BIOD 171 ESSENTIAL MICROBIOLOGY MODULE 1 124
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027 || MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS, CELL STRUCTURE & MICROBIAL
PROCESSES || GRADED A+
124 VERIFIED QUESTIONS & ACCURATE ANSWERS
True or False. A virus is considered a microorganism. - CORRECT ANSWER
- False. Viruses are not living and as such are not considered microorganisms.
Viruses can, however, be classified as microbes, a more general term that includes
microorganisms and microbes.
What is the smallest biological unit of life? - CORRECT ANSWER - A cell.
At a generalized level, all cells are composed of what? - CORRECT ANSWER
- Macromolecules - proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids.
Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protista are all classified under what type of
organism? - CORRECT ANSWER - Eukarya.
True or False. All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are
autotropic. - CORRECT ANSWER - False. Animalia are heterotrophic.
Microorganisms classified as _______ obtain most of their energy by converting
light energy into chemical energy. - CORRECT ANSWER - Plantae.
,Define anabolism. - CORRECT ANSWER - Anabolism is the process of
building up or biosynthesis of macromolecules from small molecular units into
much larger complexes.
In order to convert proteins into amino acids, which metabolic process would be
active? - CORRECT ANSWER - Catabolism would be active as proteins are
made up of amino acids. Therefore the process described is the breakdown, or
catabolism of proteins.
In phosphorylation, the light reactions always occur where? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The processing of converting light into chemical energy
(photophosphorylation) always occurs in the membrane of chloroplasts.
True or False. The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light. - CORRECT
ANSWER - The Calvin cycle is referred to as the "dark reactions" but this simple
just denotes the second stage of photosynthesis, dark reactions do not actually
require darkness in order to occur.
Assuming a constant (non-adjustable) light source power, identify the part of the
microscope you would adjust to limit the amount of light entering the microscope.
- CORRECT ANSWER - The iris diaphragm.
What is the total magnification (relative to your eye) of a sample imaged with a
60x objective and a 10x eyepiece? Show your math. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Total magnification = 60 x 10 = 600x magnification
, What type of image can you obtain from a SEM? - CORRECT ANSWER -
SEM show a trademark "shell" image (no subcellular organelles are visible).
True or False. LB agar is classified as a selective, non-differential media. -
CORRECT ANSWER - False. LB agar is both non-selective and non-
differential. It is the most basic type of agar and like LB media supports the growth
of virtually all microbes without restriction.
What is agar used for in microbiology? - CORRECT ANSWER - Agar is used
to create a solid, smooth surface on which microbes can grow.
True or False. When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop is not
required for each phase as long as the bacterial culture is pure. - CORRECT
ANSWER - False. A new or sterilized loop is absolutely required for each phase.
Failure to do so would prevent the establishment of a dilution gradient, as the same
bacterial concentration would be spread across both phase regions.
The number of phases (3 vs 4) and/or the number of times a loop passes through a
previous phase (once vs multiple times) is acceptable provided what happens? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Either deviation is acceptable in practice provided the
resulting gradient contains within it the growth of individual colonies.
True or false. Pathogenic strains of bacteria tend to grow slower than normal non-
pathogenic bacterial strains. - CORRECT ANSWER - False. Pathogenic
strains of bacteria tend to grow faster than non-pathogenic strains at 37 degrees C
which is why researchers may set incubators to 25 degrees C to restrict its growth.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027 || MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS, CELL STRUCTURE & MICROBIAL
PROCESSES || GRADED A+
124 VERIFIED QUESTIONS & ACCURATE ANSWERS
True or False. A virus is considered a microorganism. - CORRECT ANSWER
- False. Viruses are not living and as such are not considered microorganisms.
Viruses can, however, be classified as microbes, a more general term that includes
microorganisms and microbes.
What is the smallest biological unit of life? - CORRECT ANSWER - A cell.
At a generalized level, all cells are composed of what? - CORRECT ANSWER
- Macromolecules - proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids.
Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protista are all classified under what type of
organism? - CORRECT ANSWER - Eukarya.
True or False. All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are
autotropic. - CORRECT ANSWER - False. Animalia are heterotrophic.
Microorganisms classified as _______ obtain most of their energy by converting
light energy into chemical energy. - CORRECT ANSWER - Plantae.
,Define anabolism. - CORRECT ANSWER - Anabolism is the process of
building up or biosynthesis of macromolecules from small molecular units into
much larger complexes.
In order to convert proteins into amino acids, which metabolic process would be
active? - CORRECT ANSWER - Catabolism would be active as proteins are
made up of amino acids. Therefore the process described is the breakdown, or
catabolism of proteins.
In phosphorylation, the light reactions always occur where? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The processing of converting light into chemical energy
(photophosphorylation) always occurs in the membrane of chloroplasts.
True or False. The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light. - CORRECT
ANSWER - The Calvin cycle is referred to as the "dark reactions" but this simple
just denotes the second stage of photosynthesis, dark reactions do not actually
require darkness in order to occur.
Assuming a constant (non-adjustable) light source power, identify the part of the
microscope you would adjust to limit the amount of light entering the microscope.
- CORRECT ANSWER - The iris diaphragm.
What is the total magnification (relative to your eye) of a sample imaged with a
60x objective and a 10x eyepiece? Show your math. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Total magnification = 60 x 10 = 600x magnification
, What type of image can you obtain from a SEM? - CORRECT ANSWER -
SEM show a trademark "shell" image (no subcellular organelles are visible).
True or False. LB agar is classified as a selective, non-differential media. -
CORRECT ANSWER - False. LB agar is both non-selective and non-
differential. It is the most basic type of agar and like LB media supports the growth
of virtually all microbes without restriction.
What is agar used for in microbiology? - CORRECT ANSWER - Agar is used
to create a solid, smooth surface on which microbes can grow.
True or False. When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop is not
required for each phase as long as the bacterial culture is pure. - CORRECT
ANSWER - False. A new or sterilized loop is absolutely required for each phase.
Failure to do so would prevent the establishment of a dilution gradient, as the same
bacterial concentration would be spread across both phase regions.
The number of phases (3 vs 4) and/or the number of times a loop passes through a
previous phase (once vs multiple times) is acceptable provided what happens? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Either deviation is acceptable in practice provided the
resulting gradient contains within it the growth of individual colonies.
True or false. Pathogenic strains of bacteria tend to grow slower than normal non-
pathogenic bacterial strains. - CORRECT ANSWER - False. Pathogenic
strains of bacteria tend to grow faster than non-pathogenic strains at 37 degrees C
which is why researchers may set incubators to 25 degrees C to restrict its growth.
