Portage Learning BIOD 171 Final EXAM Questions
and Answers 100%Correct2026-2027 Update
True or False: A virus is considered a microorganism.
False. Viruses are not living and as such are not considered microorganisms. Viruses
can, however, be classified as microbes, a more general term that includes
microorganisms and viruses.
1. What is the smallest biological unit of life?
A cell.
2. At a generalized level, all cells are comprised of what?
Macromolecules*
*A student may also answer: Proteins, Lipids, Nucleic acids and Polysaccharides but
they must answer with all four to be fully correct.
1. Which of the following microorganisms are considered to be Eukarya? Select all that
apply.
A. Animalia
B. Plantae
C. Fungi
D. Protista A,B,C,D
2. True of False: All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are
, heterotrophic.
True
3. Microorganisms classified as Plantae obtain most of their energy by converting
energy into energy.
Light (sunlight); chemical (sugars)
1. Define catabolism.
Catabolism is the process of breaking down larger molecules into useful energy
sources.
2. Upon cellular injury, which metabolic process is involved during the growth and
repair phases of the cell? The anabolic process would be active as it (by definition)
is involved in the building up of small complexes into larger complexes.
1. In phosphorylation, the light reactions always occur where?
The process of converting light energy into chemical energy (photophosphorylation)
always occurs in the membrane.
2. True or False: The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light.
False. The term ‘dark reactions’ (also known as the Calvin Cycle) simply denotes the
second stage in photosynthesis—dark reactions do not actually require darkness in
order to occur.
1. Assuming a constant (non-adjustable) light source power, identify the part of the
microscope you would adjust to limit the amount of light entering the microscope.
,Select all that apply.
A. Objective
B. Condenser
C. Iris diaphragm
D. Eye piece
C. The iris controls the amount of light that passes through the sample and into the
objective lens. Thus, it can be adjusted (opened or closed) to alter the amount of
light.
2. What is the total magnification (relative to your eye) of a sample imaged with a
60x objective and a 10x eyepiece? Show your math.
60 x 10 = 600x magnification
1. Identify what type of electron microscope was used to capture the following
image and explain your choice.
The image was captured using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The above
image shows the trademark ‘shell’ image (no subcellular organelles are visible)
reminiscent of SEM. Only TEM is capable of visualizing subcellular substrucutres.
, 1. True or False: LB agar is classified as a selective, non-differential media.
False. LB agar is the most basic type of agar and like LB media supports the growth
of virtually all microbes without restriction.
2. What is agar used for in microbiology?
Agar is used to create a solid, smooth surface on which microbes can grow.
1. True or False. When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop is not
required for each phase as long as the bacterial culture is pure.
False.
2. The number of phases (3 vs. 4) and/or the number of times a loop passes through
a previous phase (once vs. multiple times) is acceptable provided what happens?
Either deviation is acceptable in practice provided the resulting gradient
contains within it the growth of individual colonies—if not, the experiment must
be repeated.
3. True or False. Pathogenic strains of bacteria tend to grow slower than normal
non-pathogenic bacterial strains.
False.
1. Match the following symptoms with their respective diseases:
and Answers 100%Correct2026-2027 Update
True or False: A virus is considered a microorganism.
False. Viruses are not living and as such are not considered microorganisms. Viruses
can, however, be classified as microbes, a more general term that includes
microorganisms and viruses.
1. What is the smallest biological unit of life?
A cell.
2. At a generalized level, all cells are comprised of what?
Macromolecules*
*A student may also answer: Proteins, Lipids, Nucleic acids and Polysaccharides but
they must answer with all four to be fully correct.
1. Which of the following microorganisms are considered to be Eukarya? Select all that
apply.
A. Animalia
B. Plantae
C. Fungi
D. Protista A,B,C,D
2. True of False: All multicellular microorganisms classified as Animalia are
, heterotrophic.
True
3. Microorganisms classified as Plantae obtain most of their energy by converting
energy into energy.
Light (sunlight); chemical (sugars)
1. Define catabolism.
Catabolism is the process of breaking down larger molecules into useful energy
sources.
2. Upon cellular injury, which metabolic process is involved during the growth and
repair phases of the cell? The anabolic process would be active as it (by definition)
is involved in the building up of small complexes into larger complexes.
1. In phosphorylation, the light reactions always occur where?
The process of converting light energy into chemical energy (photophosphorylation)
always occurs in the membrane.
2. True or False: The Calvin cycle must occur in the absence of light.
False. The term ‘dark reactions’ (also known as the Calvin Cycle) simply denotes the
second stage in photosynthesis—dark reactions do not actually require darkness in
order to occur.
1. Assuming a constant (non-adjustable) light source power, identify the part of the
microscope you would adjust to limit the amount of light entering the microscope.
,Select all that apply.
A. Objective
B. Condenser
C. Iris diaphragm
D. Eye piece
C. The iris controls the amount of light that passes through the sample and into the
objective lens. Thus, it can be adjusted (opened or closed) to alter the amount of
light.
2. What is the total magnification (relative to your eye) of a sample imaged with a
60x objective and a 10x eyepiece? Show your math.
60 x 10 = 600x magnification
1. Identify what type of electron microscope was used to capture the following
image and explain your choice.
The image was captured using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The above
image shows the trademark ‘shell’ image (no subcellular organelles are visible)
reminiscent of SEM. Only TEM is capable of visualizing subcellular substrucutres.
, 1. True or False: LB agar is classified as a selective, non-differential media.
False. LB agar is the most basic type of agar and like LB media supports the growth
of virtually all microbes without restriction.
2. What is agar used for in microbiology?
Agar is used to create a solid, smooth surface on which microbes can grow.
1. True or False. When performing a dilution streak a new (or sterilized) loop is not
required for each phase as long as the bacterial culture is pure.
False.
2. The number of phases (3 vs. 4) and/or the number of times a loop passes through
a previous phase (once vs. multiple times) is acceptable provided what happens?
Either deviation is acceptable in practice provided the resulting gradient
contains within it the growth of individual colonies—if not, the experiment must
be repeated.
3. True or False. Pathogenic strains of bacteria tend to grow slower than normal
non-pathogenic bacterial strains.
False.
1. Match the following symptoms with their respective diseases:
