MICROBIOLOGY: TEST 1 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025/2026
Microbiology - CORRECT ANSWER -A branch of biology dealing especially with microscopic
forms of life (as bacteria, protozoans, viruses, and fungi).
Too small to be seen by naked eye (microbes)
What organisms are considered to be microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -Bacteria, Archea, Viruses,
Protozoans, Fungi, Algae, Diatoms, and More
E. Coli - CORRECT ANSWER -bacterium in intestine, not in stomach because too acidic (stomach
pH is 2)
Archae - CORRECT ANSWER -organisms that can live in harsh environments (glaciers, volcanic
springs)
Virus - CORRECT ANSWER -ex. T4 phage, pathogens of bacteria
Protozoans - CORRECT ANSWER -"higher organisms", amoebas, no specific shape
Fungus - CORRECT ANSWER -in trees, soil, etc
Algae - CORRECT ANSWER -contains chlorophyll for photosynthesis
diatoms - CORRECT ANSWER -cool under microscopes
Human population on earth:
,Microbes: - CORRECT ANSWER -7.4x10^9
5x10^30
(lots more microbes)
Characteristics of life - CORRECT ANSWER -Growth, Metabolism, Respond/adapt to
environment, maintain homeostasis, reproduction, evolve (collectively)
Catabolism - CORRECT ANSWER -Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing
energy.
Anabolism - CORRECT ANSWER -Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy.
Respond to environment - CORRECT ANSWER -A characteristic of a living thing; Example: Pulling
your finger away from a hot object.
Bacteria reproduce by - CORRECT ANSWER -binary fission
Binary fission - CORRECT ANSWER -includes selecting for helpful genes and non selection of
harmful genes (natural selection)
Different levels of life - CORRECT ANSWER -atom, molecule, cell (smallest unit of life), tissue,
organ, organ system, multicellular organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
Cell will have molecules of - CORRECT ANSWER -sugars, DNA, RNA, etc
Abiotic factors - CORRECT ANSWER -Non-living
,What molecules are required for life? - CORRECT ANSWER -Macromolecules: Carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
Carbohydrates - CORRECT ANSWER -Energy source
Composes of: Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides
Monosaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -A double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined
by dehydration synthesis.
Sucrose, lactose, maltose
Polysaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -A molecule formed by joining many monosaccharides
together. Polysaccharides are typically energy-storage molecules (glycogen in animals, starch in
plants) or structural molecules (cellulose in plants, chitin in exoskeletons).
Lipids - CORRECT ANSWER -Energy source
Composed of fatty acids
Proteins - CORRECT ANSWER -Carry out many cellular functions
Composed of amino acids
Enzyme: protein catalyst of the cell that accelerates chemical reactions
Example: catalase catalyses the reaction that break down H2O2 into water and O2
anything that is an enzyme ends in - CORRECT ANSWER --ase
Nucleic acids - CORRECT ANSWER -"blueprints of the cell"
, DNA and RNA (in viruses) are the storage for genetic information
Passed on to offspring during reproduction
-Replication: duplicate the DNA
-Transcription: DNA is used to synthesize RNA
~look up chart in powerpoint~
Transcription is important because - CORRECT ANSWER -proteins are desynthesized off the RNA
molecule??
Earth is __ years old - CORRECT ANSWER -~4.6 billion (hot mass of gases, spewing magma)
First cells appeared between __ and __ billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -3.8 and 3.9 (earth
had to cool down)
Last universal common ancestor (LUCA) - CORRECT ANSWER -common ancestral cell from which
all cells descended
The atmosphere was __ until 2 billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -anoxic (cell's survived by
cellular respiration??)
would produce oxygen by photosynthesis
Metabolisms were exclusively __ until evolution of oxygen-producing phototrophs - CORRECT
ANSWER -anaerobic
Life was exclusively __ until ~1 billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -microbial
3 major domains: - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archaea, eukarya
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025/2026
Microbiology - CORRECT ANSWER -A branch of biology dealing especially with microscopic
forms of life (as bacteria, protozoans, viruses, and fungi).
Too small to be seen by naked eye (microbes)
What organisms are considered to be microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -Bacteria, Archea, Viruses,
Protozoans, Fungi, Algae, Diatoms, and More
E. Coli - CORRECT ANSWER -bacterium in intestine, not in stomach because too acidic (stomach
pH is 2)
Archae - CORRECT ANSWER -organisms that can live in harsh environments (glaciers, volcanic
springs)
Virus - CORRECT ANSWER -ex. T4 phage, pathogens of bacteria
Protozoans - CORRECT ANSWER -"higher organisms", amoebas, no specific shape
Fungus - CORRECT ANSWER -in trees, soil, etc
Algae - CORRECT ANSWER -contains chlorophyll for photosynthesis
diatoms - CORRECT ANSWER -cool under microscopes
Human population on earth:
,Microbes: - CORRECT ANSWER -7.4x10^9
5x10^30
(lots more microbes)
Characteristics of life - CORRECT ANSWER -Growth, Metabolism, Respond/adapt to
environment, maintain homeostasis, reproduction, evolve (collectively)
Catabolism - CORRECT ANSWER -Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing
energy.
Anabolism - CORRECT ANSWER -Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy.
Respond to environment - CORRECT ANSWER -A characteristic of a living thing; Example: Pulling
your finger away from a hot object.
Bacteria reproduce by - CORRECT ANSWER -binary fission
Binary fission - CORRECT ANSWER -includes selecting for helpful genes and non selection of
harmful genes (natural selection)
Different levels of life - CORRECT ANSWER -atom, molecule, cell (smallest unit of life), tissue,
organ, organ system, multicellular organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
Cell will have molecules of - CORRECT ANSWER -sugars, DNA, RNA, etc
Abiotic factors - CORRECT ANSWER -Non-living
,What molecules are required for life? - CORRECT ANSWER -Macromolecules: Carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
Carbohydrates - CORRECT ANSWER -Energy source
Composes of: Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides
Monosaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -A double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined
by dehydration synthesis.
Sucrose, lactose, maltose
Polysaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -A molecule formed by joining many monosaccharides
together. Polysaccharides are typically energy-storage molecules (glycogen in animals, starch in
plants) or structural molecules (cellulose in plants, chitin in exoskeletons).
Lipids - CORRECT ANSWER -Energy source
Composed of fatty acids
Proteins - CORRECT ANSWER -Carry out many cellular functions
Composed of amino acids
Enzyme: protein catalyst of the cell that accelerates chemical reactions
Example: catalase catalyses the reaction that break down H2O2 into water and O2
anything that is an enzyme ends in - CORRECT ANSWER --ase
Nucleic acids - CORRECT ANSWER -"blueprints of the cell"
, DNA and RNA (in viruses) are the storage for genetic information
Passed on to offspring during reproduction
-Replication: duplicate the DNA
-Transcription: DNA is used to synthesize RNA
~look up chart in powerpoint~
Transcription is important because - CORRECT ANSWER -proteins are desynthesized off the RNA
molecule??
Earth is __ years old - CORRECT ANSWER -~4.6 billion (hot mass of gases, spewing magma)
First cells appeared between __ and __ billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -3.8 and 3.9 (earth
had to cool down)
Last universal common ancestor (LUCA) - CORRECT ANSWER -common ancestral cell from which
all cells descended
The atmosphere was __ until 2 billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -anoxic (cell's survived by
cellular respiration??)
would produce oxygen by photosynthesis
Metabolisms were exclusively __ until evolution of oxygen-producing phototrophs - CORRECT
ANSWER -anaerobic
Life was exclusively __ until ~1 billion years ago - CORRECT ANSWER -microbial
3 major domains: - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archaea, eukarya
