WGU C190 INTRODUCTION TO
BIOLOGY Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
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1. Which statement best describes the cell theory?
A. All organisms contain chloroplasts.
B. Cells arise spontaneously from nonliving material.
C. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
D. Only multicellular organisms are composed of cells.
Answer: C
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are made of one
or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, and new cells arise from
preexisting cells.
2. Which biological molecule is primarily responsible for storing and
transmitting hereditary information?
A. Lipid
B. Carbohydrate
C. Protein
D. Nucleic acid
Answer: D
,Rationale: DNA and RNA are nucleic acids. DNA stores hereditary
information, while RNA participates in gene expression and protein
synthesis.
3. What is the primary function of carbohydrates in most cells?
A. Providing readily available energy
B. Storing genetic information
C. Catalyzing all chemical reactions
D. Forming antibodies exclusively
Answer: A
Rationale: Carbohydrates such as glucose are major sources of readily
available cellular energy. Some carbohydrates also have structural and
storage functions.
4. Which organelle is primarily responsible for producing ATP during
aerobic cellular respiration?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Lysosome
C. Mitochondrion
D. Ribosome
Answer: C
Rationale: Mitochondria generate most cellular ATP through aerobic
respiration, particularly during the citric acid cycle and oxidative
phosphorylation.
5. Which structure controls what enters and leaves a cell?
,A. Cell wall
B. Plasma membrane
C. Nucleolus
D. Cytoskeleton
Answer: B
Rationale: The plasma membrane is selectively permeable and
regulates movement of substances between the cell and its
environment.
6. Which type of microscope generally provides the greatest
resolution for observing very small cellular structures?
A. Compound light microscope
B. Dissecting microscope
C. Hand lens
D. Electron microscope
Answer: D
Rationale: Electron microscopes use beams of electrons rather than
visible light and can resolve much smaller structures than standard
light microscopes.
7. Which component of a phospholipid is hydrophilic?
A. Phosphate-containing head
B. Fatty acid tail
C. Hydrocarbon chain
D. Steroid ring
Answer: A
, Rationale: The phosphate-containing head of a phospholipid is polar
and interacts with water, making it hydrophilic. The fatty acid tails are
nonpolar and hydrophobic.
8. What happens to a typical animal cell placed in a hypotonic
solution?
A. It loses water and shrinks.
B. No water movement occurs.
C. It gains water and may burst.
D. It immediately stops all metabolism.
Answer: C
Rationale: A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration than
the cell. Water moves into the cell by osmosis, potentially causing an
animal cell to lyse.
9. Which process moves molecules against their concentration
gradient and requires cellular energy?
A. Simple diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Active transport
Answer: D
Rationale: Active transport moves substances against their
concentration or electrochemical gradients and requires energy,
commonly from ATP.
BIOLOGY Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. Which statement best describes the cell theory?
A. All organisms contain chloroplasts.
B. Cells arise spontaneously from nonliving material.
C. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
D. Only multicellular organisms are composed of cells.
Answer: C
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are made of one
or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, and new cells arise from
preexisting cells.
2. Which biological molecule is primarily responsible for storing and
transmitting hereditary information?
A. Lipid
B. Carbohydrate
C. Protein
D. Nucleic acid
Answer: D
,Rationale: DNA and RNA are nucleic acids. DNA stores hereditary
information, while RNA participates in gene expression and protein
synthesis.
3. What is the primary function of carbohydrates in most cells?
A. Providing readily available energy
B. Storing genetic information
C. Catalyzing all chemical reactions
D. Forming antibodies exclusively
Answer: A
Rationale: Carbohydrates such as glucose are major sources of readily
available cellular energy. Some carbohydrates also have structural and
storage functions.
4. Which organelle is primarily responsible for producing ATP during
aerobic cellular respiration?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Lysosome
C. Mitochondrion
D. Ribosome
Answer: C
Rationale: Mitochondria generate most cellular ATP through aerobic
respiration, particularly during the citric acid cycle and oxidative
phosphorylation.
5. Which structure controls what enters and leaves a cell?
,A. Cell wall
B. Plasma membrane
C. Nucleolus
D. Cytoskeleton
Answer: B
Rationale: The plasma membrane is selectively permeable and
regulates movement of substances between the cell and its
environment.
6. Which type of microscope generally provides the greatest
resolution for observing very small cellular structures?
A. Compound light microscope
B. Dissecting microscope
C. Hand lens
D. Electron microscope
Answer: D
Rationale: Electron microscopes use beams of electrons rather than
visible light and can resolve much smaller structures than standard
light microscopes.
7. Which component of a phospholipid is hydrophilic?
A. Phosphate-containing head
B. Fatty acid tail
C. Hydrocarbon chain
D. Steroid ring
Answer: A
, Rationale: The phosphate-containing head of a phospholipid is polar
and interacts with water, making it hydrophilic. The fatty acid tails are
nonpolar and hydrophobic.
8. What happens to a typical animal cell placed in a hypotonic
solution?
A. It loses water and shrinks.
B. No water movement occurs.
C. It gains water and may burst.
D. It immediately stops all metabolism.
Answer: C
Rationale: A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration than
the cell. Water moves into the cell by osmosis, potentially causing an
animal cell to lyse.
9. Which process moves molecules against their concentration
gradient and requires cellular energy?
A. Simple diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Active transport
Answer: D
Rationale: Active transport moves substances against their
concentration or electrochemical gradients and requires energy,
commonly from ATP.
