complete genome sequences for microbes J J J J J




B. identify proteins on the basis of their reaction with specific antibodies*
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C. run analyses to identify whether particular genes are present
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D. visualize microbial external morphology J J J




Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 34,36J J J




Which of the following is true of the microbial world? A. All
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microbes are harmful. J J




B. Humans could survive without microbes.
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C. Many microbes are helpful.*D. Most microbes are
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pathogenic.

Difficulty: Easy J




ASM Standard: 23, 24
J J J




15. Which of the following is when humans first suspected the existence of microbes?
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A. during the Industrial Revolution J J J




B. in prehistoric times*
J J




C. in the last century J J J




Page/ 4/ of/ 17

, D. within the last 500 years J J J J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:23
J J




16. Which individual first observed unicellular organisms, which he called “animalcules,” using a
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microscope he developed? J J




A. Robert Koch J




B. Louis Pasteur J




C. Thucydides
D. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek* J J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:6
J J




17. To reduce the risk of open flame from Bunsen burners, microbiologists are increasingly using
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




which of the following devices for easy, rapid benchtop sterilization of small pieces of
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




equipment?
A. autoclaves
B. ethylene oxide J




C. incubators
D. microincinerators*

Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:36
J J




18. The Swedish botanist known for having developed an important biological classification
J J J J J J J J J J J




system is which of the following people?
J J J J J J




A. Ernst Haeckel J




B. Carolus Linnaeus* J




C. Louis Pasteur J




D. Robert Whittaker J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/A
J J




19. Which kingdom was the only one found in Empire Prokaryota?
J J J J J J J J J




A. Animalia
B. Fungi
C. Monera*
D. Protista



Page/ 5/ of/ 17

, Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/AJ J




20. Which are the three currently accepted domains?
J J J J J J




A. Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya* J J J




B. Archaea, Prokaryota, and Eukaryota J J J




C. Bacteria, Fungi, and Protista J J J




D. Bacteria, Prokaryota, and Eukarya J J J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/AJ J




21. Which two taxonomic units are typically used to identify an organism when using binomial
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




nomenclature? A. domain and kingdom J J J J




B. genus and family
J J J




C. genus and species*
J J J




D. phylum and class
J J J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/AJ J




22. Which of the following is true of bacterial strains?
J J J J J J J J




A. They are closely related subtypes within a bacterial species that may or may not have
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similar properties.* J




B. They are informal bacterial groupings used for medical distinctions but not recognized
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for classification purposes.
J J




C. They are more distantly related to each other than are members of a single bacterial
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species.
D. They are very similar bacteria with almost identical properties.
J J J J J J J J




Difficulty:Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 5J J




23. Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology is used primarily as which of the following?
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A. a guide to bacterial shapes
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B. a historical account of changes in classification techniques
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C. a list and characterization of all known medically relevant microbes
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D. a reference for bacterial classification*
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Page/ 6/ of/ 17

, Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 34 J




24. Which of the following indicates how bacteria and viruses typically compare in size? A.
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Bacteria are indistinguishable from viruses.
J J J J




B. Bacteria are much larger than viruses.*
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C. Bacteria are much smaller than viruses.
J J J J J J




D. Bacteria are similar in size to viruses.
J J J J J J J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/A
J J




25. Viruses are classified as which of the following?
J J J J J J J




A. Archaea
B. Bacteria
C. Eukarya
D. distinct from the three-domain system*
J J J J




Page/ 7/ of/ 17

,OpenStaxMicrobiology TestBank Chapter 1:
J J J J J J



An Invisible World
J J




Difficulty:Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 4
J J




26. Which of the following is not a curved bacterial shape?
J J J J J J J J J




A. bacillus*
B. spirillum
C. spirochete
D. vibrio

Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:34
J J




27. Based just on the name, which of the following groups of bacteria contains entirely
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J




species that consume organic compounds for food?
J J J J J J




A. cyanobacteria
B. green nonsulfur bacteria J J




C. green sulfur bacteria J J




D. nonphotosynthetic bacteria* J




Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 11, 13, 20
J J J J




28. Chitin cell walls are characteristic of which taxonomic group?
J J J J J J J J




A. algae
B. archaea
C. bacteria
D. fungi*

Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 20 J




29. Which of the following is not true of algae?
J J J J J J J J




A. All the algae are classified together in one similar group closely related to green
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plants.*
B. Ingredients made from algae, including carrageenan, are used in food products.
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C. They are being used to develop biofuels.
J J J J J J




D. They are sometimes multicellular.
J J J




Difficulty: Moderate J J




ASM Standard: 20, 23, 26
J J J J




Page/ 8/ of/ 17

,OpenStax/Microbiology/Test/Bank/Chapter/
1:/ An/ Invisible/ World

Difficulty:/ Moderate
30. Oral thrush is caused by which type of organism?
J J J J J J J J




A. algae
B. bacteria
C. fungi*
D. protists


Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 23 J




31. Mycotoxins are produced by which type of organism? J J J J J J J




A. archaeans
B. heterotrophic protists J




C. molds*
D. protozoans

Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 23 J




32. Which of the following is not a common use of fungi?
J J J J J J J J J J




A. the production of alcoholic beverages
J J J J




B. the production of carrageenan*
J J J




C. the production of cyclosporine
J J J




D. theproduction ofpenicillin
J J J J




ASM Standard: 20, 23, 26
J J J J




33. The guinea worm is best described as which of the following? A. a helminthic parasite
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transmitted by consuming contaminated water* J J J J




B. a type of mold that grows into a worm-like shape and produces antimicrobial chemicals
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C. a type of protist found in water that has not been properly treated
J J J J J J J J J J J J J




D. a type of protozoan that is unusual because it is multicellular
J J J J J J J J J J J




Difficulty:ModerateASM J J J




Standard: 23 J




34. Which of the following is true of the genetics of viruses?
J J J J J J J J J J




A. Viruses always contain DNA and force host cells to produce RNA.
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B. Viruses always contain DNA and RNA. J J J J J




C. Viruses always contain RNA and force host cells to produce DNA.
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Page/ 9/ of/ 17

, OpenStax/Microbiology/Test/Bank/Chapter/
1:/ An/ Invisible/ World

Difficulty:/ Moderate
D. Viruses can contain either DNA or RNA, but not both.*
J J J J J J J J J




Difficulty:Moderate J J




ASM Standard: N/A
J J




True/False

35. All organisms studied in the field of microbiology are visible only with a microscope.
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Answer: False J




Difficulty: Easy J J




ASMStandard:N/A
J J




36. Older scientific names are typically derived from Latin. Answer: True
J J J J J J J J J J




Difficulty: Easy J




ASM Standard: N/A
J J




37. Animal cells are generally about the same size as bacterial cells. Answer: False
J J J J J J J J J J J J J




Difficulty: Easy J




ASM Standard: N/A
J J




38. Researchers studying a 5300-year-old mummy discovered in the 1990s think he may have
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been trying to use a fungus to treat his illnesses. Answer: True
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Difficulty: Easy J




Page/ 10/ of/ 17