Biology Practice Exam

50 questions, grade 99%

Why cant humans and most other animals digest wood?

They lack the enzyme needed to break down cellulose

What do scientists call a proposed explanation that can be tested through investigation?

Hypothesis

Which subject below is generally classified outside the natural sciences?

Computer science

What type of reasoning uses specific observations to develop a general conclusion?

Inductive reasoning

What process allows other scientists to evaluate research before it is accepted for publication?

Peer review

A student observes that plants exposed to music appear to grow faster than plants that are not exposed to music. She concludes that music may improve plant growth. What type of reasoning is she using?

Inductive reasoning

What is the smallest structure capable of carrying out all the basic functions of life?

Cell

Why are viruses generally not classified as living organisms?

They are not composed of cells

Which type of cell contains a nucleus surrounded by a membrane?

Eukaryotic cell

What term describes members of the same species living in the same geographic area?

Population

Which sequence correctly moves from the broadest level of organization to the least inclusive level?

Biosphere → Ecosystem → Community → Population → Organism

On a phylogenetic tree, where would organisms representing the most recently evolved lineages usually be found?

At the branch tips

An atom of xenon has an atomic number of 54 and a mass number of 108. How many neutrons are present?

54

Which property of water helps living organisms avoid rapid changes in body temperature?

High specific heat

Potassium has an atomic number of 19. Which electron arrangement is correct?

Shells 1,2, and 3 are full with one electron in shell 4

Which of the following is considered a relatively weak chemical interaction?

Hydrogen bond

Which statement about water is INCORRECT?

Water is the most abundant molecule in Earth’s atmosphere

What happens to the pH of a solution when an acid is added?

It decreases

What is the name for a substance that can bind or accept excess hydrogen ion?

Base

Which statement correctly describes the interaction between acids and bases?

Acids and bases can neutralize each other

How many covalent bonds can a carbon atom form under typical biological conditions?

Four

Which substance below is NOT a common functional group associated with carbon-based molecules?

Sodium

Which of the following is NOT a characteristics shared by all living things?

Being composed of multiple cells

Which process uses water to break polymers into smaller units?

Hydrolisis

Ethanol and acetic acid react to form ethyl ethanoate and water. What type of reacting is this?

Condensation reaction

Why is water able to dissolve many ionic and polar substances?

Water can interact with charged and polar particles

Starch and cellulose belong to which carbohydrate category?

Polysaccharides

Which carbohydrate is a major structural components of plant cell walls?

Cellulose

Lactose is formed when glucose and which other monosaccharide are joined by a glycosidic bond?

Galactose

Which of the following is NOT primarily a structural or protective function of carbohydrates?

Supplying energy for muscle contraction

Which statement does NOT describe saturated fats?

They dissolve readily in water

Phospholipids are major structural components of which cellular structure?

Plasma membrane

Cholesterol in Membranes, Where is cholesterol located within a plasma membrane?

Between the phospholipid molecules, associated with their hydrophobic region (tails)

Protein Monomers, What molecules are joined together to make proteins?

Amino acids

Which core theme provides a unifying framework for understanding all areas of biology?

The relationship between structure and function in living systems

A misfolded protein causes other copies of the same protein to misfold. Which level of protein structure is most directly affected?

Tertiary

Which combination can be found in a DNA nucleotide?

Deoxyribose + thymine + phosphate

What are the basic units that make up DNA and RNA?

Nucleotides

Why is complementary base pairing important to the function of DNA?

Complementary base pairing provides a stable structure and supports accurate copying

Which monosaccharides circulates in the blood and is an important energy source for cells?

Glucose

Which nitrogenous base is found in RNA but not normally in DNA?

Uracil

Which observation gives the best evidence that water molecules attract one another?

Water forms rounded droplets

What process allows an organism to keep its internal conditions relatively stable?

Homeostasis

Which subatomic particle carries a positive electrical charge?

Proton

What is generally formed when two or more atoms are chemically bonded together?

A molecule

Which type of bond forms when atoms share electrons?

Covalent bond

Which element makes up the greatest percentage of the human body by mass?

Oxygen

Two atoms belong to the same element but have different numbers of neutrons. What are they called?

Isotopes

Which situation is most likely to result in an ionic bond?

Fatty acid

In a water (H2O) molecules, oxygen is more electronegativity than hydrogen. What does this cause?

Oxygen has a partial negative charge, and hydrogen has a partial positive charge

Which of the following is NOT a functional group that can bond with carbon?

Sodium

Saturated fats have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:

They tend to dissolve in water easily

Which type of bond represents a weak chemical bond?

Hydrogen bond

The monomers that make up proteins are called?

Amino acids

Phospholipids are important components of?

The plasma membrane of cells

Plant cell walls contain which of the following abundance?

Cellulose

The smallest unit of biological structure that meets the functional requirement of “living” is the?

Cell

Why can water dissolve many ionic and polar substances?

Water molecules can interact with charged and polar substances

A nonpolar molecule that does not interact readily with water is described as:

Hydrophobic

A nucleotide is composed of:

A phosphate group, five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base

Which particle has a positive charge?

Proton

The type of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion is called?

Inductive reasoning

The building blocks of nucleic acids are?

Nucleotides

What nitrogenous base is NOT found in DNA?

Uracil

A group of similar cells working together to perform a common function is called a:

Tissue

A suggested and testable explanation for an event is called a:

Hypothesis

What happens when two or more atoms chemically bond together?

They form a molecule

In a saltwater solution, water is the:

Solvent

Amino acids are joined together in proteins by:

Peptide bonds

Which part of an amino acid differs among the 20 common amino acids?

R group

Sucrose is made from:

Glucose and fructose