UTSA BIO 1404 Biosciences I Practice Test 1 (Units 1-7) -
Questions with Correct Answers (Verified Update)
50 questions
1. Sweating cools the body mainly because of water's:
A. Low density as ice
B. High heat of vaporization
C. Nonpolar structure
D. Low surface tension
Correct Answer: B. High heat of vaporization
Rationale: Evaporating water must break many hydrogen bonds, removing heat from the skin.
2. Insects such as water striders can walk on water because of:
A. Adhesion to the insect's legs
B. Water's high specific heat
C. Ionic bonding
D. Surface tension from cohesion
Correct Answer: D. Surface tension from cohesion
Rationale: Hydrogen-bonded surface molecules resist being broken apart.
3. Which element is found in proteins but NOT in carbohydrates or most lipids?
A. Carbon
B. Hydrogen
C. Oxygen
D. Nitrogen
Correct Answer: D. Nitrogen
Rationale: Amino acids contain an amino group (N); some also contain sulfur.
4. How many water molecules are released when 5 glucose monomers are joined into a chain?
A. 5
B. 4
C. 6
D. 10
Correct Answer: B. 4
Rationale: Each bond formed by dehydration synthesis releases one water: n - 1 = 4.
5. Lactose intolerance results from a lack of which enzyme?
A. Lactase
B. Amylase
C. Pepsin
D. Lipase
Correct Answer: A. Lactase
Rationale: Lactase hydrolyzes lactose into glucose and galactose.
6. Which group would be found on the surface of a water-soluble globular protein?
A. Nonpolar R groups only
B. Polar and charged R groups
C. Fatty acid tails
D. Cholesterol
Correct Answer: B. Polar and charged R groups
Rationale: Hydrophilic R groups face the water; hydrophobic ones cluster inside.
, 7. Chitin, found in insect exoskeletons and fungal cell walls, is a:
A. Structural polysaccharide
B. Protein
C. Steroid
D. Nucleic acid
Correct Answer: A. Structural polysaccharide
Rationale: Chitin is a polymer of a nitrogen-containing glucose derivative.
8. Which statement is part of the cell theory?
A. All cells have a nucleus
B. All cells have a cell wall
C. All cells arise from pre-existing cells
D. Cells can arise from nonliving matter
Correct Answer: C. All cells arise from pre-existing cells
Rationale: Virchow's principle 'omnis cellula e cellula' is part of modern cell theory.
9. Which organelle would be most abundant in a cell that detoxifies alcohol?
A. Smooth ER
B. Rough ER
C. Chloroplast
D. Central vacuole
Correct Answer: A. Smooth ER
Rationale: Liver cells have extensive smooth ER containing detoxification enzymes.
10. A cell biologist finds a cell with a nucleus, mitochondria and a cell wall but no chloroplasts. It
could be a:
A. Bacterial cell
B. Animal cell
C. Fungal cell
D. Plant leaf cell
Correct Answer: C. Fungal cell
Rationale: Fungi are eukaryotes with chitin cell walls and no chloroplasts.
11. Which describes the role of glycoproteins on the cell surface?
A. ATP production
B. Protein synthesis
C. Cell-to-cell recognition
D. DNA storage
Correct Answer: C. Cell-to-cell recognition
Rationale: Carbohydrate chains act as identification tags, e.g., in immune recognition and blood types.
12. A cell has a higher concentration of K+ inside than outside. Moving more K+ into the cell
requires:
A. Simple diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Active transport
D. Facilitated diffusion
Correct Answer: C. Active transport
Rationale: Moving against the concentration gradient requires energy.
Questions with Correct Answers (Verified Update)
50 questions
1. Sweating cools the body mainly because of water's:
A. Low density as ice
B. High heat of vaporization
C. Nonpolar structure
D. Low surface tension
Correct Answer: B. High heat of vaporization
Rationale: Evaporating water must break many hydrogen bonds, removing heat from the skin.
2. Insects such as water striders can walk on water because of:
A. Adhesion to the insect's legs
B. Water's high specific heat
C. Ionic bonding
D. Surface tension from cohesion
Correct Answer: D. Surface tension from cohesion
Rationale: Hydrogen-bonded surface molecules resist being broken apart.
3. Which element is found in proteins but NOT in carbohydrates or most lipids?
A. Carbon
B. Hydrogen
C. Oxygen
D. Nitrogen
Correct Answer: D. Nitrogen
Rationale: Amino acids contain an amino group (N); some also contain sulfur.
4. How many water molecules are released when 5 glucose monomers are joined into a chain?
A. 5
B. 4
C. 6
D. 10
Correct Answer: B. 4
Rationale: Each bond formed by dehydration synthesis releases one water: n - 1 = 4.
5. Lactose intolerance results from a lack of which enzyme?
A. Lactase
B. Amylase
C. Pepsin
D. Lipase
Correct Answer: A. Lactase
Rationale: Lactase hydrolyzes lactose into glucose and galactose.
6. Which group would be found on the surface of a water-soluble globular protein?
A. Nonpolar R groups only
B. Polar and charged R groups
C. Fatty acid tails
D. Cholesterol
Correct Answer: B. Polar and charged R groups
Rationale: Hydrophilic R groups face the water; hydrophobic ones cluster inside.
, 7. Chitin, found in insect exoskeletons and fungal cell walls, is a:
A. Structural polysaccharide
B. Protein
C. Steroid
D. Nucleic acid
Correct Answer: A. Structural polysaccharide
Rationale: Chitin is a polymer of a nitrogen-containing glucose derivative.
8. Which statement is part of the cell theory?
A. All cells have a nucleus
B. All cells have a cell wall
C. All cells arise from pre-existing cells
D. Cells can arise from nonliving matter
Correct Answer: C. All cells arise from pre-existing cells
Rationale: Virchow's principle 'omnis cellula e cellula' is part of modern cell theory.
9. Which organelle would be most abundant in a cell that detoxifies alcohol?
A. Smooth ER
B. Rough ER
C. Chloroplast
D. Central vacuole
Correct Answer: A. Smooth ER
Rationale: Liver cells have extensive smooth ER containing detoxification enzymes.
10. A cell biologist finds a cell with a nucleus, mitochondria and a cell wall but no chloroplasts. It
could be a:
A. Bacterial cell
B. Animal cell
C. Fungal cell
D. Plant leaf cell
Correct Answer: C. Fungal cell
Rationale: Fungi are eukaryotes with chitin cell walls and no chloroplasts.
11. Which describes the role of glycoproteins on the cell surface?
A. ATP production
B. Protein synthesis
C. Cell-to-cell recognition
D. DNA storage
Correct Answer: C. Cell-to-cell recognition
Rationale: Carbohydrate chains act as identification tags, e.g., in immune recognition and blood types.
12. A cell has a higher concentration of K+ inside than outside. Moving more K+ into the cell
requires:
A. Simple diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Active transport
D. Facilitated diffusion
Correct Answer: C. Active transport
Rationale: Moving against the concentration gradient requires energy.
