Question 1

A researcher samples the waters of the boiling hot springs in Yellowstone National Park.Under the microscope,she observes what appear to be living cells in the water.If these indeed are living cells,what type of cell would they most likely be?
A) eukaryotic, animal
B) eukaryotic, plant
C) eukaryotic, fungi
D) prokaryotic, archaea
E) prokaryotic, bacteria

Accepted Answer

Archaea are able to live in water temperatures above boiling. None of the other cell types are capable of living in such extreme conditions.

Question 2

Which of the following structures are NOT found in the cytoplasm?
A) mitochondria
B) chloroplast
C) chromosomes
D) nucleus
E) lysosome

Accepted Answer

Chromosomes are found within the nucleus. Each of the others is found within the cytoplasm.

Question 3

In moving from the outside environment to the inside of the cell,the first layer of a bacterium encountered would be
A) the nucleus.
B) the capsule.
C) the cell wall.
D) the cell membrane.
E) the DNA.

Accepted Answer

Bacteria are often surrounded by a capsule or slime layer. This covers the cell wall which is outside of the cell membrane. The DNA is internal to the cell. Prokaryotes do not have a nucleus.

Question 4

Within eukaryotic cells,the ____ is surrounded by a double membrane and carries the coding that determines protein synthesis.
A) smooth endoplasmic reticulum
B) chloroplast
C) nucleolus
D) nucleus
E) rough endoplasmic reticulum

Accepted Answer

The nucleus is surrounded by a double membrane and contains the DNA with the code for protein synthesis. None of the others either contain DNA or are surrounded by a double membrane.

Question 5

Which of the following is a prokaryotic cell?
A) plant cell
B) liver cell
C) muscle cell
D) paramecium
E) bacterium

Accepted Answer

Only a bacterium is a prokaryotic cell. Plants, animals (liver and muscle), and paramecia are all eukaryotes.

Question 6

The body of a slime mold that flows over a rotten log appears to lack any partitioning into distinct cells; however it does become cellular when it changes form and produces spores.The surfaces of parasitic flatworms and some insect tissues are "syncytial" layers of living material that have many nuclei but lack partitioning by cell membranes.These tissues actively consume food and produce wastes.Considering that the cell theory states that "all living things are composed of cells," then
A) these tissues are not living because they violate the cell theory.
B) this proves some vital force is involved beyond normal cell structures in order to give life to living organisms.
C) these tissues are obviously a bridge between nonliving and primitive living cells.
D) the general concept of life-is-cellular still holds since sometime in their life these organisms still utilize cells, but this shows cell membranes can be abandoned.
E) this demonstrates that cell membranes are a necessity to be classified as a living cell.

Accepted Answer

These organisms are living and were once composed of cells, even if the internal membranes between cells have been done away with. Since these organisms exhibit other characteristics of living cells, they are not nonliving, nor do they do not form a bridge between nonliving and living. Since they were once cells, no other vital force needs to be implicated. Since these cells do not have complete cell membranes, cell membranes are not a necessity to be classified as living.

Question 7

What evidence would not suggest that the fluid in the nucleus is different from the cytoplasm?
A) There is a pH difference between the two fluids.
B) The nuclear membrane encloses the nucleoplasm.
C) Nuclear pores only permit passage of certain molecules into and out of the nucleus.
D) Cytoplasm and nucleoplasm both flow freely into and out of the nucleus.
E) Electron microscopy reveals nonmembranous components associated with the nuclear pores.

Accepted Answer

If the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm freely mixed, there would not be differences between them. The other choices suggest a compartmentalization of the nucleoplasm from the cytoplasm which allows the two to be different.

Question 8

Which nuclear structure(s)contain(s)the hereditary material?
A) nuclear envelope
B) chloroplasts
C) chromatin
D) nucleoplasm
E) mitochondria

Accepted Answer

Chromatin, housed within the nucleus, is composed of DNA and proteins and thus contains the hereditary structure. While the nuclear envelope and nucleoplasm are part of the nucleus, they do not contain DNA. The chloroplasts and mitochondria are not located within the nucleus.

Question 9

According to cell theory
A) all organisms are composed of tissues.
B) the smallest unit of life is a nucleus.
C) animals but not plants are composed of cells.
D) a multicellular organism is composed of many cells.
E) new cells arise only from preexisting cells.

Accepted Answer

Cell theory states that all organisms are made up of basic living units called cells, and that all cells come only from previously existing cells. While multicellular organisms are composed of many cells, this is not part of cell theory. Some organisms are single celled, the smallest unit of life is a cell, and both animals and plants are composed of cells.

Question 10

The nucleolus
A) contains RNA and is found in the nucleus.
B) contains DNA and is found in the nucleus.
C) contains RNA and is found in the cytoplasm.
D) contains DNA and is found in the cytoplasm.
E) contains ribosome subunits and is found in the cytoplasm.

Accepted Answer

The nucleolus contains ribosomal RNA and is found inside the nucleus.

Question 11

Which of the following is not true concerning the cell theory?
A) Virchow asserted that all cells come from preexisting cells.
B) Schleiden determined that all plants are made of cells.
C) Schwann researched animal tissues and discovered that they were all made of cells.
D) Hooke observed the cells of cork.
E) Leeuwenhoek first used the term "cells".

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are true except Hooke, not Leeuwenhoek, was the first to use the term "cells" because the tiny chambers he observed in cork reminded him of the rooms, or cells, in a monastery.

Question 12

The cell theory states:
A) all organisms are composed of only one cell.
B) organelles are the basic living unit of structure and function of organisms.
C) all cells come only from other cells.
D) all organisms are composed of only one cell AND organelles are the basic living unit of structure and function of organisms.
E) all multicellular organisms are unicellular at some point in their life cycle.

Accepted Answer

Cell theory states that all organisms are made up of basic living units called cells, and that all cells come only from previously existing cells. Many living organisms are multicellular and cells, not organelles, are the basic living unit. Whereas all multicellular organisms may begin as a unicellular organism at some point in their life cycle, this is not part of cell theory.

Question 13

Which eukaryotic organelle is the largest?
A) ribosome
B) nucleus
C) cytoskeleton
D) mitochondria
E) Golgi apparatus

Accepted Answer

The nucleus is the largest of the organelles listed here.

Question 14

Surface-area-to-volume ratios indicate
A) cells must exceed a certain minimum size.
B) as cells get larger, their surface area actually decreases.
C) largest cells have less proportionate need for food intake and waste removal.
D) a chicken egg is one cell thus demonstrating the upper limit for metabolizing cell size.
E) as cells get larger, their surface area gets larger but at a slower rate than the volume increases.

Accepted Answer

As a cell increases in size, the volume increases by the cube of the sides, while the surface area increases by the square of the sides. Therefore, the surface area increases but at a slower rate than the volume increases. There is no minimum cell size and large cells still need surface area for food intake and waste removal. A chicken egg is one cell, but it is not actively metabolizing. It divides into many smaller cells before it begins to metabolize.

Question 15

An agent would make a good antibiotic if it affected a structure or process only found in bacterial cells and not in our (eukaryotic)cells.Which of the following actions would theoretically make a good antibiotic?
A) prevents repair of the peptidoglycan cell wall
B) damages the nuclear membrane
C) damages DNA
D) prevents ribosomes from producing proteins
E) stops cellular respiration

Accepted Answer

Only prokaryotic cells have a peptidoglycan cell wall. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have a nuclear membrane, DNA, ribosomes, and cellular respiration.

Question 16

Ribosomal RNA is produced in the
A) nucleolus.
B) Golgi apparatus.
C) ribosomes.
D) rough endoplasmic reticulum.
E) smooth endoplasmic reticulum.

Accepted Answer

Ribosomal RNA is made within the nucleolus. Ribosomes contain rRNA and the rough endoplasmic reticulum contains ribosomes but the rRNA is made in those structures, nor in the Golgi apparatus or the smooth ER.

Question 17

Compared with a eukaryotic cell,a prokaryotic cell
A) lacks organelles beyond ribosomes.
B) is larger.
C) does not require energy.
D) is not living.
E) has no method of movement.

Accepted Answer

A prokaryotic cell lacks membrane bounded organelles. It does have ribosomes. Prokaryotic cells are smaller than eukaryotic cells and do require energy. Prokaryotic cells are living and many have methods of movement.

Question 18

Antibiotics should be selectively toxic,that is,they should attack the infecting bacteria without harming you.Which of the following would be a good target for an antibiotic so it doesn't attack your cells?
A) plasma membrane
B) DNA
C) ribosomes
D) cytoplasm
E) endoplasmic reticulum

Accepted Answer

Prokaryotic ribosomes are smaller and structurally different from eukaryotic ribosomes so they make a good target for antibiotics. The plasma membrane, DNA, and cytoplasm of a bacterial cell are very similar to that of a eukaryotic cell. Prokaryotic cells do not have an endoplasmic reticulum.

Question 19

Which structure regulates passage of molecules into and out of the bacterial cell?
A) plasma membrane
B) nucleus
C) mitochondria
D) chloroplast
E) flagella

Accepted Answer

The plasma membrane is the boundary that separates the living contents of the cell from the nonliving surrounding environment. Nuclei, mitochondria, and chloroplasts are organelles within the eukaryotic cell. While flagella are on the surface of the cell, they do not regulate the passage of molecules into and out of the cell.

Question 20

Circulating red blood cells in your body do not contain a nucleus and other organelles.Are these cells living?
A) Yes, because they are actively metabolizing and once contained organelles.
B) Yes, because they are capable of moving throughout the body in the circulation.
C) No, because they do not contain a nucleus, they cannot be living.
D) No, because red blood cells do not actively metabolize.
E) No, because they are now only part of a once living cell.

Accepted Answer

Red blood cells are living because they actively metabolize. The organelles were lost in the maturation process and thus, red blood cells are fairly short lived. Red blood cells do move but that is not why they are considered living.

Quiz 3: Cell Structure and Function

A researcher samples the waters of the boiling hot springs in Yellowstone National Park.Under the microscope,she observes what appear to be living cells in the water.If these indeed are living cells,what type of cell would they most likely be?

Which of the following structures are NOT found in the cytoplasm?

In moving from the outside environment to the inside of the cell,the first layer of a bacterium encountered would be

Within eukaryotic cells,the ____ is surrounded by a double membrane and carries the coding that determines protein synthesis.

Which of the following is a prokaryotic cell?

What evidence would not suggest that the fluid in the nucleus is different from the cytoplasm?

Which nuclear structure(s) contain(s) the hereditary material?

According to cell theory

The nucleolus

Which of the following is not true concerning the cell theory?

The cell theory states:

Which eukaryotic organelle is the largest?

Surface-area-to-volume ratios indicate

An agent would make a good antibiotic if it affected a structure or process only found in bacterial cells and not in our (eukaryotic) cells.Which of the following actions would theoretically make a good antibiotic?

Ribosomal RNA is produced in the

Compared with a eukaryotic cell,a prokaryotic cell

Antibiotics should be selectively toxic,that is,they should attack the infecting bacteria without harming you.Which of the following would be a good target for an antibiotic so it doesn't attack your cells?

Which structure regulates passage of molecules into and out of the bacterial cell?

Circulating red blood cells in your body do not contain a nucleus and other organelles.Are these cells living?