BIO Lab Final Exam
Scientific Method
Q: Where are the campus emergency numbers posted in the lab?
A: By the door.
Q: What attire is not appropriate for lab?
A: Open-toed shoes.
Q: Where is it acceptable to experiment on bacteria?
A: All bacteria should remain in the lab. Benches must be disinfected before and after use, and no cell phones are allowed.
Q: What are the four general ideas (bubbles) in the updated scientific method flow chart?
A:
1. Testing Ideas – Hypotheses, experimentation.
2. Exploration and Discovery – Observations, questions.
3. Community Analysis and Feedback – Peer review, collaboration.
4. Benefits and Outcomes – Applications, societal impacts.
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Graphing
Q: Which graph is best for the average of multiple data points independent of each other?
A: Bar or column graph.
Q: Which graph is best for data points dependent on each other, like changes over time?
A: Scatter plot or line graph.
Q: Which variable is plotted on the x-axis?
A: The independent variable.
Q: Is a pie chart as commonly used as bar/column graphs by biologists?
A: False.
Q: What are key elements of a good graph?
A: Axes are labeled, no gridlines, and a descriptive figure legend with the title outside the graph area.
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Microscopes and Microscopic Organisms
Q: What organelles are unique to plant cells?
A: Chloroplasts and central vacuole.
Q: What structures are found in all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
A: Cell membrane, ribosomes, and DNA.
Q: What structures are found only in eukaryotic cells?
A: Mitochondria, Golgi bodies, nucleus, and other membrane-bound organelles.
Q: Which organisms are eukaryotic?
A: Plants, fungi, protists, and animals.
Q: How do you calculate magnification under a microscope?
A: Multiply the eyepiece magnification (10x) by the objective lens magnification (e.g., 10x objective = 100x total magnification).
Q: What is the proper use of oil immersion?
A: Use oil with the 100X objective, but do not rotate the 40X objective through the oil.
Q: Which microscope parts should you know?
A: Ocular, objective, stage, coarse/fine focus knobs, specimen holder, lamp, condenser/diaphragm, and revolving nosepiece.
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Cell Theory and Cell Characteristics
Q: What are the three basic premises of cell theory?
A:
1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells.
2. The cell is the smallest unit of life.
3. All cells come from preexisting cells.
Q: What distinguishes prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells under a microscope?
A: Size and the presence/absence of a nucleus.
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Case Studies
Q: What disease does Trypanosoma brucei cause, and what type of organism is it?
A: Sleeping sickness; protozoan (eukaryote).
Q: What type of organism is Escherichia coli, and how can it be treated?
A: Prokaryote; can be treated with antibiotics.
Q: What disease does Candida albicans cause, and what type of organism is it?
A: Yeast infections; fungus (eukaryote).
Q: What disease does Plasmodium vivax cause, and how is it transmitted?
A: Malaria; mosquito bite.
Q: What type of organism is Staphylococcus aureus, and how can it be treated?
A: Prokaryote; can be treated with antibiotics.
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Antibiotic Resistance (AR) and MIC Plates
Q: What is antibiotic resistance?
A: The ability of bacteria to survive in the presence of antibiotics.
Q: Why study E. coli in water samples?
A: Its presence indicates fecal pollution.
Q: What is the purpose of Coliscan plates, and how are results interpreted?
A: Tests surface waters for Gram-negative bacteria. E. coli appears dark blue; other coliforms are pink/lavender.
Q: What dyes are used in EMB plates?
A: Eosin Y and methylene blue.
Q: What is the color of E. coli on EMB plates?
A: Dark purple with a green metallic sheen.
Q: What do MIC plates determine?
A: The lowest amount of antibiotic needed to inhibit bacterial growth.
Q: What do small zones of inhibition (ZOI) with high MIC values indicate?
A: High antibiotic resistance.
Q: What are the mechanisms of action for these antibiotics?
- Penicillin: Inhibits cell wall synthesis.
- Tetracycline: Inhibits protein synthesis.
- Ciprofloxacin: Inhibits DNA gyrase.
Q: How are antibiotic resistance genes spread?
A: Transduction, transformation, and conjugation.
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Writing Introduction and Scholarly Literature
Q: What does CRAP stand for?
A: Currency, Reliability, Authority, Purpose.
Q: What are advantages and disadvantages of scholarly literature?
A: Advantage: Reliable, peer-reviewed.
Disadvantage: May require specialized knowledge.
Q: What is the purpose of the introduction?
A: Provide background, state the research question, and explain the study's significance.
Q: How is the introduction organized?
A: Upside-down triangle format (broad to specific).
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Writing Titles and Results
Q: What makes a good title?
A: Concise, descriptive, and includes key study components.
Q: What should not be included in the results section?
A: Interpretation or discussion of data.
Q: How should figures be referenced in the text?
A: By figure number (e.g., "Figure 1").
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Discussions
Q: How is the discussion organized?
A: Triangle format (specific to broad).
Q: What is the purpose of the discussion?
A: Interpret findings, relate to the hypothesis, and explore implications.
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