Portage Learning 2025 BIOD 171 Essential Microbiology Final Exam
Questions and Answers
Updated Latest (Verified Answers)
1. Microbiology is the study of what? g g g g g
Answer Microbiology is the study of microbes (microorganisms and viruses) and t
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heir biological processes.
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2. What is the smallest biological unit of life
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Answer cell g
3. What is a macromolecule?
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Answer A macromolecule is classified as a complex mole-
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cule that is composed from smaller subunits.
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4. What are the four main types of macromolecules?
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Answer Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates
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5. What various functions do proteins have in a cell
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Answer Proteins may facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a cell. Some can ac
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t as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical processes. Others play a structural r
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ole while other proteins, such as filaments, enable movement.
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6. What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
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,Answer There are two major types of nucleic acids
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Answer DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids are chem
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ical molecules that carry genetic information within the cell. DNA contains a vast amount
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of hereditary information and is responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living
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organisms. RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA and u
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sing it to synthesize proteins.
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7. What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?
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Answer The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding barrier that separates t
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he inside of the cell from the outside surrounding environment.The plasma membrane a
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lso restricts the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the cell,
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thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing t
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he escape (out flux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is composed of lipids
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(hydrophobic hydrocarbons). g
8. What are the three main components of carbohydrates?
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Answer Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Exam
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ples would include, C6H12O6 (glucose) C12H22O11 (sucrose) and C6H10O5 (cellul
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ose).
9. What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
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Answer - g
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,g Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed region within the cell that cont
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ains the genetic material. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus and can be further clas
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sified as either Bacteria or Archaea.
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10. What are the main morphologies of bacteria?
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Answer Bacteria can be described as coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibri
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o (curved rod) or spirillum (spi- ral/corkscrew).
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11. Which group (classification) of microbes is noted for its ability to survive und
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er harsh conditions?
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Answer Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh environmental conditions
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such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high temperatures and oxygen-poor conditions.
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, 12. What are the four main classifications of Eukarya?
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Answer Eukaryotic microorgan- g g
g isms are classified as either belonging to Animalia, Plantae, Fungi or Protista.
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13. Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic
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Answer No. Viruses are considered neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic. Viruses are not
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considered living and do not replicate on their own, meaning they must replicate withi
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n a host. g g
14. The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?
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Answer The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of amphipathic phospholi
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pids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic (water loving) head group and a non-
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polar hydropho- g
g bic (water fearing) tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-
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polar tail groups face inward thus orienting the polar head groups to interact with wate
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r both outside and inside of the cell.
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15. What are the primary cellular organelles described in this module? Be sure to k
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now the roles of each. g g g g
Answer Ribosomes (protein synthesis), ER (site of protein synthesis), Golgi (protein m
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odification and distribution), lysosomes (waste disposal), mitochondria (ATP generation
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) and chloroplasts (plants only; site of photosynthesis).
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4g/g33
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