CSCC BIO 2215 2 ACTUAL EXAM
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Taxonomy.
Answer: branch of biology that identifies, names, and classifies species
based on their natural relationships
◍ Who came up with binomial nomenclature?.
Answer: Carl Linnaeus
◍ Who introduced the most current 3 domain classification system?.
Answer: Carl Woese
◍ 5 kingdoms.
Answer: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia- Based on
characteristics of morphology, cell structure, embryology, and anatomy
◍ What are the major groups of microorganisms? (4 examples).
Answer: 1. bacteria2. algae3. protozoa4. viruses
◍ What is a microorganism?.
Answer: Living bodies that are not visible to the naked eye
◍ What is the 3 domain classification system based on?.
Answer: - 16s ribosomal RNA- Used because 16s rRNA is found in all
organisms, its function is the same in all organisms, and 16s rRNA is very
stable- Rate of mutation of 16s rRNA is very low
◍ What is the Germ Theory of Disease?.
Answer: many diseases are caused by microbes
◍ Who proved the germ theory of disease?.
Answer: Robert Koch
,◍ 3 domains.
Answer: - Bacteria- Archae- Eukaryota
◍ Domain Bacteria.
Answer: - All are prokaryotic - Rigid cell walls- Have peptidoglycan-
Divide by binary fission - Most have flagella- Most common shapes: cocci,
bacilli, spiral
◍ What is an acid-fast stain?.
Answer: Used to stain organisms that resist conventional staining
◍ Domain Archae.
Answer: - All are prokaryotic - Similar shape to bacteria- Divide by binary
fission - Some have flagella- DO NOT have peptidoglycan- Some can live
in extreme environmental conditions (high temps, high salt concentration)
◍ Domain Eukaryota.
Answer: - Algae, fungi, protozoa, animals, and plants- Have true cells- Most
are multicellular- DO NOT have peptidoglycan - Plants, algae, fungi: rigid
cells- Animals and protozoan: do not have rigid cell walls
◍ What is the cell wall made of?.
Answer: peptidoglycan in bacteria
◍ What are two characteristics of Gram + organisms?.
Answer: 1. Stain Purple2. Thick peptidoglycan wall
◍ What are three characteristics of Gram - organisms?.
Answer: 1. Stain Pink2. Thin peptidoglycan wall3. Has an outer membrane
Lipid A
◍ What are two structures that are important to cellular survival?.
Answer: 1. Ribosomes 2. Chromosomes
◍ Classification Archaea.
Answer: - Most primitive and simplest organisms - No nucleus =
prokaryotes- e.g. methanogens - get their energy from hydrogen gas (H2)
,◍ What are three differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell
structure?.
Answer: 1. Prokaryotic have capsule2. Eukaryotic have membrane bound
organelles 3. Prokaryotic do not have a nucleus
◍ Classification Bacteria.
Answer: - Single cell organisms- No nucleus = Prokaryotes- e.g. E. coli and
Streptococcus pyogenes
◍ Classification Protista.
Answer: - Mostly single celled - Nucleus = eukaryotes - e.g. green algae and
cryptomonads
◍ What microbes can you not see with a light microscope?.
Answer: Viruses
◍ Classification Fungi.
Answer: - Non-photosynthetic multcellular or unicellular organisms- Cannot
make own food, must obtain it from other organisms - e.g. yeasts and
mushrooms
◍ What is metabolism?.
Answer: sum of all chemical reactions in the body
◍ What is anabolism?.
Answer: building up molecules
◍ Classification Plantae.
Answer: - Photosynthetic multicellular organisms- Can make their own
food- E.g. algae, flowers, trees
◍ What is catabolism?.
Answer: breaking down molecules
◍ What are three factors that influence microorganism growth?.
Answer: 1. Ph2. Temp.3. Water availability
◍ Animalis.
Answer: - Non-photosynthetic multicellular organisms - Cannot make their
, own food
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for phototroph?.
Answer: 1. Energy Source: Sunlight2. Carbon
◍ Taxonomy smallest to largest.
Answer: - Species: closely related strains- Genus: similar related species-
Family: collection of similar genera- Order: collection of similar families-
Class: collection of similar order- Phylum: collection of similar classes-
Kingdom: collection of similar phyla- Domain: collection of similar
kingdoms
◍ Identification.
Answer: - The process of identifying organisms to the species level using
biochemicals- Methods used to identify and classify microorganisms:
microscopic examinations, culture characteristics, biochemical tests, nucleic
acid analysis
◍ Microscopy.
Answer: - Good starting point for identification process - Determines size,
shape, and staining characteristics
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for photo chemotroph?.
Answer: 1. Sunlight2. Organic Compounds
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for Chemolithrautotroph?.
Answer: 1. Inorganic2. CO2
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for Chemorgantroph?.
Answer: 1. Organic Compounds2. Organic Compounds
◍ Gram staining.
Answer: - Divides bacteria into gram positive and gram negative- Based on
molecule structure of the cell wall in different types of bacteria
◍ Metabolism reactions are based on.
Answer: specific enzymes
◍ Classification.
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Taxonomy.
Answer: branch of biology that identifies, names, and classifies species
based on their natural relationships
◍ Who came up with binomial nomenclature?.
Answer: Carl Linnaeus
◍ Who introduced the most current 3 domain classification system?.
Answer: Carl Woese
◍ 5 kingdoms.
Answer: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia- Based on
characteristics of morphology, cell structure, embryology, and anatomy
◍ What are the major groups of microorganisms? (4 examples).
Answer: 1. bacteria2. algae3. protozoa4. viruses
◍ What is a microorganism?.
Answer: Living bodies that are not visible to the naked eye
◍ What is the 3 domain classification system based on?.
Answer: - 16s ribosomal RNA- Used because 16s rRNA is found in all
organisms, its function is the same in all organisms, and 16s rRNA is very
stable- Rate of mutation of 16s rRNA is very low
◍ What is the Germ Theory of Disease?.
Answer: many diseases are caused by microbes
◍ Who proved the germ theory of disease?.
Answer: Robert Koch
,◍ 3 domains.
Answer: - Bacteria- Archae- Eukaryota
◍ Domain Bacteria.
Answer: - All are prokaryotic - Rigid cell walls- Have peptidoglycan-
Divide by binary fission - Most have flagella- Most common shapes: cocci,
bacilli, spiral
◍ What is an acid-fast stain?.
Answer: Used to stain organisms that resist conventional staining
◍ Domain Archae.
Answer: - All are prokaryotic - Similar shape to bacteria- Divide by binary
fission - Some have flagella- DO NOT have peptidoglycan- Some can live
in extreme environmental conditions (high temps, high salt concentration)
◍ Domain Eukaryota.
Answer: - Algae, fungi, protozoa, animals, and plants- Have true cells- Most
are multicellular- DO NOT have peptidoglycan - Plants, algae, fungi: rigid
cells- Animals and protozoan: do not have rigid cell walls
◍ What is the cell wall made of?.
Answer: peptidoglycan in bacteria
◍ What are two characteristics of Gram + organisms?.
Answer: 1. Stain Purple2. Thick peptidoglycan wall
◍ What are three characteristics of Gram - organisms?.
Answer: 1. Stain Pink2. Thin peptidoglycan wall3. Has an outer membrane
Lipid A
◍ What are two structures that are important to cellular survival?.
Answer: 1. Ribosomes 2. Chromosomes
◍ Classification Archaea.
Answer: - Most primitive and simplest organisms - No nucleus =
prokaryotes- e.g. methanogens - get their energy from hydrogen gas (H2)
,◍ What are three differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell
structure?.
Answer: 1. Prokaryotic have capsule2. Eukaryotic have membrane bound
organelles 3. Prokaryotic do not have a nucleus
◍ Classification Bacteria.
Answer: - Single cell organisms- No nucleus = Prokaryotes- e.g. E. coli and
Streptococcus pyogenes
◍ Classification Protista.
Answer: - Mostly single celled - Nucleus = eukaryotes - e.g. green algae and
cryptomonads
◍ What microbes can you not see with a light microscope?.
Answer: Viruses
◍ Classification Fungi.
Answer: - Non-photosynthetic multcellular or unicellular organisms- Cannot
make own food, must obtain it from other organisms - e.g. yeasts and
mushrooms
◍ What is metabolism?.
Answer: sum of all chemical reactions in the body
◍ What is anabolism?.
Answer: building up molecules
◍ Classification Plantae.
Answer: - Photosynthetic multicellular organisms- Can make their own
food- E.g. algae, flowers, trees
◍ What is catabolism?.
Answer: breaking down molecules
◍ What are three factors that influence microorganism growth?.
Answer: 1. Ph2. Temp.3. Water availability
◍ Animalis.
Answer: - Non-photosynthetic multicellular organisms - Cannot make their
, own food
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for phototroph?.
Answer: 1. Energy Source: Sunlight2. Carbon
◍ Taxonomy smallest to largest.
Answer: - Species: closely related strains- Genus: similar related species-
Family: collection of similar genera- Order: collection of similar families-
Class: collection of similar order- Phylum: collection of similar classes-
Kingdom: collection of similar phyla- Domain: collection of similar
kingdoms
◍ Identification.
Answer: - The process of identifying organisms to the species level using
biochemicals- Methods used to identify and classify microorganisms:
microscopic examinations, culture characteristics, biochemical tests, nucleic
acid analysis
◍ Microscopy.
Answer: - Good starting point for identification process - Determines size,
shape, and staining characteristics
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for photo chemotroph?.
Answer: 1. Sunlight2. Organic Compounds
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for Chemolithrautotroph?.
Answer: 1. Inorganic2. CO2
◍ What is the energy and carbon source for Chemorgantroph?.
Answer: 1. Organic Compounds2. Organic Compounds
◍ Gram staining.
Answer: - Divides bacteria into gram positive and gram negative- Based on
molecule structure of the cell wall in different types of bacteria
◍ Metabolism reactions are based on.
Answer: specific enzymes
◍ Classification.
