BIOCHEM ACS STUDY GUIDE WITH
FINALIZED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2025/2026
Each of the following subcellular structures contains DNA EXCEPT
A. the nucleus.
B. ribosomes.
C. chloroplasts.
D. mitochondria. - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
In plant and animal cells, the three-dimensional integrity of the cell
is maintained, in part, by an internal network of filaments called
A. the cell wall.
B. the Golgi apparatus.
C. the cytoskeleton.
D. the endoplasmic reticulum. - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
Of the following, which are prokaryotes?
A. viruses
B. bacteria
C. yeast
D. plant cells - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
G° for the conversion of glycerol-3-phosphate to glycerol + Pi is -2.2 kcal/mole. Thus, you can conclude
that
,A. this reaction will occur spontaneously.
B. this reaction may or may not occur spontaneously, depending on the
actual concentrations of reactants and products.
C. this reaction will only occur spontaneously if it is coupled to
another reaction that has a more favorable G°.
D. this reaction is so strongly favorable that it could be coupled to
drive an otherwise unfavorable cell reaction. - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
In most biochemical reactions, ∆PV is
A. negligible
B. positive
C. negative
D. dependent on ∆E - CORRECT ANSWERS -A
According to the Second Law of Thermodymnamics,
A. the total entropy change in any reaction that occurs spontaneously must be greater than 0.
B. the total entropy change in any reaction that occurs spontaneously must be less than 0.
C. the total entropy of the universe remains constant.
D. the total entropy of the universe is always decreasing. - CORRECT ANSWERS -A
Which of the following is true?
A. Liquid and solid water have the same number of hydrogen bonds per molecule of water
B. Liquid water has more hydrogen bonds per molecule than does solid water
,C. Solid water has more hydrogen bonds per molecule than does liquid water
D. Hydrogen bonding is a major factor in the structure of gaseous water
E. None is true - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
What is the pH of an aqueous solution that has a [OH-] of 3.45 x 10-5 M?
A. 3.47
B. 4.47
C. 5.53
D. 9.54
E. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
A peptide was found to have a molecular mass of about 650 and upon hydrolysis produced Ala, Cys, Lys,
Phe, and Val in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio. The peptide upon treatment with Sanger's reagent produced DNP-Cys
and exposure to carboxypeptidase produced valine. Chymotrypsin treatment of the peptide produced a
dipeptide that contained sulfur and has a UV absorbance, and a tripeptide. Exposure of the peptide to
trypsin produced a dipeptide and a tripeptide. Deduce the sequence of the peptide.
A. Val-Ala-Lys-Phe-Cys
B. Cys-Lys-Phe-Ala-Val
C. Cys-Ala-Lys-Phe-Val
D. Cys-Phe-Lys-Ala-Val
E. Val-Phe-Lys-Ala-Cys - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
Which amino acid has an R-group pKa closest to physiological pH?
A. lysine
B. histidine
C. glutamate
D. arginine
, E. aspartate - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
Which is true regarding the orientation of the R-groups in beta structures?
A. In the parallel beta sheet structures the amino acid R-groups are all on the same side of the sheet.
B. In the antiparallel beta sheet structure the R-groups on alternate strands are on the same side of the
sheet.
C. In parallel and antiparallel sheets consecutive R-groups on each peptide strand alternate sides of the
sheet.
D. Because of the free rotation around the alpha carbon, the R-groups can seek the least crowded
region and are not restricted to specific side of the sheet.
E. a and b - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
A reagent commonly employed to cleave disulfide bonds in proteins is
A. 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene
B. urea
C. 2-mercaptoethanol
D. phenylisothiocyanate
E. cyanogen bromide - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
With respect to a relaxed muscle, which of the following is true?
A. the number of actin-myosin cross-bridges is maximized and the muscle is shortened
B. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is maximized and the muscle is stretched
C. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is minimized and the muscle is shortened
D. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is minimized and the muscle is stretched
E. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
Which of the following does not describe hemoglobin?
FINALIZED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2025/2026
Each of the following subcellular structures contains DNA EXCEPT
A. the nucleus.
B. ribosomes.
C. chloroplasts.
D. mitochondria. - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
In plant and animal cells, the three-dimensional integrity of the cell
is maintained, in part, by an internal network of filaments called
A. the cell wall.
B. the Golgi apparatus.
C. the cytoskeleton.
D. the endoplasmic reticulum. - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
Of the following, which are prokaryotes?
A. viruses
B. bacteria
C. yeast
D. plant cells - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
G° for the conversion of glycerol-3-phosphate to glycerol + Pi is -2.2 kcal/mole. Thus, you can conclude
that
,A. this reaction will occur spontaneously.
B. this reaction may or may not occur spontaneously, depending on the
actual concentrations of reactants and products.
C. this reaction will only occur spontaneously if it is coupled to
another reaction that has a more favorable G°.
D. this reaction is so strongly favorable that it could be coupled to
drive an otherwise unfavorable cell reaction. - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
In most biochemical reactions, ∆PV is
A. negligible
B. positive
C. negative
D. dependent on ∆E - CORRECT ANSWERS -A
According to the Second Law of Thermodymnamics,
A. the total entropy change in any reaction that occurs spontaneously must be greater than 0.
B. the total entropy change in any reaction that occurs spontaneously must be less than 0.
C. the total entropy of the universe remains constant.
D. the total entropy of the universe is always decreasing. - CORRECT ANSWERS -A
Which of the following is true?
A. Liquid and solid water have the same number of hydrogen bonds per molecule of water
B. Liquid water has more hydrogen bonds per molecule than does solid water
,C. Solid water has more hydrogen bonds per molecule than does liquid water
D. Hydrogen bonding is a major factor in the structure of gaseous water
E. None is true - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
What is the pH of an aqueous solution that has a [OH-] of 3.45 x 10-5 M?
A. 3.47
B. 4.47
C. 5.53
D. 9.54
E. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
A peptide was found to have a molecular mass of about 650 and upon hydrolysis produced Ala, Cys, Lys,
Phe, and Val in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio. The peptide upon treatment with Sanger's reagent produced DNP-Cys
and exposure to carboxypeptidase produced valine. Chymotrypsin treatment of the peptide produced a
dipeptide that contained sulfur and has a UV absorbance, and a tripeptide. Exposure of the peptide to
trypsin produced a dipeptide and a tripeptide. Deduce the sequence of the peptide.
A. Val-Ala-Lys-Phe-Cys
B. Cys-Lys-Phe-Ala-Val
C. Cys-Ala-Lys-Phe-Val
D. Cys-Phe-Lys-Ala-Val
E. Val-Phe-Lys-Ala-Cys - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
Which amino acid has an R-group pKa closest to physiological pH?
A. lysine
B. histidine
C. glutamate
D. arginine
, E. aspartate - CORRECT ANSWERS -B
Which is true regarding the orientation of the R-groups in beta structures?
A. In the parallel beta sheet structures the amino acid R-groups are all on the same side of the sheet.
B. In the antiparallel beta sheet structure the R-groups on alternate strands are on the same side of the
sheet.
C. In parallel and antiparallel sheets consecutive R-groups on each peptide strand alternate sides of the
sheet.
D. Because of the free rotation around the alpha carbon, the R-groups can seek the least crowded
region and are not restricted to specific side of the sheet.
E. a and b - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
A reagent commonly employed to cleave disulfide bonds in proteins is
A. 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene
B. urea
C. 2-mercaptoethanol
D. phenylisothiocyanate
E. cyanogen bromide - CORRECT ANSWERS -C
With respect to a relaxed muscle, which of the following is true?
A. the number of actin-myosin cross-bridges is maximized and the muscle is shortened
B. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is maximized and the muscle is stretched
C. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is minimized and the muscle is shortened
D. the number of actin-myosin cross bridges is minimized and the muscle is stretched
E. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWERS -D
Which of the following does not describe hemoglobin?
