UCSB MCDB 1A Final Exam Questions With
Correct Answers 2026 Rated A+
Cells - CORRECT ANSWER -complex chemical systems that contain all the info and capabilities
necessary to grow and reproduce; at the expense of energy and raw materials from the
environment
H, O, N, C - CORRECT ANSWER -smallest atoms on P.T. that can achieve stable electronic
configurations and make most stable covalent bonds
O, N, C - CORRECT ANSWER -readily form double bonds providing strength and structural
versatility
Phosphorus and sulfur - CORRECT ANSWER -good carriers of energy, such as ATP
Important in protein structure
Sulfur engages in redox rxns
Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ - CORRECT ANSWER -important in osmotic balance, membrane functions
(nerve conduction), signal transduction (esp. Ca2+)
Hydroxyl group - CORRECT ANSWER --OH forms alcohol
Carboxyl group - CORRECT ANSWER --COOH carboxylic rxn
Amino group - CORRECT ANSWER --NH2 amines
Phosphate group - CORRECT ANSWER --OPO3 2-
,Sulfhydryl group - CORRECT ANSWER --SH thiols
Hydrogen bond - CORRECT ANSWER -form when a H is aligned in a straight line b/w 2 EN atoms
like Oxygen or Nitrogen
Sharing of H bond
Covalent bond - CORRECT ANSWER -sharing of e-, establish basic/initial structure of large
molecule
Ionic bond - CORRECT ANSWER -attraction of opposite charges
Hydrophobic interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -interaction of non polar substances in the
presence of polar substances (especially water)
Van der Waals interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -interaction of e- of non polar substances
Polypeptide monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is amino acid
Polysaccharide monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monosaccharide is monomer
Nucleic acid monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is nucleotide
Lipids - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is fatty acids and glycerol
Makes up cell membranes
Important energy storage material
,Condensation-dehydration - CORRECT ANSWER -requires ATP input, 2 molecules become 1,
water is removed
Hydrolysis - CORRECT ANSWER -does not require ATP input, water is added, 1 molecule
becomes 2
Unsaturated vs. Saturated - CORRECT ANSWER -unsaturated= 2x bonds
Saturated= no 2x bonds so no kinks
Lipids-cell membranes - CORRECT ANSWER -hydrophilic head
Hydrophobic tail
Barrier and lets things in and out
Transmembrane proteins - CORRECT ANSWER -Hydrophilic R groups in exposed parts of the
protein interact with aqueous environments(outside membrane)
Hydrophobic R groups interact with the hydrophobic core of the membrane, away from
water(inside membrane)
Cholesterol - CORRECT ANSWER -makes membrane more stiff
Polysaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -polymers of sugar
Sugars general formula=CH2O
Numbering C in glucose - CORRECT ANSWER -carbon 6 is on the outside of the ring
Alpha has OH group facing down, away from C-6
Beta has OH group facing up towards C-6 bond
, Switch between 2 types very easily
Glycerol - CORRECT ANSWER -3 hydroxyl groups that combine with fatty acids by condensation
dehydration rxns
Cellulose - CORRECT ANSWER -make up cell wall
Cell's sheet of armor
Long flat ribbon of sugars
Unbranched
Starch and glycogen - CORRECT ANSWER -branched glucose linkages
C1-C4 linkages and then branches at C1-C6
Starch=storage energy for plants
Glycogen=storage energy for animals
Von Gierke's Disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Patients accumulate abundant amounts of glycogen can't break off individual glucose
monomers
Defective enzyme (glucose-6-phosphatase)
Pompe disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Patients accumulate abundant amounts of glycogen
Can't break off individual glucose monomers absence or deficiency of alpha-gulcosidase
Cori's disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Similar clinical symptoms to von gierke's different reason: they make glycogen incorrectly then
can't access it with regular mechanisms
Correct Answers 2026 Rated A+
Cells - CORRECT ANSWER -complex chemical systems that contain all the info and capabilities
necessary to grow and reproduce; at the expense of energy and raw materials from the
environment
H, O, N, C - CORRECT ANSWER -smallest atoms on P.T. that can achieve stable electronic
configurations and make most stable covalent bonds
O, N, C - CORRECT ANSWER -readily form double bonds providing strength and structural
versatility
Phosphorus and sulfur - CORRECT ANSWER -good carriers of energy, such as ATP
Important in protein structure
Sulfur engages in redox rxns
Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ - CORRECT ANSWER -important in osmotic balance, membrane functions
(nerve conduction), signal transduction (esp. Ca2+)
Hydroxyl group - CORRECT ANSWER --OH forms alcohol
Carboxyl group - CORRECT ANSWER --COOH carboxylic rxn
Amino group - CORRECT ANSWER --NH2 amines
Phosphate group - CORRECT ANSWER --OPO3 2-
,Sulfhydryl group - CORRECT ANSWER --SH thiols
Hydrogen bond - CORRECT ANSWER -form when a H is aligned in a straight line b/w 2 EN atoms
like Oxygen or Nitrogen
Sharing of H bond
Covalent bond - CORRECT ANSWER -sharing of e-, establish basic/initial structure of large
molecule
Ionic bond - CORRECT ANSWER -attraction of opposite charges
Hydrophobic interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -interaction of non polar substances in the
presence of polar substances (especially water)
Van der Waals interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -interaction of e- of non polar substances
Polypeptide monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is amino acid
Polysaccharide monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monosaccharide is monomer
Nucleic acid monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is nucleotide
Lipids - CORRECT ANSWER -monomer is fatty acids and glycerol
Makes up cell membranes
Important energy storage material
,Condensation-dehydration - CORRECT ANSWER -requires ATP input, 2 molecules become 1,
water is removed
Hydrolysis - CORRECT ANSWER -does not require ATP input, water is added, 1 molecule
becomes 2
Unsaturated vs. Saturated - CORRECT ANSWER -unsaturated= 2x bonds
Saturated= no 2x bonds so no kinks
Lipids-cell membranes - CORRECT ANSWER -hydrophilic head
Hydrophobic tail
Barrier and lets things in and out
Transmembrane proteins - CORRECT ANSWER -Hydrophilic R groups in exposed parts of the
protein interact with aqueous environments(outside membrane)
Hydrophobic R groups interact with the hydrophobic core of the membrane, away from
water(inside membrane)
Cholesterol - CORRECT ANSWER -makes membrane more stiff
Polysaccharides - CORRECT ANSWER -polymers of sugar
Sugars general formula=CH2O
Numbering C in glucose - CORRECT ANSWER -carbon 6 is on the outside of the ring
Alpha has OH group facing down, away from C-6
Beta has OH group facing up towards C-6 bond
, Switch between 2 types very easily
Glycerol - CORRECT ANSWER -3 hydroxyl groups that combine with fatty acids by condensation
dehydration rxns
Cellulose - CORRECT ANSWER -make up cell wall
Cell's sheet of armor
Long flat ribbon of sugars
Unbranched
Starch and glycogen - CORRECT ANSWER -branched glucose linkages
C1-C4 linkages and then branches at C1-C6
Starch=storage energy for plants
Glycogen=storage energy for animals
Von Gierke's Disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Patients accumulate abundant amounts of glycogen can't break off individual glucose
monomers
Defective enzyme (glucose-6-phosphatase)
Pompe disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Patients accumulate abundant amounts of glycogen
Can't break off individual glucose monomers absence or deficiency of alpha-gulcosidase
Cori's disease - CORRECT ANSWER -glycogen storage disease
Similar clinical symptoms to von gierke's different reason: they make glycogen incorrectly then
can't access it with regular mechanisms
