Each instructor has a different style of teaching and of examining. In order to help you become familiar with the type of question I might use on the first examination, example questions are listed below. These questions have previously been or might be used on the first examination. Note that there are multiple choice, true and false, fill in the blank, and essay questions. At the end of this page you will find a link to the correct answers and explanations of the concept being examined.

1. Which of the following organelles most closely resembles a procaryotic cell?
   
   a. nucleus
   b. chromosome
   c. plasmid
   d. mitochondria
   e. mesosome
   
   

2. All of the following are differences between procaryotic and eucaryotic cell types EXCEPT
   
   a. procaryotic cells are generally smaller than eucaryotic cells
   b. procaryotic cells have no nuclear membrane, while eucaryotic cells do have a nuclear membrane
   c. procaryotic cells have no mitochondria while eucaryotic cells do have mitochondria
   d. procaryotic cells have no cell membrane while eucaryotic cells do have a cell membrane
   
   

3. Penicillin acts by inhibiting the synthesis of peptidoglycan. It is for this reason that ______ organisms are most sensitive top penicillin.
   
   a. inhibiting protein synthesis
   b. destroying ATP's
   c. interfering with cell wall synthesis
   d. interfering with cell membrane synthesis
   e. none of the above

4. The function of the cell membrane is to
   
   a. prevent the cell from bursting in dilute solutions
   b. prevents the cell from bursting in concentrated solutions
   c. store genetic information
   d. produce proteins
   e. control what enters and exits the cell

5. True or false: Resolution(resolving power) and magnification are actually synonyms when used to describe characteristics of a microscope.
   
   a. True
   b. False

6. To view living organisms, the microscope of choice would be
   
   a. compound light
   b. phase contrast
   c. fluorescent
   d. darkfield
   e. electron

7. When crystal violet, iodine, acetone, and safranin are used to stain a bacterial smear, the procedure is called
   
   a. the Gram stain
   b. an acid-fast stain
   c. a negative stain
   d. an endospore stain
   e. all of the above

8. The work of Louis Pasteur is used to ________ the Theory of Spontaneous Generation.
   
   a. support
   b. refute

9. An article recently reported that a blood sample from a chimpanzee with AIDS was inoculated into another chimp to see if the second chimp would also develop AIDS. This is a step in the procedure known as __________, which is used to confirm that a particular microorganisms is the causative agent of a particular disease.
   

10. In DNA, adenine always pairs with _____ for its complementary base.
    

11. True or False: During Tyndallization, both vegetative and endospores are likely to be killed.
    
    a. True
    b. False

12. DNA is stored not only in chromosomes, it is also stored in
    
    a. ribosomes
    b. endoplasmic reticulum
    c. Golgi Bodies
    d. cell membranes
    e. plasmids

13. A patient with AIDS is suspected of also having tuberculosis. If a sputum culture is taken, a _____ stain would be ordered to look for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the sputum.
    
    a. Gram stain
    b. capsule
    c. endospore
    d. flagella
    e. acid-fast
    
    

14. A pyrimidine is actually a type of
    
    a. phosphate
    b. nitrogen base
    c. five-carbon sugar
    d. six-carbon sugar
    e. hydrogen bond

15. Assume that a particular bacterial cell contains 22 percent salt and no other solutes. If it falls into a solution of salt water that contains 16 percent salt, what direction will water move - into or out of the cell? Defend your answer.
    

16. An _________ bacterium will produce more ATP's from the same amount of glucose than an ____________.
    
    a. aerobic, anaerobic
    b. anaerobic, aerobic
    c. both aerobic and anaerobic produce the same amount of ATP's from a molecules of glucose
    

17. A student is performing a Gram stain technique in the laboratory. When reaching for the acetone-alcohol bottle, she inadvertently takes the water bottle and uses it instead of acetone-alcohol for the Gram stain procedure. Water does not function as a decolorizer like acetone-alcohol would have done.
    

    a. What will be the color of the Gram-positive bacteria at the conclusion of the technique?
    b. What will be the color of the Gram-negative bacteria at the conclusion of the technique?

    
    

18. What causes PKU?
    

19. How is PKU diagnosed?
    

20. A particular bacterium has the species name of aeruginosa and the genus name of pseudomonas. Write the scientific name of this organism correctly.
    

21. The name of the person who discovered the existence of microorganisms is _____________.
    

22. In class we discussed a recent newspaper article explaining how botulism toxin, one of the most potent poisons known, can be used to heal humans. What condition/symptoms would this toxin be used for?
    

23. The genus and species name of the bacteria that is a frequent cause of middle ear infections and meningitis in children under five years of age and is hopefully prevented with the Hib vaccine is _________ _________.
    

24. When Robert Koch was trying to develop a procedure for growing bacteria in pure culture, the scientific community was not aware of the existence of agar.
    

    a. How did Koch become aware of the existence of agar?
    b. For what purpose did Koch use agar?

    
    

25. What does Alka-Seltzer have to do with the cherry blossom trees that adorn the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.?
    
    ANSWERS TO EXAMINATION ONE PRACTICE QUESTIONS
    
    Click here to see answers to exam one practice questions.

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