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CAMPBELL BIOLOGY, 13TH EDITION EXAM COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
CAMPBELL BIOLOGY, 13TH EDITION: QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
UNIT 1: THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
Questions 1–12
Question 1
Which of the following statements about cells is correct?
A) Single cells cannot exist independently
B) Cells are limited in size to 200–500 micrometers in diameter
C) Some cells are non-living in nature
D) Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms are made up of cells
Answer: D
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
Prokaryotic organisms (bacteria and archaea) are single-celled, while eukaryotic organisms
(plants, animals, fungi, protists) can be single-celled or multicellular. Cells can exist
independently (e.g., unicellular organisms), and some cells are larger than 500 micrometers
(e.g., ostrich egg).
Question 2
A cell lacking which of the following structures is most likely to be a prokaryote?
A) Nuclear membrane
B) Cell membrane
C) Cytoplasm
D) Nucleic acid
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Answer: A
Rationale: Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus (nuclear envelope). They do have a
cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleic acid (DNA). Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus
enclosed by a nuclear membrane.
Question 3
Which of the following types of cells use DNA as their genetic material but do not have their
DNA encased within a nuclear envelope?
A) Animal
B) Plant
C) Archaean
D) Fungi
Answer: C
Rationale: Archaea are prokaryotes that use DNA as their genetic material but lack a nuclear
envelope. Animals, plants, and fungi are eukaryotes with membrane-bound nuclei.
Question 4
Which of the following is the correct order of organization of genetic material from smallest
to largest?
A) Gene, nucleotide, chromosome, genome
B) Chromosome, genome, nucleotide, gene
C) Genome, chromosome, gene, nucleotide
D) Nucleotide, gene, chromosome, genome
Answer: D
Rationale: Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA. Genes are segments of DNA that code
for proteins. Chromosomes are structures of packaged DNA. The genome is the complete set of
genetic material in an organism.
Question 5
As letters are to the English language, ______ is/are to genetic information.
A) Proteins
B) Nucleotides
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C) DNA double helix
D) Carbohydrates
Answer: B
Rationale: Just as letters form words in English, nucleotides are the basic building blocks of
genetic information. They form the sequence of DNA that encodes instructions for building
proteins.
Question 6
Which of the following provides evidence of the common ancestry of all life?
A) Near universality of the genetic code
B) Structure of the nucleus
C) Structure of cilia
D) Structure of chloroplasts
Answer: A
Rationale: The genetic code is nearly universal across all organisms, from bacteria to humans.
This universality is strong evidence that all life shares a common ancestor.
Question 7
Which branch of biology is concerned with the naming and classifying of organisms?
A) Informatics
B) Taxonomy
C) Genomics
D) Proteomics
Answer: B
Rationale: Taxonomy is the branch of biology that involves identifying, naming, and classifying
organisms. Informatics, genomics, and proteomics are other fields of biological study.
Question 8
A localized group of organisms that belong to the same species is called a _____.
A) Community
B) Population
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C) Ecosystem
D) Family
Answer: B
Rationale: A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same
geographic area. A community includes all populations in an area. An ecosystem includes the
community and its physical environment.
Question 9
Which of the following statements about genetic information is correct?
A) mRNA is the only type of RNA found in a eukaryotic cell
B) All forms of life employ the same genetic code
C) A typical human liver cell has one set of chromosomes
D) DNA is not found in prokaryotic cells
Answer: B
Rationale: The genetic code is nearly universal, meaning that the same codons specify the same
amino acids in almost all organisms. This is a key piece of evidence for common ancestry.
Question 10
Which of the following is an example of genetic variation?
A) Two brothers who are twins
B) One sibling is vegan, the other eats meat
C) One sibling has brown eyes, the other has green
D) One of the twins has a scar the other does not
Answer: C
Rationale: Genetic variation refers to differences in DNA sequences among individuals. Eye
color is a genetically determined trait, so siblings with different eye colors demonstrate genetic
variation.
Question 11
When your body temperature rises on a hot day, neural and hormonal mechanisms activate
sweating. Evaporation of sweat leads to cooling of the body surface. This is an example of
_____.
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CAMPBELL BIOLOGY, 13TH EDITION EXAM COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
CAMPBELL BIOLOGY, 13TH EDITION: QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
UNIT 1: THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
Questions 1–12
Question 1
Which of the following statements about cells is correct?
A) Single cells cannot exist independently
B) Cells are limited in size to 200–500 micrometers in diameter
C) Some cells are non-living in nature
D) Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms are made up of cells
Answer: D
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
Prokaryotic organisms (bacteria and archaea) are single-celled, while eukaryotic organisms
(plants, animals, fungi, protists) can be single-celled or multicellular. Cells can exist
independently (e.g., unicellular organisms), and some cells are larger than 500 micrometers
(e.g., ostrich egg).
Question 2
A cell lacking which of the following structures is most likely to be a prokaryote?
A) Nuclear membrane
B) Cell membrane
C) Cytoplasm
D) Nucleic acid
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Answer: A
Rationale: Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus (nuclear envelope). They do have a
cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleic acid (DNA). Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus
enclosed by a nuclear membrane.
Question 3
Which of the following types of cells use DNA as their genetic material but do not have their
DNA encased within a nuclear envelope?
A) Animal
B) Plant
C) Archaean
D) Fungi
Answer: C
Rationale: Archaea are prokaryotes that use DNA as their genetic material but lack a nuclear
envelope. Animals, plants, and fungi are eukaryotes with membrane-bound nuclei.
Question 4
Which of the following is the correct order of organization of genetic material from smallest
to largest?
A) Gene, nucleotide, chromosome, genome
B) Chromosome, genome, nucleotide, gene
C) Genome, chromosome, gene, nucleotide
D) Nucleotide, gene, chromosome, genome
Answer: D
Rationale: Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA. Genes are segments of DNA that code
for proteins. Chromosomes are structures of packaged DNA. The genome is the complete set of
genetic material in an organism.
Question 5
As letters are to the English language, ______ is/are to genetic information.
A) Proteins
B) Nucleotides
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C) DNA double helix
D) Carbohydrates
Answer: B
Rationale: Just as letters form words in English, nucleotides are the basic building blocks of
genetic information. They form the sequence of DNA that encodes instructions for building
proteins.
Question 6
Which of the following provides evidence of the common ancestry of all life?
A) Near universality of the genetic code
B) Structure of the nucleus
C) Structure of cilia
D) Structure of chloroplasts
Answer: A
Rationale: The genetic code is nearly universal across all organisms, from bacteria to humans.
This universality is strong evidence that all life shares a common ancestor.
Question 7
Which branch of biology is concerned with the naming and classifying of organisms?
A) Informatics
B) Taxonomy
C) Genomics
D) Proteomics
Answer: B
Rationale: Taxonomy is the branch of biology that involves identifying, naming, and classifying
organisms. Informatics, genomics, and proteomics are other fields of biological study.
Question 8
A localized group of organisms that belong to the same species is called a _____.
A) Community
B) Population
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C) Ecosystem
D) Family
Answer: B
Rationale: A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same
geographic area. A community includes all populations in an area. An ecosystem includes the
community and its physical environment.
Question 9
Which of the following statements about genetic information is correct?
A) mRNA is the only type of RNA found in a eukaryotic cell
B) All forms of life employ the same genetic code
C) A typical human liver cell has one set of chromosomes
D) DNA is not found in prokaryotic cells
Answer: B
Rationale: The genetic code is nearly universal, meaning that the same codons specify the same
amino acids in almost all organisms. This is a key piece of evidence for common ancestry.
Question 10
Which of the following is an example of genetic variation?
A) Two brothers who are twins
B) One sibling is vegan, the other eats meat
C) One sibling has brown eyes, the other has green
D) One of the twins has a scar the other does not
Answer: C
Rationale: Genetic variation refers to differences in DNA sequences among individuals. Eye
color is a genetically determined trait, so siblings with different eye colors demonstrate genetic
variation.
Question 11
When your body temperature rises on a hot day, neural and hormonal mechanisms activate
sweating. Evaporation of sweat leads to cooling of the body surface. This is an example of
_____.
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