BIOD 171 MODULE 1 FINAL PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS AND COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ What is the primary focus of clinical microbiology? Answer:
Pathogens
◉ What is the smallest biological unit of life? Answer: Cell
◉ What is a macromolecule? Answer: A complex molecule that is
composed from smaller subunits
◉ What are the four main types of macromolecules? Answer:
Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates
◉ What various functions do proteins have in a cell? Answer:
Proteins my facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a cell.
Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement
◉ What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
Answer: There are two major types of nucleic acids: DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids
are chemical molecules that carry genetic information within the
, cell. DNA contains a vast amount of hereditary information and is
responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living organisms.
RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in
DNA and using it to synthesize proteins
◉ What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?
Answer: The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding
barrier that separates the inside of the cell from the outside
surrounding environment. The plasma membrane also restricts
movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the
cell, thus allowing a cell to absorb and keep what is needed (influx)
while also preventing the escape (outflux) of essential nutrients. The
plasma membrane is composed of lipids (hydrophobic
hydrocarbons)
◉ What are the three main components of carbohydrates? Answer:
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
◉ What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells? Answer: Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a
membrane enclosed region within the cell that contains the genetic
material. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus and can be further
classified as either bacteria or archaea
◉ What are the main morphologies of bacteria? Answer: Coccus
(round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio (curved rod), spirillum
(spiral/corkscrew)
QUESTIONS AND COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ What is the primary focus of clinical microbiology? Answer:
Pathogens
◉ What is the smallest biological unit of life? Answer: Cell
◉ What is a macromolecule? Answer: A complex molecule that is
composed from smaller subunits
◉ What are the four main types of macromolecules? Answer:
Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates
◉ What various functions do proteins have in a cell? Answer:
Proteins my facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a cell.
Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement
◉ What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
Answer: There are two major types of nucleic acids: DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids
are chemical molecules that carry genetic information within the
, cell. DNA contains a vast amount of hereditary information and is
responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living organisms.
RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in
DNA and using it to synthesize proteins
◉ What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?
Answer: The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding
barrier that separates the inside of the cell from the outside
surrounding environment. The plasma membrane also restricts
movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the
cell, thus allowing a cell to absorb and keep what is needed (influx)
while also preventing the escape (outflux) of essential nutrients. The
plasma membrane is composed of lipids (hydrophobic
hydrocarbons)
◉ What are the three main components of carbohydrates? Answer:
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
◉ What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells? Answer: Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a
membrane enclosed region within the cell that contains the genetic
material. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus and can be further
classified as either bacteria or archaea
◉ What are the main morphologies of bacteria? Answer: Coccus
(round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio (curved rod), spirillum
(spiral/corkscrew)
