Biology 1330: Final Exam Questions
with Accurate Answers 2026-2027
Update.
Why is each element unique with respect to its chemical properties? Each element has a
distinctive _____ - Answer Number of protons
A covalent chemical bond is one in which _____. - Answer outer-shell electrons of two atoms
are shared so as to satisfactorily fill their respective orbitals
A covalent bond is likely to be polar when _____. - Answer one of the atoms sharing
electrons is much more electronegative than the other atom
What is the difference between covalent bonds and ionic bonds? - Answer Covalent bonds
involve the sharing of electrons between atoms; ionic bonds involve the electrical attraction
between charged atoms
When the atoms involved in a covalent bond have the same electronegativity, what type of
bond results? - Answer A nonpolar covalent bond
The partial negative charge at one end of a water molecule is attracted to the partial positive
charge of another water molecule. What is this attraction called? - Answer A hydrogen bond
Which of the following is the most spontaneous reaction? A reaction that is _____. - Answer
Slightly exothermic and leads to a huge increase in entropy
_____ atoms give organic molecules their overall shape; _____ atoms determine the overall
chemical behavior of organic molecules. - Answer Carbon; H, N, and O
Which of the following is true of carbon? - Answer It can form both polar and nonpolar
bonds.
Hydrolysis is most likely to increase which of the following? - Answer Entropy
Why are polymerization reactions endergonic? Polymerization reactions _____. - Answer
Reduce entropy
,Suppose you discovered a new amino acid. Its R-group contains only hydrogen and carbon
atoms. Predict the behavior of this amino acid. - Answer It is hydrophobic
Which type of interaction stabilizes the α-helix and the β-pleated sheet structures of proteins? -
Answer Hydrogen bonds
You are studying a protein that is shaped like a doughnut. The shape is a function of which
level(s) of protein structure? - Answer Primary, secondary and tertiary
At which level of protein structure are interactions between the side chains (R-groups) most
important? - Answer Tertiary
In a normal cellular protein, where would you expect to find a hydrophobic amino acid like
valine? - Answer in the interior of the folded protein, away from water, or in a
transmembrane portion interacting with lipid fatty-acid chains
Which level of protein structure do the α-helix and the β-pleated sheet represent? - Answer
Secondary
How does primary protein structure affect the function of protein enzymes? - Answer
Substrates interact with R-groups at the enzyme's active site.
Why does a fever become dangerous to body functions if it continues to rise? - Answer
Proteins become denatured and are unable to complete their jobs.
Which of the following attributes of proteins contribute(s) to their ability to catalyze reactions? -
Answer The secondary and tertiary structures allow molecules to be precisely oriented.
What is the difference between a ribonucleotide and a deoxyribonucleotide? - Answer
Ribonucleotides have a hydroxyl group on the 2 carbon of their sugar subunit
What is/are the variable structure(s) of a nucleotide? - Answer The sugar and the base
The difference between the sugar in DNA and the sugar in RNA is that the sugar in DNA _____. -
Answer contains one less oxygen atom
If one strand of a DNA molecule has the sequence of bases 5'ATTGCA3', the other
complementary strand would have the sequence _____. - Answer 5'TGCAAT3'
, Which of the following structural features is common to cellulose, chitin, and peptidoglycan? -
Answer They can all form bonds between polymer chains that create parallel strands.
Enzymes that readily break starch apart cannot hydrolyze the glycosidic linkages found in
cellulose. Why is this logical? - Answer The geometry of the bonds is different, and the
shapes of enzyme active sites are highly specific.
Why do plants require sunlight? - Answer Sunlight energy can be used by plants to reduce
the carbon atoms in carbon dioxide.
How do carbohydrates contain and/or display information for cells? - Answer Carbohydrates
contain and display information at the cell surface.
Bacteria, insects, and plants use carbohydrates to build structures. Which of the following is
true of structural carbohydrates? - Answer Structural carbohydrates are long strands, which
are chemically linked into a network.
A phospholipid is a _____. - Answer nonpolar lipid molecule that is made amphipathic by the
addition of a phosphate
Lipids that contain a high number of double bonds in their fatty acid chains will ________. -
Answer ?
Steroids are considered to be lipids because they _____. - Answer are not soluble in water
Which of the following is the best explanation for why cholesterol decreases the permeability of
biological membranes? - Answer Because cholesterol is amphipathic, it fits in between the
phospholipids and blocks diffusion through the membrane.
All of the following are part of a prokaryotic cell EXCEPT _____. - Answer an endoplasmic
reticulum
The liver is involved in detoxification of many poisons and drugs. Which of the following
structures is primarily involved in this process and, therefore, abundant in liver cells? - Answer
smooth ER
Which structure is common to plant and animal cells? - Answer mitochondrion
Cyanide binds with at least one molecule involved in producing ATP. If a cell is exposed to
cyanide, most of the cyanide will be found within the _____. - Answer mitochondria
with Accurate Answers 2026-2027
Update.
Why is each element unique with respect to its chemical properties? Each element has a
distinctive _____ - Answer Number of protons
A covalent chemical bond is one in which _____. - Answer outer-shell electrons of two atoms
are shared so as to satisfactorily fill their respective orbitals
A covalent bond is likely to be polar when _____. - Answer one of the atoms sharing
electrons is much more electronegative than the other atom
What is the difference between covalent bonds and ionic bonds? - Answer Covalent bonds
involve the sharing of electrons between atoms; ionic bonds involve the electrical attraction
between charged atoms
When the atoms involved in a covalent bond have the same electronegativity, what type of
bond results? - Answer A nonpolar covalent bond
The partial negative charge at one end of a water molecule is attracted to the partial positive
charge of another water molecule. What is this attraction called? - Answer A hydrogen bond
Which of the following is the most spontaneous reaction? A reaction that is _____. - Answer
Slightly exothermic and leads to a huge increase in entropy
_____ atoms give organic molecules their overall shape; _____ atoms determine the overall
chemical behavior of organic molecules. - Answer Carbon; H, N, and O
Which of the following is true of carbon? - Answer It can form both polar and nonpolar
bonds.
Hydrolysis is most likely to increase which of the following? - Answer Entropy
Why are polymerization reactions endergonic? Polymerization reactions _____. - Answer
Reduce entropy
,Suppose you discovered a new amino acid. Its R-group contains only hydrogen and carbon
atoms. Predict the behavior of this amino acid. - Answer It is hydrophobic
Which type of interaction stabilizes the α-helix and the β-pleated sheet structures of proteins? -
Answer Hydrogen bonds
You are studying a protein that is shaped like a doughnut. The shape is a function of which
level(s) of protein structure? - Answer Primary, secondary and tertiary
At which level of protein structure are interactions between the side chains (R-groups) most
important? - Answer Tertiary
In a normal cellular protein, where would you expect to find a hydrophobic amino acid like
valine? - Answer in the interior of the folded protein, away from water, or in a
transmembrane portion interacting with lipid fatty-acid chains
Which level of protein structure do the α-helix and the β-pleated sheet represent? - Answer
Secondary
How does primary protein structure affect the function of protein enzymes? - Answer
Substrates interact with R-groups at the enzyme's active site.
Why does a fever become dangerous to body functions if it continues to rise? - Answer
Proteins become denatured and are unable to complete their jobs.
Which of the following attributes of proteins contribute(s) to their ability to catalyze reactions? -
Answer The secondary and tertiary structures allow molecules to be precisely oriented.
What is the difference between a ribonucleotide and a deoxyribonucleotide? - Answer
Ribonucleotides have a hydroxyl group on the 2 carbon of their sugar subunit
What is/are the variable structure(s) of a nucleotide? - Answer The sugar and the base
The difference between the sugar in DNA and the sugar in RNA is that the sugar in DNA _____. -
Answer contains one less oxygen atom
If one strand of a DNA molecule has the sequence of bases 5'ATTGCA3', the other
complementary strand would have the sequence _____. - Answer 5'TGCAAT3'
, Which of the following structural features is common to cellulose, chitin, and peptidoglycan? -
Answer They can all form bonds between polymer chains that create parallel strands.
Enzymes that readily break starch apart cannot hydrolyze the glycosidic linkages found in
cellulose. Why is this logical? - Answer The geometry of the bonds is different, and the
shapes of enzyme active sites are highly specific.
Why do plants require sunlight? - Answer Sunlight energy can be used by plants to reduce
the carbon atoms in carbon dioxide.
How do carbohydrates contain and/or display information for cells? - Answer Carbohydrates
contain and display information at the cell surface.
Bacteria, insects, and plants use carbohydrates to build structures. Which of the following is
true of structural carbohydrates? - Answer Structural carbohydrates are long strands, which
are chemically linked into a network.
A phospholipid is a _____. - Answer nonpolar lipid molecule that is made amphipathic by the
addition of a phosphate
Lipids that contain a high number of double bonds in their fatty acid chains will ________. -
Answer ?
Steroids are considered to be lipids because they _____. - Answer are not soluble in water
Which of the following is the best explanation for why cholesterol decreases the permeability of
biological membranes? - Answer Because cholesterol is amphipathic, it fits in between the
phospholipids and blocks diffusion through the membrane.
All of the following are part of a prokaryotic cell EXCEPT _____. - Answer an endoplasmic
reticulum
The liver is involved in detoxification of many poisons and drugs. Which of the following
structures is primarily involved in this process and, therefore, abundant in liver cells? - Answer
smooth ER
Which structure is common to plant and animal cells? - Answer mitochondrion
Cyanide binds with at least one molecule involved in producing ATP. If a cell is exposed to
cyanide, most of the cyanide will be found within the _____. - Answer mitochondria
