MCAT Biology Exam Practice
Questions with Verified Latest
2025-2026 Correct Answers
GRADED A+
The chemical reaction that breaks down all the major macro-molecules
- ANS - Hydrolysis
What is the strongest type of INTER-molecular bonds?
- ANS - Hydrogen bonds are the strongest intermolecular bonds....
diople-dipole bonds are weaker. . . Vander wall bonds are the weakest.
Why is water a liquid at high temperatures?
- ANS - Hydrogen bonding bonds the water molocules closer together.
What is an ampipathic molecule? give an Example.
- ANS - A molecule with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.
Example: PhoshpoLipid (Phospho=philic,lipid= phobic)
What is a lipid?
- ANS - A lipid is a biological molecule with low solubility in water.
Lipid means fat. Liposuction is fat removal.
Peptides are NOT lipids.
,What are the 6 major groups of lipids?
- ANS - 1) fatty acids...
the next 3 have a 3 carbon back bone:
2) Tri-glyceride
3) Phospholipids
4) Glycolipids
5) Steroids
6) Terpenes - A large class of organic compounds. examples: smelly pine
oils, beer hops aroma and vitamin A.
What is the structure of a Tri-glyceride?
- ANS - triglicerides are esters. Composed from 3 carbon glycerol
backbone and 3 fatty acid chains dangling. Each carbon chain is attached
by an ester bond.
What happens if you add water to an ester group in a Tri-glyceride? How
is this reaction rate increased?
- ANS - Water cleaves the ester bond into an alcohol and a carboxylic/
fatty acid. LIPASES speed are the enzyme that speed this reaction.
in terms of water solubility, What is important to know about the longer
the carbon chain in a Tri-glyceride when broken down?
- ANS - longer carbon chains are less water soluble.
In longer chains the polar carboxylic acid are less significant.
,How soluble is a Shorter chain fatty acids?
- ANS - Shorter chain fatty acids are slightly water soluble.
explain what is so special about Saturated Fatty Acids........Also, explain
the melting point.
- ANS - saturated fatty acids have only single, alkane bonds along the
carbon chain. They have a straighter chain and have more van der wall
forces, and therefor a higher melting point.
explain what is so special about Unsaturated Fatty Acid.... Also, explain
the melting point.
- ANS - Unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond. They are
not saturated with Hydrogen. they have a LOWER melting point.
At room temperatures unsaturated fatty acids may be oily, like Healthy
peanut butter.
explain the phospho-lipids structure. Where are phoshpo lipids common?
- ANS - Phospholipids are also built on a 3 Carbon backbone.
One of the carbon has a Phosphate PO4 group. the other 2 carbons have
carbon chains attached by a ester bond.
This is the lollypop of the cell membrane. Esters have 2 oxygens.
What regions are poplar nonpolar in a membrane?
- ANS - 1)the phosphates are Polar, water lovin, hydro philic regions that
face the outside.
2) Nonpolar, hydro phobic carbon chain regions face the inside.
, Explain glycolipids structure.
- ANS - glycolipids have 3 carbon backbone with
2 Carbon chains attached by an ester group.
THe third carbon has a carbohydrate
What do steroids look like?
- ANS - Slightly amphipathic 4 ring structures
lipids are insoluble. So how do they move through the blood?
- ANS - They are usually carried by lipoproteins, like HDL or LDL.
What are the major classes of lipoproteins?
- ANS - 1) Chylomicrons which are the largest
2) VLDLs these are low denstiy, but large.
3) LDLs
4) HDLs. these high density lipids are the smallest, and called good
proteins.
What are proteins made up of?
- ANS - one or more chains of amino acids, perhaps in a crazy ass
arrangement.
describe amino acid structure.
- ANS - Amino acids have 4 parts attached to the alpha carbon.
1. the amino group, which is NH2
2. the R group, which is one of 20 choices
Questions with Verified Latest
2025-2026 Correct Answers
GRADED A+
The chemical reaction that breaks down all the major macro-molecules
- ANS - Hydrolysis
What is the strongest type of INTER-molecular bonds?
- ANS - Hydrogen bonds are the strongest intermolecular bonds....
diople-dipole bonds are weaker. . . Vander wall bonds are the weakest.
Why is water a liquid at high temperatures?
- ANS - Hydrogen bonding bonds the water molocules closer together.
What is an ampipathic molecule? give an Example.
- ANS - A molecule with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.
Example: PhoshpoLipid (Phospho=philic,lipid= phobic)
What is a lipid?
- ANS - A lipid is a biological molecule with low solubility in water.
Lipid means fat. Liposuction is fat removal.
Peptides are NOT lipids.
,What are the 6 major groups of lipids?
- ANS - 1) fatty acids...
the next 3 have a 3 carbon back bone:
2) Tri-glyceride
3) Phospholipids
4) Glycolipids
5) Steroids
6) Terpenes - A large class of organic compounds. examples: smelly pine
oils, beer hops aroma and vitamin A.
What is the structure of a Tri-glyceride?
- ANS - triglicerides are esters. Composed from 3 carbon glycerol
backbone and 3 fatty acid chains dangling. Each carbon chain is attached
by an ester bond.
What happens if you add water to an ester group in a Tri-glyceride? How
is this reaction rate increased?
- ANS - Water cleaves the ester bond into an alcohol and a carboxylic/
fatty acid. LIPASES speed are the enzyme that speed this reaction.
in terms of water solubility, What is important to know about the longer
the carbon chain in a Tri-glyceride when broken down?
- ANS - longer carbon chains are less water soluble.
In longer chains the polar carboxylic acid are less significant.
,How soluble is a Shorter chain fatty acids?
- ANS - Shorter chain fatty acids are slightly water soluble.
explain what is so special about Saturated Fatty Acids........Also, explain
the melting point.
- ANS - saturated fatty acids have only single, alkane bonds along the
carbon chain. They have a straighter chain and have more van der wall
forces, and therefor a higher melting point.
explain what is so special about Unsaturated Fatty Acid.... Also, explain
the melting point.
- ANS - Unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond. They are
not saturated with Hydrogen. they have a LOWER melting point.
At room temperatures unsaturated fatty acids may be oily, like Healthy
peanut butter.
explain the phospho-lipids structure. Where are phoshpo lipids common?
- ANS - Phospholipids are also built on a 3 Carbon backbone.
One of the carbon has a Phosphate PO4 group. the other 2 carbons have
carbon chains attached by a ester bond.
This is the lollypop of the cell membrane. Esters have 2 oxygens.
What regions are poplar nonpolar in a membrane?
- ANS - 1)the phosphates are Polar, water lovin, hydro philic regions that
face the outside.
2) Nonpolar, hydro phobic carbon chain regions face the inside.
, Explain glycolipids structure.
- ANS - glycolipids have 3 carbon backbone with
2 Carbon chains attached by an ester group.
THe third carbon has a carbohydrate
What do steroids look like?
- ANS - Slightly amphipathic 4 ring structures
lipids are insoluble. So how do they move through the blood?
- ANS - They are usually carried by lipoproteins, like HDL or LDL.
What are the major classes of lipoproteins?
- ANS - 1) Chylomicrons which are the largest
2) VLDLs these are low denstiy, but large.
3) LDLs
4) HDLs. these high density lipids are the smallest, and called good
proteins.
What are proteins made up of?
- ANS - one or more chains of amino acids, perhaps in a crazy ass
arrangement.
describe amino acid structure.
- ANS - Amino acids have 4 parts attached to the alpha carbon.
1. the amino group, which is NH2
2. the R group, which is one of 20 choices
