Page 1 of 32
BIOL180 UNIT TEST 2 – CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
EXAM PRACTICE 2026/2027 COMPLETE CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
BIOL
Prepare for the BIOL180 Unit Test 2 – Cell Structure and Function Exam with this
focused practice resource designed to reinforce essential cell biology concepts. Use it
to review cell structures, organelles, cellular functions, membrane organization,
transport processes, and the relationships between cellular components. This
resource can help strengthen your understanding, identify areas that may require
additional study, and improve your test readiness. It provides a structured supplement
to your coursework and supports a more confident approach to the BIOL180
assessment.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Module 1: Cell Theory and Cell Types (Questions 1–20)
1. What does cell theory state?
A. All living things are made of cells, cells are the basic unit of life, and cells
arise from preexisting cells
B. Only animals are made of cells
C. Cells can spontaneously generate from nonliving matter
D. Cells are not necessary for life
Answer: A
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are composed of
cells, the cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life, and new
cells arise from preexisting cells.
2. Who first coined the term “cell”?
A. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
B. Robert Hooke
C. Rudolf Virchow
D. Louis Pasteur
, Page 2 of 32
Answer: B
Rationale: Robert Hooke coined the term “cell” in 1665 after observing
cork under a microscope.
3. Who was one of the first scientists to observe living cells?
A. Robert Hooke
B. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
C. Matthias Schleiden
D. Theodor Schwann
Answer: B
Rationale: Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed living cells, including
bacteria and protozoa, using improved microscopes.
4. What did Rudolf Virchow contribute to cell theory?
A. All cells contain a nucleus
B. Cells arise from preexisting cells
C. All plants are made of cells
D. Cells can form spontaneously
Answer: B
Rationale: Rudolf Virchow stated that cells arise only from preexisting
cells, supporting the modern cell theory.
5. Which structure is absent in prokaryotic cells?
A. Ribosomes
B. Cell membrane
C. Membrane-bound nucleus
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus. Their DNA
is located in the nucleoid region.
6. Which structure is present in eukaryotic cells but not in prokaryotic
cells?
A. Cell membrane
B. Ribosomes
, Page 3 of 32
C. Membrane-bound organelles
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles, including a
nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum.
7. Which of the following is a prokaryote?
A. Bacterium
B. Fungus
C. Plant cell
D. Animal cell
Answer: A
Rationale: Bacteria are prokaryotes. Fungi, plants, and animals are
eukaryotes.
8. Which of the following is a eukaryote?
A. Bacterium
B. Archaeon
C. Fungus
D. Virus
Answer: C
Rationale: Fungi are eukaryotes. Bacteria and archaea are prokaryotes,
and viruses are not cells.
9. What is the bacterial cell wall commonly made of?
A. Cellulose
B. Chitin
C. Peptidoglycan
D. Lignin
Answer: C
Rationale: Bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, a polymer of sugars
and amino acids.
10. What is the cell wall of archaea typically made of?
A. Peptidoglycan
, Page 4 of 32
B. Cellulose
C. Chitin
D. Various proteins and polysaccharides, but not peptidoglycan
Answer: D
Rationale: Archaeal cell walls lack peptidoglycan and are made of various
proteins, polysaccharides, or other polymers.
11. What is the nucleoid?
A. A membrane-bound nucleus
B. The region in a prokaryotic cell where DNA is located
C. A type of ribosome
D. A cell wall component
Answer: B
Rationale: The nucleoid is the region in a prokaryotic cell where the
circular DNA chromosome is found.
12. What is a plasmid?
A. A small circular DNA molecule separate from the main chromosome
B. A membrane-bound organelle
C. A protein in the cell wall
D. A type of ribosome
Answer: A
Rationale: Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules that replicate
independently of the main chromosome and often carry extra genes.
13. What limits cell size?
A. The number of ribosomes
B. Surface area-to-volume ratio
C. The amount of DNA
D. The number of mitochondria
Answer: B
Rationale: Cell size is limited by the surface area-to-volume ratio, which
affects the exchange of materials with the environment.
BIOL180 UNIT TEST 2 – CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
EXAM PRACTICE 2026/2027 COMPLETE CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
BIOL
Prepare for the BIOL180 Unit Test 2 – Cell Structure and Function Exam with this
focused practice resource designed to reinforce essential cell biology concepts. Use it
to review cell structures, organelles, cellular functions, membrane organization,
transport processes, and the relationships between cellular components. This
resource can help strengthen your understanding, identify areas that may require
additional study, and improve your test readiness. It provides a structured supplement
to your coursework and supports a more confident approach to the BIOL180
assessment.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Module 1: Cell Theory and Cell Types (Questions 1–20)
1. What does cell theory state?
A. All living things are made of cells, cells are the basic unit of life, and cells
arise from preexisting cells
B. Only animals are made of cells
C. Cells can spontaneously generate from nonliving matter
D. Cells are not necessary for life
Answer: A
Rationale: Cell theory states that all living organisms are composed of
cells, the cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life, and new
cells arise from preexisting cells.
2. Who first coined the term “cell”?
A. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
B. Robert Hooke
C. Rudolf Virchow
D. Louis Pasteur
, Page 2 of 32
Answer: B
Rationale: Robert Hooke coined the term “cell” in 1665 after observing
cork under a microscope.
3. Who was one of the first scientists to observe living cells?
A. Robert Hooke
B. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
C. Matthias Schleiden
D. Theodor Schwann
Answer: B
Rationale: Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed living cells, including
bacteria and protozoa, using improved microscopes.
4. What did Rudolf Virchow contribute to cell theory?
A. All cells contain a nucleus
B. Cells arise from preexisting cells
C. All plants are made of cells
D. Cells can form spontaneously
Answer: B
Rationale: Rudolf Virchow stated that cells arise only from preexisting
cells, supporting the modern cell theory.
5. Which structure is absent in prokaryotic cells?
A. Ribosomes
B. Cell membrane
C. Membrane-bound nucleus
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus. Their DNA
is located in the nucleoid region.
6. Which structure is present in eukaryotic cells but not in prokaryotic
cells?
A. Cell membrane
B. Ribosomes
, Page 3 of 32
C. Membrane-bound organelles
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles, including a
nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum.
7. Which of the following is a prokaryote?
A. Bacterium
B. Fungus
C. Plant cell
D. Animal cell
Answer: A
Rationale: Bacteria are prokaryotes. Fungi, plants, and animals are
eukaryotes.
8. Which of the following is a eukaryote?
A. Bacterium
B. Archaeon
C. Fungus
D. Virus
Answer: C
Rationale: Fungi are eukaryotes. Bacteria and archaea are prokaryotes,
and viruses are not cells.
9. What is the bacterial cell wall commonly made of?
A. Cellulose
B. Chitin
C. Peptidoglycan
D. Lignin
Answer: C
Rationale: Bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, a polymer of sugars
and amino acids.
10. What is the cell wall of archaea typically made of?
A. Peptidoglycan
, Page 4 of 32
B. Cellulose
C. Chitin
D. Various proteins and polysaccharides, but not peptidoglycan
Answer: D
Rationale: Archaeal cell walls lack peptidoglycan and are made of various
proteins, polysaccharides, or other polymers.
11. What is the nucleoid?
A. A membrane-bound nucleus
B. The region in a prokaryotic cell where DNA is located
C. A type of ribosome
D. A cell wall component
Answer: B
Rationale: The nucleoid is the region in a prokaryotic cell where the
circular DNA chromosome is found.
12. What is a plasmid?
A. A small circular DNA molecule separate from the main chromosome
B. A membrane-bound organelle
C. A protein in the cell wall
D. A type of ribosome
Answer: A
Rationale: Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules that replicate
independently of the main chromosome and often carry extra genes.
13. What limits cell size?
A. The number of ribosomes
B. Surface area-to-volume ratio
C. The amount of DNA
D. The number of mitochondria
Answer: B
Rationale: Cell size is limited by the surface area-to-volume ratio, which
affects the exchange of materials with the environment.
