BIOD 171 ACTUAL EXAM FULL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A PLUS
●● What is the primary focus of clinical microbiology?
Answer: Pathogens
●● What is the smallest biological unit of life?
Answer: Cell
●● What is a macromolecule?
Answer: A complex molecule that is composed from smaller subunits
●● What are the four main types of macromolecules?
Answer: Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates
●● What various functions do proteins have in a cell?
Answer: Proteins my facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a
cell. Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement
●● What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
,Answer: There are two major types of nucleic acids: DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids are
chemical molecules that carry genetic information within the cell. DNA
contains a vast amount of hereditary information and is responsible for
the inheritable characteristics of living organisms. RNA is responsible
for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA and using it to
synthesize proteins
●● What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?
Answer: The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding barrier
that separates the inside of the cell from the outside surrounding
environment. The plasma membrane also restricts movement of
materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the cell, thus allowing
a cell to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing
the escape (outflux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is
composed of lipids (hydrophobic hydrocarbons)
●● What are the three main components of carbohydrates?
Answer: Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
●● What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic
cells?
Answer: Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed
region within the cell that contains the genetic material. Prokaryotic cells
do not have a nucleus and can be further classified as either bacteria or
archaea
, ●● What are the main morphologies of bacteria?
Answer: Coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio (curved rod),
spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
●● Which group (classification) of microbes is noted for its ability to
survive under harsh conditions?
Answer: Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh
environmental conditions such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high
temperatures, and oxygen-poor conditions
●● What are the four main classifications of Eukarya?
Answer: Animalia, plantae, fungi, or protista
●● Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic?
Answer: No. Viruses are considered neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic.
Viruses are not considered living and do not replicate on their own,
meaning they must replicate within a host
●● The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?
Answer: The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of
amphipathic phospholipids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic
(water loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing)
tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-
AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A PLUS
●● What is the primary focus of clinical microbiology?
Answer: Pathogens
●● What is the smallest biological unit of life?
Answer: Cell
●● What is a macromolecule?
Answer: A complex molecule that is composed from smaller subunits
●● What are the four main types of macromolecules?
Answer: Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates
●● What various functions do proteins have in a cell?
Answer: Proteins my facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a
cell. Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement
●● What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
,Answer: There are two major types of nucleic acids: DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids are
chemical molecules that carry genetic information within the cell. DNA
contains a vast amount of hereditary information and is responsible for
the inheritable characteristics of living organisms. RNA is responsible
for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA and using it to
synthesize proteins
●● What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?
Answer: The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding barrier
that separates the inside of the cell from the outside surrounding
environment. The plasma membrane also restricts movement of
materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the cell, thus allowing
a cell to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing
the escape (outflux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is
composed of lipids (hydrophobic hydrocarbons)
●● What are the three main components of carbohydrates?
Answer: Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
●● What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic
cells?
Answer: Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed
region within the cell that contains the genetic material. Prokaryotic cells
do not have a nucleus and can be further classified as either bacteria or
archaea
, ●● What are the main morphologies of bacteria?
Answer: Coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio (curved rod),
spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
●● Which group (classification) of microbes is noted for its ability to
survive under harsh conditions?
Answer: Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh
environmental conditions such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high
temperatures, and oxygen-poor conditions
●● What are the four main classifications of Eukarya?
Answer: Animalia, plantae, fungi, or protista
●● Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic?
Answer: No. Viruses are considered neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic.
Viruses are not considered living and do not replicate on their own,
meaning they must replicate within a host
●● The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?
Answer: The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of
amphipathic phospholipids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic
(water loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing)
tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-
