Microbiology (OpenStax) Test Questions and
Verified Answer Key
Which of the following is a correct usage of binomial nomenclature?
a. Homo Sapiens
b. homo sapiens
c. Homo sapiens
d. Homo Sapiens - ✔️✔️correct answers-C. Homo sapiens
Which of the following types of microorganisms is photosynthetic?
yeast
virus
helminth
alga - ✔️✔️correct answers-alga
Which of the following is a prokaryotic microorganism?
A. helminth
B. protozoan
C. cyanobacterium
D. mold - ✔️✔️correct answers-c. cyanobacterium
Which of the following is acellular?
A. virus
B. bacterium
C. fungus
D. protozoan - ✔️✔️correct answers-A. virus
Which of the following is a type of fungal microorganism?
A. bacterium
B. protozoan
C. alga
D. yeast - ✔️✔️correct answers-D. yeast
,Which of the following is not a subfield of microbiology?
A. bacteriology
B. botany
C. clinical microbiology
D. virology - ✔️✔️correct answers-B. botany
Researchers think that Otzi the Iceman may have been infected with ________ disease.
- ✔️✔️correct answers-Lyme
The process by which microbes turn grape juice into wine is called ________. -
✔️✔️correct answers-fermentation
In binomial nomenclature, an organism's scientific name includes its ________ and
________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-genus, species
________ are organisms without membrane-bound nuclei. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Prokaryotes
_______ are microorganisms that are not included in phylogenetic trees because they
are acellular. - ✔️✔️correct answers-viruses
A ________ is a disease-causing microorganism. - ✔️✔️correct answers-pathogen
Multicellular parasitic worms studied by microbiologists are called ________. -
✔️✔️correct answers-helminths
The study of viruses is ________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-Virology
The cells of prokaryotic organisms lack a ________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-nucleus
What is a phylogenetic tree? - ✔️✔️correct answers-diagram that shows how species
are related to each other through common ancestors
What molecule did Woese and Fox use to construct their phylogenetic tree? -
✔️✔️correct answers-Ribosomal RNA
Name some techniques that can be used to identify and differentiate species of
bacteria. - ✔️✔️correct answers-growth tests, morphological tests, molecular tests
Describe the differences between bacteria and archaea. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Bacteria have different cell walls and lipids, metabolize differently, while archaea can
live in extreme environments.
, Name three structures that various protozoa use for locomotion. - ✔️✔️correct
answers-cilia, flagella, pseudopodia
Describe the actual and relative sizes of a virus, a bacterium, and a plant or animal cell.
- ✔️✔️correct answers-virus < bacterium < plant/animal cell
virus: 20-200 nm
bacterium: 0.5-5 µm
plant/animal cell: 10-100 µm
Why is using binomial nomenclature more useful than using common names? -
✔️✔️correct answers-consistency, clarity, standardization
Label the three Domains found on modern phylogenetic trees. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Bacteria, archaea, eukarya
Which of the following has the highest energy?
light with a long wavelength
light with an intermediate wavelength
light with a short wavelength
It is impossible to tell from the information given. - ✔️✔️correct answers-light with a
short wavelength
You place a specimen under the microscope and notice that parts of the specimen
begin to emit light immediately. These materials can be described as _____________.
fluorescent
phosphorescent
transparent
opaque - ✔️✔️correct answers-fluorescent
Which would be the best choice for viewing internal structures of a living protist such as
a Paramecium?
a brightfield microscope with a stain
a brightfield microscope without a stain
a darkfield microscope
a transmission electron microscope - ✔️✔️correct answers-a dark field microscope
Which type of microscope is especially useful for viewing thick structures such as
biofilms?
a transmission electron microscope
a scanning electron microscopes
Verified Answer Key
Which of the following is a correct usage of binomial nomenclature?
a. Homo Sapiens
b. homo sapiens
c. Homo sapiens
d. Homo Sapiens - ✔️✔️correct answers-C. Homo sapiens
Which of the following types of microorganisms is photosynthetic?
yeast
virus
helminth
alga - ✔️✔️correct answers-alga
Which of the following is a prokaryotic microorganism?
A. helminth
B. protozoan
C. cyanobacterium
D. mold - ✔️✔️correct answers-c. cyanobacterium
Which of the following is acellular?
A. virus
B. bacterium
C. fungus
D. protozoan - ✔️✔️correct answers-A. virus
Which of the following is a type of fungal microorganism?
A. bacterium
B. protozoan
C. alga
D. yeast - ✔️✔️correct answers-D. yeast
,Which of the following is not a subfield of microbiology?
A. bacteriology
B. botany
C. clinical microbiology
D. virology - ✔️✔️correct answers-B. botany
Researchers think that Otzi the Iceman may have been infected with ________ disease.
- ✔️✔️correct answers-Lyme
The process by which microbes turn grape juice into wine is called ________. -
✔️✔️correct answers-fermentation
In binomial nomenclature, an organism's scientific name includes its ________ and
________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-genus, species
________ are organisms without membrane-bound nuclei. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Prokaryotes
_______ are microorganisms that are not included in phylogenetic trees because they
are acellular. - ✔️✔️correct answers-viruses
A ________ is a disease-causing microorganism. - ✔️✔️correct answers-pathogen
Multicellular parasitic worms studied by microbiologists are called ________. -
✔️✔️correct answers-helminths
The study of viruses is ________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-Virology
The cells of prokaryotic organisms lack a ________. - ✔️✔️correct answers-nucleus
What is a phylogenetic tree? - ✔️✔️correct answers-diagram that shows how species
are related to each other through common ancestors
What molecule did Woese and Fox use to construct their phylogenetic tree? -
✔️✔️correct answers-Ribosomal RNA
Name some techniques that can be used to identify and differentiate species of
bacteria. - ✔️✔️correct answers-growth tests, morphological tests, molecular tests
Describe the differences between bacteria and archaea. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Bacteria have different cell walls and lipids, metabolize differently, while archaea can
live in extreme environments.
, Name three structures that various protozoa use for locomotion. - ✔️✔️correct
answers-cilia, flagella, pseudopodia
Describe the actual and relative sizes of a virus, a bacterium, and a plant or animal cell.
- ✔️✔️correct answers-virus < bacterium < plant/animal cell
virus: 20-200 nm
bacterium: 0.5-5 µm
plant/animal cell: 10-100 µm
Why is using binomial nomenclature more useful than using common names? -
✔️✔️correct answers-consistency, clarity, standardization
Label the three Domains found on modern phylogenetic trees. - ✔️✔️correct answers-
Bacteria, archaea, eukarya
Which of the following has the highest energy?
light with a long wavelength
light with an intermediate wavelength
light with a short wavelength
It is impossible to tell from the information given. - ✔️✔️correct answers-light with a
short wavelength
You place a specimen under the microscope and notice that parts of the specimen
begin to emit light immediately. These materials can be described as _____________.
fluorescent
phosphorescent
transparent
opaque - ✔️✔️correct answers-fluorescent
Which would be the best choice for viewing internal structures of a living protist such as
a Paramecium?
a brightfield microscope with a stain
a brightfield microscope without a stain
a darkfield microscope
a transmission electron microscope - ✔️✔️correct answers-a dark field microscope
Which type of microscope is especially useful for viewing thick structures such as
biofilms?
a transmission electron microscope
a scanning electron microscopes
