BIOL 1108
BIOL 1108 Exam 1 Study Questions
and Answers Graded A+ 2026
What is the first selectively defeated virus -Correct Answer ✔-Smallpox
when did routine smallpox vaccination end? -Correct Answer ✔-1972
when did the WHO declare smallpox eradicated? -Correct Answer ✔-1980
Who created the first polio vaccine on October 7th, 1954 in Pittsburg, PA -Correct
Answer ✔-Dr. Jonas Salk
What do all pathogens have in common? -Correct Answer ✔-The ability to mutate
Why is the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 -Correct Answer ✔-SARS - Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome, CoV because it is a coronavirus, and 2 because it came after
the first SARS-CoV
What are the similar origins of SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2? -Correct Answer ✔-
Bats
How much similarity does SARS-CoV-2 share with SARS-CoV-1? -Correct Answer ✔-
80%
the simplest biological entity. consists of little more than genetic material (DNA/RNA)
contained in a proteinaceous structure (capsid) surrounded by a membrane (envelope) -
Correct Answer ✔-Virus
Compare a bacteria vs a virus -Correct Answer ✔-Bacteria: 1000 micrometers, living,
and can be killed by antibiotics
Virus: 20-400 micrometers, in between living/non-living, not much can be done except
medicines and pray
Are Viruses alive? -Correct Answer ✔-There is no hard answer. Dr. Farmer says:
"Viruses are highly evolved parasytes"
NASA definition of life -Correct Answer ✔-a self-sustaining chemical system capable of
Darwinian evolution
virus that does not have an embedded protein envelope (ex: Polio) -Correct Answer ✔-
"naked" nucleocapsid virus
BIOL 1108
, BIOL 1108
virus that has an embedded protein envelope -Correct Answer ✔-enveloped virus
How do I kill an enveloped virus -Correct Answer ✔-Soap or alcohol. Soap destroys the
envelope surrounding the virus, killing it. Alcohol denatures the membrane, rendering
the virus harmless
How do I kill a naked virus -Correct Answer ✔-they die on their own
Which type of virus is coronavirus? -Correct Answer ✔-enveloped virus
a value which helps determine which viruses or strains of viruses are more virulent. a
_______ value of 2 for example, indicates that in a naive population, 1 infected person
will infect 2 others -Correct Answer ✔-R0 (R-naught)
What is the rate of mutation for Double Strand and Single Strand DNA viruses? -Correct
Answer ✔-10^-8 to 10^-6
What is the rate of mutation for RNA Viruses -Correct Answer ✔-10^-5
Why do RNA viruses appear to have higher rates of mutation? -Correct Answer ✔-They
are much simpler than DNA Viruses, and as such, are able to mutate at a much faster
rate than DNA viruses
What kind of virus is COVID-19 -Correct Answer ✔-RNA Virus
Reassortment of two or more different strains of a virus. Typically comes from two
different species of viruses, which occurs in animals. Could be from direct or
intermediate transmission with no genetic changes -Correct Answer ✔-Antigenic Shift
Virus that contains reverse transcriptase --> RNA to DNA. Inserts its genes into your
genome which infects you for life. EX: HIV and HPV -Correct Answer ✔-Retrovirus
How much of the human genome is retrovirus DNA -Correct Answer ✔-40%
By age 50, what percent of women will have an STD -Correct Answer ✔-80%
Which strain of HPV is has the highest propensity of Cervical Cancer? -Correct Answer
✔-HPV-16
Do RNA viruses have envelopes? -Correct Answer ✔-no
What are the two steps of invasion by a virus (with examples) -Correct Answer ✔-1)
Attach to protein receptor (COVID-19 attaches to the ACE2 receptor)
BIOL 1108
BIOL 1108 Exam 1 Study Questions
and Answers Graded A+ 2026
What is the first selectively defeated virus -Correct Answer ✔-Smallpox
when did routine smallpox vaccination end? -Correct Answer ✔-1972
when did the WHO declare smallpox eradicated? -Correct Answer ✔-1980
Who created the first polio vaccine on October 7th, 1954 in Pittsburg, PA -Correct
Answer ✔-Dr. Jonas Salk
What do all pathogens have in common? -Correct Answer ✔-The ability to mutate
Why is the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 -Correct Answer ✔-SARS - Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome, CoV because it is a coronavirus, and 2 because it came after
the first SARS-CoV
What are the similar origins of SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2? -Correct Answer ✔-
Bats
How much similarity does SARS-CoV-2 share with SARS-CoV-1? -Correct Answer ✔-
80%
the simplest biological entity. consists of little more than genetic material (DNA/RNA)
contained in a proteinaceous structure (capsid) surrounded by a membrane (envelope) -
Correct Answer ✔-Virus
Compare a bacteria vs a virus -Correct Answer ✔-Bacteria: 1000 micrometers, living,
and can be killed by antibiotics
Virus: 20-400 micrometers, in between living/non-living, not much can be done except
medicines and pray
Are Viruses alive? -Correct Answer ✔-There is no hard answer. Dr. Farmer says:
"Viruses are highly evolved parasytes"
NASA definition of life -Correct Answer ✔-a self-sustaining chemical system capable of
Darwinian evolution
virus that does not have an embedded protein envelope (ex: Polio) -Correct Answer ✔-
"naked" nucleocapsid virus
BIOL 1108
, BIOL 1108
virus that has an embedded protein envelope -Correct Answer ✔-enveloped virus
How do I kill an enveloped virus -Correct Answer ✔-Soap or alcohol. Soap destroys the
envelope surrounding the virus, killing it. Alcohol denatures the membrane, rendering
the virus harmless
How do I kill a naked virus -Correct Answer ✔-they die on their own
Which type of virus is coronavirus? -Correct Answer ✔-enveloped virus
a value which helps determine which viruses or strains of viruses are more virulent. a
_______ value of 2 for example, indicates that in a naive population, 1 infected person
will infect 2 others -Correct Answer ✔-R0 (R-naught)
What is the rate of mutation for Double Strand and Single Strand DNA viruses? -Correct
Answer ✔-10^-8 to 10^-6
What is the rate of mutation for RNA Viruses -Correct Answer ✔-10^-5
Why do RNA viruses appear to have higher rates of mutation? -Correct Answer ✔-They
are much simpler than DNA Viruses, and as such, are able to mutate at a much faster
rate than DNA viruses
What kind of virus is COVID-19 -Correct Answer ✔-RNA Virus
Reassortment of two or more different strains of a virus. Typically comes from two
different species of viruses, which occurs in animals. Could be from direct or
intermediate transmission with no genetic changes -Correct Answer ✔-Antigenic Shift
Virus that contains reverse transcriptase --> RNA to DNA. Inserts its genes into your
genome which infects you for life. EX: HIV and HPV -Correct Answer ✔-Retrovirus
How much of the human genome is retrovirus DNA -Correct Answer ✔-40%
By age 50, what percent of women will have an STD -Correct Answer ✔-80%
Which strain of HPV is has the highest propensity of Cervical Cancer? -Correct Answer
✔-HPV-16
Do RNA viruses have envelopes? -Correct Answer ✔-no
What are the two steps of invasion by a virus (with examples) -Correct Answer ✔-1)
Attach to protein receptor (COVID-19 attaches to the ACE2 receptor)
BIOL 1108
