OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 3: The Cell
Chapter 3: The Cell
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. The idea that life could appear from nonliving materials was called which of the following?
A. the cell theory
B. the cellular genesis theory
C. the theory of biogenesis
D. the theory of spontaneous generation*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
2. The first known use of epidemiology to trace the source of a disease outbreak was the
identification of contaminated water as the cause of cholera transmission in London. Which
of the following was the physician who accomplished this?
A. Joseph Lister
B. John Needham
C. Ignaz Semmelweis
D. John Snow*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
3. Which of the following is a series of steps for determining the causative agent of a particular
disease?
A. Koch’s postulates*
B. Lister’s checklists
C. Pasteur’s principles
D. Semmelweis’ guidelines
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
4. Which scientist performed an elegant series of experiments that finally and definitively
disproved the theory of spontaneous generation?
A. John Needham
B. Louis Pasteur*
C. Francesco Redi
D. Jan Baptista van Helmont
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
Page 1 of 17
,OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 3: The Cell
5. Prokaryotes are classified into which domain(s)?
A. Domain Archaea only
B. Domain Bacteria only
C. Domains Archaea and Bacteria only*
D. Domains Bacteria and Eukarya only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: N/A
6. Which term refers to a curved rod?
A. bacillus
B. coccus
C. spirillum
D. vibrio*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
7. When a bacterial cell with a cell wall is placed in salt water with a higher-solute
concentration than the cell cytoplasm, the cell will undergo which of the following?
A. crenation
B. crenolysis
C. lysis
D. plasmolysis*
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 8, 22
8. The bacterial chromosome located in which of the following?
A. the capsule
B. the nucleoid region*
C. the nucleus
D. the thylakoids
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
9. Which scientist thought spontaneous generation had occurred in flasks of broth after the
broth had been boiled?
A. John Needham*
B. Louis Pasteur
C. Francesco Redi
D. Jan Baptista van Helmont
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: N/A
Page 2 of 17
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 3: The Cell
10. Which of the following is not evidence for the endosymbiotic theory?
A. Chloroplasts and mitochondria contain ribosomes that resemble prokaryotic ribosomes.
B. Chloroplasts and mitochondria contain their own DNA that resembles prokaryotic DNA.
C. Chloroplasts and mitochondria have structures that resemble prokaryotic cell walls.*
D. Chloroplasts and mitochondria reproduce using binary fission, like prokaryotic cells.
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 1
11. Which physician realized that doctors were causing maternal deaths by failing to wash their
hands while assisting during childbirth?
A. Girolamo Fracastoro
B. Joseph Lister
C. Louis Pasteur
D. Ignaz Semmelweis*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
12. How did Joseph Lister dramatically improve surgical outcomes?
A. by developing new antibiotics
B. by developing new ways to circulate air within surgical facilities
C. by using phenol as an antiseptic and disinfectant during surgery*
D. by using vaccination against communicable diseases
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 14, 23
13. Sporulation generally occurs under which of the following circumstances?
A. when conditions are unfavorable or there are insufficient nutrients*
B. when microbes are exposed to a new, favorable environment
C. when microbes are under little stress and can become dormant
D. when resources become highly abundant
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 8, 22
14. Which of the following is not a difference between endospores and vegetative cells?
A. Vegetative cells are metabolically active, whereas endospores are dormant.
B. Vegetative cells are more resilient due to their metabolic activities, whereas endospores
are more sensitive to change.*
C. Vegetative cells normally have enzyme activity, whereas endospores do not show
enzymatic activity.
Page 3 of 17
Chapter 3: The Cell
Chapter 3: The Cell
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. The idea that life could appear from nonliving materials was called which of the following?
A. the cell theory
B. the cellular genesis theory
C. the theory of biogenesis
D. the theory of spontaneous generation*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
2. The first known use of epidemiology to trace the source of a disease outbreak was the
identification of contaminated water as the cause of cholera transmission in London. Which
of the following was the physician who accomplished this?
A. Joseph Lister
B. John Needham
C. Ignaz Semmelweis
D. John Snow*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
3. Which of the following is a series of steps for determining the causative agent of a particular
disease?
A. Koch’s postulates*
B. Lister’s checklists
C. Pasteur’s principles
D. Semmelweis’ guidelines
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
4. Which scientist performed an elegant series of experiments that finally and definitively
disproved the theory of spontaneous generation?
A. John Needham
B. Louis Pasteur*
C. Francesco Redi
D. Jan Baptista van Helmont
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
Page 1 of 17
,OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 3: The Cell
5. Prokaryotes are classified into which domain(s)?
A. Domain Archaea only
B. Domain Bacteria only
C. Domains Archaea and Bacteria only*
D. Domains Bacteria and Eukarya only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: N/A
6. Which term refers to a curved rod?
A. bacillus
B. coccus
C. spirillum
D. vibrio*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
7. When a bacterial cell with a cell wall is placed in salt water with a higher-solute
concentration than the cell cytoplasm, the cell will undergo which of the following?
A. crenation
B. crenolysis
C. lysis
D. plasmolysis*
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 8, 22
8. The bacterial chromosome located in which of the following?
A. the capsule
B. the nucleoid region*
C. the nucleus
D. the thylakoids
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
9. Which scientist thought spontaneous generation had occurred in flasks of broth after the
broth had been boiled?
A. John Needham*
B. Louis Pasteur
C. Francesco Redi
D. Jan Baptista van Helmont
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: N/A
Page 2 of 17
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 3: The Cell
10. Which of the following is not evidence for the endosymbiotic theory?
A. Chloroplasts and mitochondria contain ribosomes that resemble prokaryotic ribosomes.
B. Chloroplasts and mitochondria contain their own DNA that resembles prokaryotic DNA.
C. Chloroplasts and mitochondria have structures that resemble prokaryotic cell walls.*
D. Chloroplasts and mitochondria reproduce using binary fission, like prokaryotic cells.
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 1
11. Which physician realized that doctors were causing maternal deaths by failing to wash their
hands while assisting during childbirth?
A. Girolamo Fracastoro
B. Joseph Lister
C. Louis Pasteur
D. Ignaz Semmelweis*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 23
12. How did Joseph Lister dramatically improve surgical outcomes?
A. by developing new antibiotics
B. by developing new ways to circulate air within surgical facilities
C. by using phenol as an antiseptic and disinfectant during surgery*
D. by using vaccination against communicable diseases
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 14, 23
13. Sporulation generally occurs under which of the following circumstances?
A. when conditions are unfavorable or there are insufficient nutrients*
B. when microbes are exposed to a new, favorable environment
C. when microbes are under little stress and can become dormant
D. when resources become highly abundant
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 8, 22
14. Which of the following is not a difference between endospores and vegetative cells?
A. Vegetative cells are metabolically active, whereas endospores are dormant.
B. Vegetative cells are more resilient due to their metabolic activities, whereas endospores
are more sensitive to change.*
C. Vegetative cells normally have enzyme activity, whereas endospores do not show
enzymatic activity.
Page 3 of 17
