©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
BIOD 171 Final Exam Study Guide
Questions and Answers
What is microbiology the study of? - Ans:✔✔-microbes and their biological processes
What is the smallest biological unit of life? - Ans:✔✔-cell
What are the characteristics of life? - Ans:✔✔-movement, responsiveness, growth, reproduction,
metabolism, homeostasis, and organization
What is a macromolecule? - Ans:✔✔-a complex molecule that is composed from smaller subunits
What are the four main types of macromolecules? - Ans:✔✔-protein, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates
What is the most prominent macromolecule in the body? - Ans:✔✔-protein
What are the functions of proteins in a cell? - Ans:✔✔-Movement, catalyzing, support, storage,
transportation, communication in the cell, defense
what is the most abundant cell type? - Ans:✔✔-Prokaryotic
What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles? - Ans:✔✔-DNA and RNA
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, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
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 of? - Ans:✔✔-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 the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of
the cell, thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing the escape
(out flux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is composed of lipids (hydrophobic
hydrocarbons).
What are the three main components of carbohydrates? - Ans:✔✔-carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? - Ans:✔✔-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? - Ans:✔✔-coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio
(curved rod) or spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
what are the 2 main branches of prokaryotes? - Ans:✔✔-bacteria and archaea
Which group of microbes is noted for its ability to survive under harsh conditions? - Ans:✔✔-Archaea
What are the four main classifications of Eukarya? - Ans:✔✔-Animalia, Plantae, Fungi or Protista
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FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic? - Ans:✔✔-No they are not considered living
because
What is the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane composed of? - Ans:✔✔-polar hydrophilic (water
loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing) tail region
-hydrophobic tail faces inward and and polar head interacts with water outside and inside the cell
What are the primary cellular organelles and their roles? - Ans:✔✔-Ribosomes (protein synthesis), ER
(site of protein synthesis), Golgi (protein modification and distribution), lysosomes (waste disposal),
mitochondria (ATP generation) and chloroplasts (plants only; site of photosynthesis).
Proteins are formed from various combinations of ______ of which there are ____ known forms -
Ans:✔✔-amino acids, 20
What is an essential amino acid? - Ans:✔✔-An essential amino acid cannot be produced by the human
body and as such must be take in from the environment through alternative sources (i.e) food.
What do eukaryotic cell membranes have that prokaryotic cell membranes don't? - Ans:✔✔-sterol lipids
(ex: cholesterol)
Functions of plasma membrane? - Ans:✔✔-Proteins in membrane allow the import of nutrients or
export of molecules (wastes, signaling molecules)
Protein sensors receive information about the environment or messages from other cells
Page 3/22
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
BIOD 171 Final Exam Study Guide
Questions and Answers
What is microbiology the study of? - Ans:✔✔-microbes and their biological processes
What is the smallest biological unit of life? - Ans:✔✔-cell
What are the characteristics of life? - Ans:✔✔-movement, responsiveness, growth, reproduction,
metabolism, homeostasis, and organization
What is a macromolecule? - Ans:✔✔-a complex molecule that is composed from smaller subunits
What are the four main types of macromolecules? - Ans:✔✔-protein, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates
What is the most prominent macromolecule in the body? - Ans:✔✔-protein
What are the functions of proteins in a cell? - Ans:✔✔-Movement, catalyzing, support, storage,
transportation, communication in the cell, defense
what is the most abundant cell type? - Ans:✔✔-Prokaryotic
What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles? - Ans:✔✔-DNA and RNA
Page 1/22
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
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 of? - Ans:✔✔-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 the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of
the cell, thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing the escape
(out flux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is composed of lipids (hydrophobic
hydrocarbons).
What are the three main components of carbohydrates? - Ans:✔✔-carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? - Ans:✔✔-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? - Ans:✔✔-coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio
(curved rod) or spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
what are the 2 main branches of prokaryotes? - Ans:✔✔-bacteria and archaea
Which group of microbes is noted for its ability to survive under harsh conditions? - Ans:✔✔-Archaea
What are the four main classifications of Eukarya? - Ans:✔✔-Animalia, Plantae, Fungi or Protista
Page 2/22
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic? - Ans:✔✔-No they are not considered living
because
What is the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane composed of? - Ans:✔✔-polar hydrophilic (water
loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing) tail region
-hydrophobic tail faces inward and and polar head interacts with water outside and inside the cell
What are the primary cellular organelles and their roles? - Ans:✔✔-Ribosomes (protein synthesis), ER
(site of protein synthesis), Golgi (protein modification and distribution), lysosomes (waste disposal),
mitochondria (ATP generation) and chloroplasts (plants only; site of photosynthesis).
Proteins are formed from various combinations of ______ of which there are ____ known forms -
Ans:✔✔-amino acids, 20
What is an essential amino acid? - Ans:✔✔-An essential amino acid cannot be produced by the human
body and as such must be take in from the environment through alternative sources (i.e) food.
What do eukaryotic cell membranes have that prokaryotic cell membranes don't? - Ans:✔✔-sterol lipids
(ex: cholesterol)
Functions of plasma membrane? - Ans:✔✔-Proteins in membrane allow the import of nutrients or
export of molecules (wastes, signaling molecules)
Protein sensors receive information about the environment or messages from other cells
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