UIUC MCB 150 - Final Exam with
Answers 2025-2026 Revised.
Who speculated that cells are living entities and plants are aggregates of cells? - Answer Schleiden
Who proposed that all cells originate from other cells? - Answer Virchow
Which of these statements is not a part of the cell theory?
All cells are replaced
All living organisms are composed of one or more cells
new cells come only from pre-existing cells by cell division
cells are the smallest units of life - Answer all cells are replaced
The field that involves the study of cells and how they interact with other cells is termed - Answer
cell/cellular biology/physiology
In terms of cell size, the majority of cells are - Answer too small to be seen with the unaided eye
Which scientists are credited with the cell theory? - Answer Schleiden and Schwann
The German botanist who speculated in 1838 that cells are living entities and that plants are aggregates
of cells was - Answer Schleiden
,The interaction of which of the following macromolecules plays an important role in the formation of
living cells?
DNA
Lipids
Carbs
RNA
Proteins - Answer DNA, RNA, Proteins
How would early cells benefit from DNA replacing RNA as the information storage molecule? - Answer
RNA would have more flexibility in its catalytic functions.
Information would be stored in a more stable molecule.
A magnification tool that enables researchers to study the structure and function of cells is the - Answer
microscope
A photograph taken by means of a microscope is called a(n) - Answer micrograph
Which macromolecule forms the foundation for the structure and activities of living cells?
Multiple choice question. - Answer proteins
What are the three important parameters of microscopy?
Multiple select question. - Answer resolution, contrast, magnification
,The different chemical properties of amino acids have given proteins ______ catalytic ability than RNA
molecules. - Answer greater
The ability to observe two adjacent objects as distinct from one another, a measure of clarity, is called -
Answer resolution
Which of these is an optical instrument that allows researchers to view and study very small objects,
such as cellular structures?
Multiple choice question. - Answer microscope
Which of these refers to the ability to visualize a particular cell structure and may involve staining? -
Answer contrast
What parameter of an optical instrument refers to its ability to make small objects appear larger? -
Answer magnification
The resolution of this microscope is better than a light microscope: - Answer electron microscrope
The ability to visualize a particular cell structure based on how different it looks from an adjacent
structure is called - Answer contrast
The process that selectively labels individual components of a cell and may greatly improve contrast is
the application of a(n) - Answer stains (staining)
What are the two main types of electron microscopy? - Answer Transmission and Scanning electron
microscopy
What is the main difference between a light and electron microscope? - Answer the source of
illumination
The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism is called its ______. - Answer genome
, True or false: The resolution of an electron microscope is far better than that of a light microscope. -
Answer true
Based on cell structure, all life forms can be placed into two categories called - Answer eukaryotes and
prokaryote
Prokaryotes differ from eukaryotes because they lack a membrane-enclosed _________ which houses
the DNA. - Answer nucleus / nuclei
Prokaryotes consists of two categories of organisms: - Answer bacteria and archaea
A phospholipid bilayer that forms a barrier between a cell and its external environment is the - Answer
plasma membrane
The entire complement of the genetic material of a species is its - Answer genome
The area of the cell that is surrounded by the plasma membrane is called the ______. - Answer
cytoplasm
The cell walls of most bacteria and archaea are ______. - Answer rigid
What do prokaryotes lack? - Answer nucleus and membrane bound organelles
Appendages used by prokaryotic cells to move are called - Answer flagella
Identify the two categories that prokaryotes can be divided into from an evolutionary perspective. -
Answer archaea and bacteria
What property do flagella provide to bacterial cells? - Answer motility
Answers 2025-2026 Revised.
Who speculated that cells are living entities and plants are aggregates of cells? - Answer Schleiden
Who proposed that all cells originate from other cells? - Answer Virchow
Which of these statements is not a part of the cell theory?
All cells are replaced
All living organisms are composed of one or more cells
new cells come only from pre-existing cells by cell division
cells are the smallest units of life - Answer all cells are replaced
The field that involves the study of cells and how they interact with other cells is termed - Answer
cell/cellular biology/physiology
In terms of cell size, the majority of cells are - Answer too small to be seen with the unaided eye
Which scientists are credited with the cell theory? - Answer Schleiden and Schwann
The German botanist who speculated in 1838 that cells are living entities and that plants are aggregates
of cells was - Answer Schleiden
,The interaction of which of the following macromolecules plays an important role in the formation of
living cells?
DNA
Lipids
Carbs
RNA
Proteins - Answer DNA, RNA, Proteins
How would early cells benefit from DNA replacing RNA as the information storage molecule? - Answer
RNA would have more flexibility in its catalytic functions.
Information would be stored in a more stable molecule.
A magnification tool that enables researchers to study the structure and function of cells is the - Answer
microscope
A photograph taken by means of a microscope is called a(n) - Answer micrograph
Which macromolecule forms the foundation for the structure and activities of living cells?
Multiple choice question. - Answer proteins
What are the three important parameters of microscopy?
Multiple select question. - Answer resolution, contrast, magnification
,The different chemical properties of amino acids have given proteins ______ catalytic ability than RNA
molecules. - Answer greater
The ability to observe two adjacent objects as distinct from one another, a measure of clarity, is called -
Answer resolution
Which of these is an optical instrument that allows researchers to view and study very small objects,
such as cellular structures?
Multiple choice question. - Answer microscope
Which of these refers to the ability to visualize a particular cell structure and may involve staining? -
Answer contrast
What parameter of an optical instrument refers to its ability to make small objects appear larger? -
Answer magnification
The resolution of this microscope is better than a light microscope: - Answer electron microscrope
The ability to visualize a particular cell structure based on how different it looks from an adjacent
structure is called - Answer contrast
The process that selectively labels individual components of a cell and may greatly improve contrast is
the application of a(n) - Answer stains (staining)
What are the two main types of electron microscopy? - Answer Transmission and Scanning electron
microscopy
What is the main difference between a light and electron microscope? - Answer the source of
illumination
The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism is called its ______. - Answer genome
, True or false: The resolution of an electron microscope is far better than that of a light microscope. -
Answer true
Based on cell structure, all life forms can be placed into two categories called - Answer eukaryotes and
prokaryote
Prokaryotes differ from eukaryotes because they lack a membrane-enclosed _________ which houses
the DNA. - Answer nucleus / nuclei
Prokaryotes consists of two categories of organisms: - Answer bacteria and archaea
A phospholipid bilayer that forms a barrier between a cell and its external environment is the - Answer
plasma membrane
The entire complement of the genetic material of a species is its - Answer genome
The area of the cell that is surrounded by the plasma membrane is called the ______. - Answer
cytoplasm
The cell walls of most bacteria and archaea are ______. - Answer rigid
What do prokaryotes lack? - Answer nucleus and membrane bound organelles
Appendages used by prokaryotic cells to move are called - Answer flagella
Identify the two categories that prokaryotes can be divided into from an evolutionary perspective. -
Answer archaea and bacteria
What property do flagella provide to bacterial cells? - Answer motility
