Honors Biology Cancer Exam 2025
Questions and Answers
Mitosis - ANSWER✔✔-The process by which cells divide, creating two identical
daughter cells.
Prophase - ANSWER✔✔-The first phase of mitosis in which chromosomes condense
and become visible.
Anaphase - ANSWER✔✔-The third stage of mitosis in which chromosome pairs are
split up equally and pulled to separate sides of the cell.
Telophase - ANSWER✔✔-The fourth (and last) stage of mitosis in which chromosomes
bunch up at either end of the cell and begin to unravel into their original state.
Cytokinesis - ANSWER✔✔-When the cytoplasm divides after mitosis, creating two
identical cells.
Metaphase - ANSWER✔✔-The second stage of mitosis in which chromosomes line up
in pairs along the center of the cell.
,Why does an onion root tip have more cells undergoing mitosis than an elodea leaf? -
ANSWER✔✔-The leaf's job is to perform photosynthesis, so it does not need to grow.
The onion root tip's function is to grow, so many of the cells are dividing.
What is the purpose of mitosis? - ANSWER✔✔-Growth and repair.
Normal cells are in mitosis for _____% of their life and in interphase for ____% of their
life. - ANSWER✔✔-10, 90
Chromosome - ANSWER✔✔-DNA and proteins coiled around each other found in the
nucleus of the cell.
How many chromosomes do humans have? - ANSWER✔✔-46
How are cancerous cells different from normal cells? - ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells
spend more time in mitosis than interphase, have a higher density in a given area, have
many different sizes and shapes, disorganized DNA, an abnormal number of
chromosomes, a larger and darker nucleus, no clear boundaries, clump together in a
tumor, do not have contact inhibition, and undergo mitosis without a purpose.
Do cancerous cells or normal cells spend less time in mitosis and interphase? Why? -
ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells spend less time in mitosis and interphase because
oncogenes have accelerated their cell cycle or there are no tumor suppressor genes.
Why is an increased rate of mitosis in cancerous cells different than an increased rate of
mitosis in an onion root tip? - ANSWER✔✔-In an onion root tip, the root's purpose is to
, continue to grow to seek water and nutrients. This kind of growth is planned and
necessary for the plant's survival, so the increased rate of mitosis makes sense. In
cancerous cells, there is no purpose for the mitosis. It is not planned or necessary.
Do cancerous cells or normal cells have a higher density in a given space? Why? -
ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells increase exponentially in cell density, so there are many
more of them packed into a given space. Normal cells recognize when a space has been
filled and stop dividing (contact inhibition), but cancerous cells have lost their ability to
receive the signal that the space is filled, so they continue to divide.
Apoptosis - ANSWER✔✔-Programmed cell death that eliminates unnecessary cells
during development and removes unhealthy/damaged cells.
Explain the relationship between normal cell division and apoptosis. - ANSWER✔✔-In
normal cells, when there is DNA damage that the cell cannot fix, it undergoes
apoptosis. This prevents the damaged DNA from being passed on to daughter cells
during mitosis.
Explain the relationship between cancerous cells and apoptosis. - ANSWER✔✔-In
cancerous cells, when there is DNA damage that the cell cannot fix, it does not undergo
apoptosis. Instead, it continues to divide even though it isn't supposed to, and the cells
overgrow the area and clump together, making more cells with damaged DNA.
What is the difference between normal skin tissue and melanoma? - ANSWER✔✔-
Normal skin tissue is well organized with boundaries between each layer. The cells are
Questions and Answers
Mitosis - ANSWER✔✔-The process by which cells divide, creating two identical
daughter cells.
Prophase - ANSWER✔✔-The first phase of mitosis in which chromosomes condense
and become visible.
Anaphase - ANSWER✔✔-The third stage of mitosis in which chromosome pairs are
split up equally and pulled to separate sides of the cell.
Telophase - ANSWER✔✔-The fourth (and last) stage of mitosis in which chromosomes
bunch up at either end of the cell and begin to unravel into their original state.
Cytokinesis - ANSWER✔✔-When the cytoplasm divides after mitosis, creating two
identical cells.
Metaphase - ANSWER✔✔-The second stage of mitosis in which chromosomes line up
in pairs along the center of the cell.
,Why does an onion root tip have more cells undergoing mitosis than an elodea leaf? -
ANSWER✔✔-The leaf's job is to perform photosynthesis, so it does not need to grow.
The onion root tip's function is to grow, so many of the cells are dividing.
What is the purpose of mitosis? - ANSWER✔✔-Growth and repair.
Normal cells are in mitosis for _____% of their life and in interphase for ____% of their
life. - ANSWER✔✔-10, 90
Chromosome - ANSWER✔✔-DNA and proteins coiled around each other found in the
nucleus of the cell.
How many chromosomes do humans have? - ANSWER✔✔-46
How are cancerous cells different from normal cells? - ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells
spend more time in mitosis than interphase, have a higher density in a given area, have
many different sizes and shapes, disorganized DNA, an abnormal number of
chromosomes, a larger and darker nucleus, no clear boundaries, clump together in a
tumor, do not have contact inhibition, and undergo mitosis without a purpose.
Do cancerous cells or normal cells spend less time in mitosis and interphase? Why? -
ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells spend less time in mitosis and interphase because
oncogenes have accelerated their cell cycle or there are no tumor suppressor genes.
Why is an increased rate of mitosis in cancerous cells different than an increased rate of
mitosis in an onion root tip? - ANSWER✔✔-In an onion root tip, the root's purpose is to
, continue to grow to seek water and nutrients. This kind of growth is planned and
necessary for the plant's survival, so the increased rate of mitosis makes sense. In
cancerous cells, there is no purpose for the mitosis. It is not planned or necessary.
Do cancerous cells or normal cells have a higher density in a given space? Why? -
ANSWER✔✔-Cancerous cells increase exponentially in cell density, so there are many
more of them packed into a given space. Normal cells recognize when a space has been
filled and stop dividing (contact inhibition), but cancerous cells have lost their ability to
receive the signal that the space is filled, so they continue to divide.
Apoptosis - ANSWER✔✔-Programmed cell death that eliminates unnecessary cells
during development and removes unhealthy/damaged cells.
Explain the relationship between normal cell division and apoptosis. - ANSWER✔✔-In
normal cells, when there is DNA damage that the cell cannot fix, it undergoes
apoptosis. This prevents the damaged DNA from being passed on to daughter cells
during mitosis.
Explain the relationship between cancerous cells and apoptosis. - ANSWER✔✔-In
cancerous cells, when there is DNA damage that the cell cannot fix, it does not undergo
apoptosis. Instead, it continues to divide even though it isn't supposed to, and the cells
overgrow the area and clump together, making more cells with damaged DNA.
What is the difference between normal skin tissue and melanoma? - ANSWER✔✔-
Normal skin tissue is well organized with boundaries between each layer. The cells are
