MICROBIOLOGY FOR THE HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONAL KARIN PRACTICE EXAM 2026
COMPREHENSIVE ANSWERS
◉ Who first described 'animalcules'? Answer: Antony van
Leeuwenhoek
◉ Who published Micrographia? Answer: Robert Hooke
◉ What type of microscope is designed for observing large objects?
Answer: Stereomicroscope
◉ What microscope provides a three-dimensional image? Answer:
Scanning electron microscope
◉ What is the tool of choice to observe living microorganisms?
Answer: Phase-contrast microscope
◉ Who ended the controversy about spontaneous generation?
Answer: Louis Pasteur
◉ How many billion years do fossils of prokaryotes date back?
Answer: 3.5 to 4.0
,◉ Molds belong to which group of eukaryotic organisms? Answer:
Fungi
◉ What is the correct order of taxonomic categories? Answer:
Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
◉ What are complex communities of microorganisms on surfaces
called? Answer: Biofilms
◉ What is the relationship where one organism benefits while the
other is unaffected? Answer: Commensalism
◉ Which site of the human body does not have normal flora?
Answer: Blood
◉ Which of the following lack nucleic acids? Answer: Prions
◉ Who developed the binomial system of nomenclature? Answer:
Linnaeus
◉ Who performed the first vaccination against smallpox? Answer:
Edward Jenner
,◉ Which disease is generally caused by contaminated food? Answer:
Shigellosis
◉ Which disease is transmitted via aerosols? Answer: Psittacosis
◉ Which organism is used in the production of cheese? Answer:
Propionibacterium shermanii
◉ Who discovered the antibiotic properties of Penicillium? Answer:
Alexander Fleming
◉ What is the lens closest to the eye in a compound light microscope
called? Answer: Ocular lens
◉ What is the total magnification with an ocular lens of ×10 and an
objective lens of ×40? Answer: 400
◉ Another term for spontaneous generation is? Answer:
Abiogenesis
◉ What are microorganisms organized into complex communities
on a surface called? Answer: Biofilms
◉ What type of cells are all bacteria? Answer: Prokaryotic cells
, ◉ What type of cells contain a nucleus? Answer: Eukaryotic cells
◉ What is the taxonomic resource for information on bacteria?
Answer: Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology
◉ What is the relationship in which two organisms benefit? Answer:
Mutualism
◉ What proteins are implicated in spongiform encephalopathy?
Answer: Prions
◉ What is the cleanup of industrial wastes by living organisms
called? Answer: Bioremediation
◉ What type of bond involves equally shared electrons? Answer:
Nonpolar covalent bond
◉ What type of bond represents the transfer of electrons? Answer:
Ionic bond
◉ What type of bond occurs between oxygen and hydrogen in
water? Answer: Hydrogen bond
PROFESSIONAL KARIN PRACTICE EXAM 2026
COMPREHENSIVE ANSWERS
◉ Who first described 'animalcules'? Answer: Antony van
Leeuwenhoek
◉ Who published Micrographia? Answer: Robert Hooke
◉ What type of microscope is designed for observing large objects?
Answer: Stereomicroscope
◉ What microscope provides a three-dimensional image? Answer:
Scanning electron microscope
◉ What is the tool of choice to observe living microorganisms?
Answer: Phase-contrast microscope
◉ Who ended the controversy about spontaneous generation?
Answer: Louis Pasteur
◉ How many billion years do fossils of prokaryotes date back?
Answer: 3.5 to 4.0
,◉ Molds belong to which group of eukaryotic organisms? Answer:
Fungi
◉ What is the correct order of taxonomic categories? Answer:
Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
◉ What are complex communities of microorganisms on surfaces
called? Answer: Biofilms
◉ What is the relationship where one organism benefits while the
other is unaffected? Answer: Commensalism
◉ Which site of the human body does not have normal flora?
Answer: Blood
◉ Which of the following lack nucleic acids? Answer: Prions
◉ Who developed the binomial system of nomenclature? Answer:
Linnaeus
◉ Who performed the first vaccination against smallpox? Answer:
Edward Jenner
,◉ Which disease is generally caused by contaminated food? Answer:
Shigellosis
◉ Which disease is transmitted via aerosols? Answer: Psittacosis
◉ Which organism is used in the production of cheese? Answer:
Propionibacterium shermanii
◉ Who discovered the antibiotic properties of Penicillium? Answer:
Alexander Fleming
◉ What is the lens closest to the eye in a compound light microscope
called? Answer: Ocular lens
◉ What is the total magnification with an ocular lens of ×10 and an
objective lens of ×40? Answer: 400
◉ Another term for spontaneous generation is? Answer:
Abiogenesis
◉ What are microorganisms organized into complex communities
on a surface called? Answer: Biofilms
◉ What type of cells are all bacteria? Answer: Prokaryotic cells
, ◉ What type of cells contain a nucleus? Answer: Eukaryotic cells
◉ What is the taxonomic resource for information on bacteria?
Answer: Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology
◉ What is the relationship in which two organisms benefit? Answer:
Mutualism
◉ What proteins are implicated in spongiform encephalopathy?
Answer: Prions
◉ What is the cleanup of industrial wastes by living organisms
called? Answer: Bioremediation
◉ What type of bond involves equally shared electrons? Answer:
Nonpolar covalent bond
◉ What type of bond represents the transfer of electrons? Answer:
Ionic bond
◉ What type of bond occurs between oxygen and hydrogen in
water? Answer: Hydrogen bond
