BIOD 171 Comprehensive Study Guide
2026 | Portage Learning | Modules 1–8
High-Yield Verified Q&As & Review
(100% EXPERT VERIFIED)
Module 01: Introduction to Microbiology And Cell Structure
Which of the following are considered Protista? Select all that apply:
• Bacteria
• Amoeba
• Algae
• Yeast-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Amoeba
- Algae
True or False: A defining characteristic of Protista is the inability of colonies to form tissue layers-
CORRECT✅✅✅- True
The function of the ribosome is (select all that apply):
• To produce energy (ATP)
• Lipid Synthesis
• Protein Synthesis
• Waste disposal via hydrolytic enzymes-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Protein synthesis: ribosomes are
located in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells and in the ER of eukaryotic cells.
Cell walls are found in which of the following (select all that apply):
• Algae
• Bacteria
• Mammalian cells
• Plants
1|Page
, • Fungi-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Algae
- Bacteria
- Plants
- Fungi
The function of the mitochondria is (select all that apply):
• To produce energy
• Protein synthesis
• waste disposal via hydrolytic enzymes
• Protein modification and distribution
• lipid synthesis-CORRECT✅✅✅- - To produce energy: Mitochondria are considered the
power plant of the cell, as it produces ATP
True or False: All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are autotrophic-
CORRECT✅✅✅- False - they are heterotrophic
How many ATP does the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle produce per pyruvate?
• 2 ATP
• 34 ATP
• 4 ATP
• 1 ATP-CORRECT✅✅✅- - 1 ATP: The TCA produces only 1 ATP per pyruvate
In the absence of glucose, which of the following can be used as alternative energy sources? Select all
that apply:
• Nucleic Acids
• Lactose
• Carbohydraes
• Lipids-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Lactose
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
2|Page
,True or False: The beta-oxidation pathway catabolizes the fatty acid chains of lipids-CORRECT✅✅✅-
True
True or False: Plants, algae and bacteria all contain chloroplasts-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - Chloroplasts
are specific to algae and plants only
The process of photophosphorylation produces which of the following: Select all that apply.
• ATP
• Glyceraidenhyde 3-phosphate
• NADPH
• H20
• C02-CORRECT✅✅✅- - ATP
- NADPH
Short Answer: What is one of the main functions of light reactions?-CORRECT✅✅✅- - to generate
ATP via proton concentration gradient
True or False: The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - the term
"dark reactions" (also known as the Calvin cycle) simply denotes the second stage in photosynthesis -
dark reactions do not actually require darkness in order to occur
True or False: Following the decolorization step of the Gram stain, Gram-negative bacteria will appear
colorless-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - even together, the LPS and thin peptidoglycan layer are unable to
retain the crystal violet dye during decolorization
True or False: if you wish to study motility of an organism you cannot heat fix, but you can chemically fix
the specimen?-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - both heat and chemical strategies will kill the cell, making
motility observations impossible
Short Answer: You want to observe the size and shape of a cell. What is the easiest staining technique
that you could perform? Name at least one dye you would use during this process.-CORRECT✅✅✅-
Simple stain - the dyes you could use could be:
• Methylene Blue
• Crystal Violet
3|Page
, • Safranin
• Fuschin
Short Answer: You suspect a patient may have TB. Once a sample has been obtained, it is sent off to the
lab for an acid-fast stain. If the patient were infected with TB, describe what you would expect to see on
the stained slide-CORRECT✅✅✅- If the patient was infected with TB, I would expect to see red cells
on blue background of the stained slide (which is TB-)
True or False: If a patient is suspected of having malaria, a Giemsa stain would be an appropriate
differential test t perform-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - Giemsa stains are often used in clinical settings to
aid in the diagnosis of blood parasites
Short Answer: Identify what type of electron microscope was used to capture the following image and
explain your choice-CORRECT✅✅✅- Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). This is due to the
subcellular components being visible at 20nm. Further, this images lack the appearance of an "outside"
shell
True of False: The purpose of a quadrant streak is to produce individual colonies of a bacterial
population-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - the purpose of the quadrant streak is to generate individual
colonies such that a single (pure) bacterial sample can be isolated.
Short Answer: A dilution gradient is formed when carrying out what generalizing plating strategy?-
CORRECT✅✅✅- Dilution gradients are formed when carrying out a quadrant streak.
In what phase of a dilution streak would you expect to find the lowest concentration of bacteria P2 or
P4?-CORRECT✅✅✅- P4 would contain the lowest concentration.
True or False: When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop must be used for each
phase?-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - Failure to do so would prevent the establishment of a dilution
gradient, as the same bacterial concentration would be spread across both phase regions
Short Answer: In order to encourage growth of a slow growing microbe what might a researcher do
during a phase dilution streak?-CORRECT✅✅✅- The researcher could do one of two things:
- (1) The researcher could perform a 3-phase dilution streak
- (2) Pass the loop through the previous phase multiple times
4|Page
2026 | Portage Learning | Modules 1–8
High-Yield Verified Q&As & Review
(100% EXPERT VERIFIED)
Module 01: Introduction to Microbiology And Cell Structure
Which of the following are considered Protista? Select all that apply:
• Bacteria
• Amoeba
• Algae
• Yeast-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Amoeba
- Algae
True or False: A defining characteristic of Protista is the inability of colonies to form tissue layers-
CORRECT✅✅✅- True
The function of the ribosome is (select all that apply):
• To produce energy (ATP)
• Lipid Synthesis
• Protein Synthesis
• Waste disposal via hydrolytic enzymes-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Protein synthesis: ribosomes are
located in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells and in the ER of eukaryotic cells.
Cell walls are found in which of the following (select all that apply):
• Algae
• Bacteria
• Mammalian cells
• Plants
1|Page
, • Fungi-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Algae
- Bacteria
- Plants
- Fungi
The function of the mitochondria is (select all that apply):
• To produce energy
• Protein synthesis
• waste disposal via hydrolytic enzymes
• Protein modification and distribution
• lipid synthesis-CORRECT✅✅✅- - To produce energy: Mitochondria are considered the
power plant of the cell, as it produces ATP
True or False: All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are autotrophic-
CORRECT✅✅✅- False - they are heterotrophic
How many ATP does the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle produce per pyruvate?
• 2 ATP
• 34 ATP
• 4 ATP
• 1 ATP-CORRECT✅✅✅- - 1 ATP: The TCA produces only 1 ATP per pyruvate
In the absence of glucose, which of the following can be used as alternative energy sources? Select all
that apply:
• Nucleic Acids
• Lactose
• Carbohydraes
• Lipids-CORRECT✅✅✅- - Lactose
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
2|Page
,True or False: The beta-oxidation pathway catabolizes the fatty acid chains of lipids-CORRECT✅✅✅-
True
True or False: Plants, algae and bacteria all contain chloroplasts-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - Chloroplasts
are specific to algae and plants only
The process of photophosphorylation produces which of the following: Select all that apply.
• ATP
• Glyceraidenhyde 3-phosphate
• NADPH
• H20
• C02-CORRECT✅✅✅- - ATP
- NADPH
Short Answer: What is one of the main functions of light reactions?-CORRECT✅✅✅- - to generate
ATP via proton concentration gradient
True or False: The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - the term
"dark reactions" (also known as the Calvin cycle) simply denotes the second stage in photosynthesis -
dark reactions do not actually require darkness in order to occur
True or False: Following the decolorization step of the Gram stain, Gram-negative bacteria will appear
colorless-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - even together, the LPS and thin peptidoglycan layer are unable to
retain the crystal violet dye during decolorization
True or False: if you wish to study motility of an organism you cannot heat fix, but you can chemically fix
the specimen?-CORRECT✅✅✅- False - both heat and chemical strategies will kill the cell, making
motility observations impossible
Short Answer: You want to observe the size and shape of a cell. What is the easiest staining technique
that you could perform? Name at least one dye you would use during this process.-CORRECT✅✅✅-
Simple stain - the dyes you could use could be:
• Methylene Blue
• Crystal Violet
3|Page
, • Safranin
• Fuschin
Short Answer: You suspect a patient may have TB. Once a sample has been obtained, it is sent off to the
lab for an acid-fast stain. If the patient were infected with TB, describe what you would expect to see on
the stained slide-CORRECT✅✅✅- If the patient was infected with TB, I would expect to see red cells
on blue background of the stained slide (which is TB-)
True or False: If a patient is suspected of having malaria, a Giemsa stain would be an appropriate
differential test t perform-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - Giemsa stains are often used in clinical settings to
aid in the diagnosis of blood parasites
Short Answer: Identify what type of electron microscope was used to capture the following image and
explain your choice-CORRECT✅✅✅- Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). This is due to the
subcellular components being visible at 20nm. Further, this images lack the appearance of an "outside"
shell
True of False: The purpose of a quadrant streak is to produce individual colonies of a bacterial
population-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - the purpose of the quadrant streak is to generate individual
colonies such that a single (pure) bacterial sample can be isolated.
Short Answer: A dilution gradient is formed when carrying out what generalizing plating strategy?-
CORRECT✅✅✅- Dilution gradients are formed when carrying out a quadrant streak.
In what phase of a dilution streak would you expect to find the lowest concentration of bacteria P2 or
P4?-CORRECT✅✅✅- P4 would contain the lowest concentration.
True or False: When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop must be used for each
phase?-CORRECT✅✅✅- True - Failure to do so would prevent the establishment of a dilution
gradient, as the same bacterial concentration would be spread across both phase regions
Short Answer: In order to encourage growth of a slow growing microbe what might a researcher do
during a phase dilution streak?-CORRECT✅✅✅- The researcher could do one of two things:
- (1) The researcher could perform a 3-phase dilution streak
- (2) Pass the loop through the previous phase multiple times
4|Page
