KU BIOL 600 FINAL EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Scientists discovered a new animal species with nerve cells physiologically similar to nerve cells
found in other animals. The membrane potential when only sodium ions can move across the
membrane was measured at +116 mV. What is the sodium concentration outside the nerve cell
if the sodium concentration inside the cell is 1 mM?
a) 1 M
b) 0.232 M
c) 0.116 M
d) 0.58 M
e) 0.1 M - ANS 0.1 M
All of the following are true statements about the action potential EXCEPT:
a) Opening of the voltage-gated Na-channels will move the membrane potential to the
equilibrium potential of Na.
b) Opening of voltage-gated K-channels will move the membrane potential to the equilibrium
potential of K.
c) The Hodgkin cycle causes the fast change in membrane potential during the rising phase of
the action potential.
d) The falling phase of the AP is mainly due to the movement of K+ ions.
e) Voltage-gated Na-channels stay open longer than voltage-gated K-channels. -
ANS Voltage-gated Na-channels stay open longer than voltage-gated K-channels.
Which chemical binds to the nicotinic ACh receptor?
a) muscarine
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,b) atropine
c) norepinephrine
d) glutamate
e) curare - ANS curare
The period of excitability of neuron during which both Na+ and K+ activation can occur is called
the
a) interphase period.
b) relative refractory period.
c) absolute refractory period.
d) hyperexcitable period.
e) latent period - ANS relative refractory period
Excitation of the rod cell by blue light results in the production of an action potential in the
connected bipolar cell - ANS false
The process that produces the most ATP molecules per molecule of glucose is
a) substrate-level phosphorylation.
b) oxidative phosphorylation.
c) anaerobic glycolysis.
d) aerobic glycolysis.
e) Krebs (citric acid) cycle. - ANS oxidative phosphorylation
Stimulation of a hair cell results in changes in the hair cell membrane such as
a) opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels.
b) opening of voltage-gated K+ channels.
c) answers a and b.
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,d) none of the above. - ANS none, elevated Ca2+ levels stimulate the neurotransmitter
release at the glutamatergic synapses
What is the general purpose of positive feedback mechanisms?
a) To maintain a constant internal environment
b) To anticipate changes in the environment
c) To return a variable toward the set point
d) To bring about a rapid change in the body - ANS To bring about a rapid change in the body
You are designing a drug. You would like to deliver the drug by creating a skin patch that
contains the drug and allows the drug to diffuse through the layers of the skin to reach the
underlying tissues and bloodstream. Which of these chemical changes might you make to
increase the number of drug molecules that diffuse through the layers of skin cells?
a) Increasing the number of nitrogen atoms in the drug
b) Decreasing the number of nonpolar groups in the drug
c) Decreasing the number of polar groups in the drug
d) Increasing the number of oxygen atoms in the drug - ANS Decreasing the number of polar
groups in the drug
What category do hair cells in the organ of Corti belong to?
a) Mechanoreceptors
b) Chemoreceptors
c) Nociceptors
d) Photoreceptors
e) Proprioceptors - ANS Mechanoreceptors
What comes first in the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles?
a) fusion.
b) priming.
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, c) docking.
d) opening of K+ channels - ANS docking.
A complete lesion (destruction) of the left lateral geniculate nucleus produces which one of the
following visual field defects?
a) loss of lateral inhibition
b) loss of the left visual field
c) loss of both left and right visual field
d) loss of color vision.
e) none of the above - ANS E
13. The optic nerve is composed of axons from which of the following retinal cell types?
a) bipolar
b) ganglion
c) amacrine
d) horizontal
e) answers a and b - ANS b) ganglion
14. The physiological explanation for our ability to differentiate among sounds of different
pitches (frequencies) is because
a) hair cells respond to high pitch sound by moving into one direction and to low pitch by
moving into the opposite direction.
b) the basilar membrane depolarizes and hyperpolarizes at multiple locations depending on
pitch.
c) hair cells at different locations on the basilar membrane respond to different sound
frequencies.
d) the basilar membrane has more hair cells near the oval window and fewer hair cells near the
apex.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Scientists discovered a new animal species with nerve cells physiologically similar to nerve cells
found in other animals. The membrane potential when only sodium ions can move across the
membrane was measured at +116 mV. What is the sodium concentration outside the nerve cell
if the sodium concentration inside the cell is 1 mM?
a) 1 M
b) 0.232 M
c) 0.116 M
d) 0.58 M
e) 0.1 M - ANS 0.1 M
All of the following are true statements about the action potential EXCEPT:
a) Opening of the voltage-gated Na-channels will move the membrane potential to the
equilibrium potential of Na.
b) Opening of voltage-gated K-channels will move the membrane potential to the equilibrium
potential of K.
c) The Hodgkin cycle causes the fast change in membrane potential during the rising phase of
the action potential.
d) The falling phase of the AP is mainly due to the movement of K+ ions.
e) Voltage-gated Na-channels stay open longer than voltage-gated K-channels. -
ANS Voltage-gated Na-channels stay open longer than voltage-gated K-channels.
Which chemical binds to the nicotinic ACh receptor?
a) muscarine
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,b) atropine
c) norepinephrine
d) glutamate
e) curare - ANS curare
The period of excitability of neuron during which both Na+ and K+ activation can occur is called
the
a) interphase period.
b) relative refractory period.
c) absolute refractory period.
d) hyperexcitable period.
e) latent period - ANS relative refractory period
Excitation of the rod cell by blue light results in the production of an action potential in the
connected bipolar cell - ANS false
The process that produces the most ATP molecules per molecule of glucose is
a) substrate-level phosphorylation.
b) oxidative phosphorylation.
c) anaerobic glycolysis.
d) aerobic glycolysis.
e) Krebs (citric acid) cycle. - ANS oxidative phosphorylation
Stimulation of a hair cell results in changes in the hair cell membrane such as
a) opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels.
b) opening of voltage-gated K+ channels.
c) answers a and b.
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,d) none of the above. - ANS none, elevated Ca2+ levels stimulate the neurotransmitter
release at the glutamatergic synapses
What is the general purpose of positive feedback mechanisms?
a) To maintain a constant internal environment
b) To anticipate changes in the environment
c) To return a variable toward the set point
d) To bring about a rapid change in the body - ANS To bring about a rapid change in the body
You are designing a drug. You would like to deliver the drug by creating a skin patch that
contains the drug and allows the drug to diffuse through the layers of the skin to reach the
underlying tissues and bloodstream. Which of these chemical changes might you make to
increase the number of drug molecules that diffuse through the layers of skin cells?
a) Increasing the number of nitrogen atoms in the drug
b) Decreasing the number of nonpolar groups in the drug
c) Decreasing the number of polar groups in the drug
d) Increasing the number of oxygen atoms in the drug - ANS Decreasing the number of polar
groups in the drug
What category do hair cells in the organ of Corti belong to?
a) Mechanoreceptors
b) Chemoreceptors
c) Nociceptors
d) Photoreceptors
e) Proprioceptors - ANS Mechanoreceptors
What comes first in the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles?
a) fusion.
b) priming.
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, c) docking.
d) opening of K+ channels - ANS docking.
A complete lesion (destruction) of the left lateral geniculate nucleus produces which one of the
following visual field defects?
a) loss of lateral inhibition
b) loss of the left visual field
c) loss of both left and right visual field
d) loss of color vision.
e) none of the above - ANS E
13. The optic nerve is composed of axons from which of the following retinal cell types?
a) bipolar
b) ganglion
c) amacrine
d) horizontal
e) answers a and b - ANS b) ganglion
14. The physiological explanation for our ability to differentiate among sounds of different
pitches (frequencies) is because
a) hair cells respond to high pitch sound by moving into one direction and to low pitch by
moving into the opposite direction.
b) the basilar membrane depolarizes and hyperpolarizes at multiple locations depending on
pitch.
c) hair cells at different locations on the basilar membrane respond to different sound
frequencies.
d) the basilar membrane has more hair cells near the oval window and fewer hair cells near the
apex.
4 Copyright ©2025 THESTAR ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
