BIOD 101 Final Exam Study Guide & Practice Test
Portage Learning | General Biology with Lab
PART 1: Multiple Choice & Conceptual Application
Question 1
You are designing an experiment to test whether a new fertilizer increases the number
of tomatoes produced by a specific plant species. You plant 50 plants and give half of
them the fertilizer and half of them just water. In this experiment, what is the
dependent variable ?
A) The amount of water given to the plants
B) The presence or absence of the fertilizer
C) The number of tomatoes produced by each plant
D) The type of soil used
Answer : C — The dependent variable is the outcome being measured (the number of
tomatoes). The independent variable is what you manipulate (the fertilizer).
Question 2
A substance has a pH of 4. How many times more acidic is this substance compared to
a substance with a pH of 7?
A) 3 times
B) 30 times
C) 100 times
D) 1,000 times
, Answer : D — The pH scale is logarithmic. A difference of 3 on the pH scale
represents a 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000 - fold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.
Question 3
Which of the following describes a non- polar covalent bond ?
A) Electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another.
B) Electrons are shared unequally between two atoms.
C) Electrons are shared equally between two atoms.
D) Hydrogen is attracted to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen.
Answer : C — Non - polar covalent bonds involve the equal sharing of electrons (e.g.,
between two identical atoms like O=O or C - H). Option A is ionic; Option B is polar
covalent; Option D is a hydrogen bond.
Question 4
In a laboratory experiment, you test an unknown solution with Benedict's reagent and
the solution turns brick red. You also test it with Biuret's reagent, and it remains light
blue. What conclusion can you draw?
A) The solution contains protein.
B) The solution contains lipids.
C) The solution contains reducing sugars (simple carbohydrates).
D) The solution contains starch.
Answer : C — Benedict's reagent turns green/yellow/orange/brick red in the
presence of reducing sugars (like glucose). Biuret's reagent turns pink/purple in the
presence of protein; since it stayed blue, there is no protein. Iodine tests for starch;
Sudan IV tests f or lipids.
, Question 5
Which of the following macromolecules is the primary structural component of the cell
membrane in eukaryotes?
A) Triglycerides
B) Phospholipids
C) Cellulose
D) Glycogen
Answer : B — Phospholipids make up the lipid bilayer. They have a hydrophilic
phosphate head and hydrophobic fatty acid tails. Cellulose makes plant cell walls.
Glycogen is an animal energy storage carbohydrate.
Question 6
According to the Cell Theory, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
B) The cell is the most basic unit of structure and function in organisms.
C) All cells have a nucleus that contains DNA.
D) All cells arise from pre - existing cells.
Answer : C — This is false because prokaryotic cells (like bacteria) do *not* have a
nucleus; their DNA is floating in the nucleoid region.
Question 7
If a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, what will happen to the cell?
A) Water will rush into the cell, causing it to swell and burst.
B) Water will rush out of the cell, causing it to shrivel (crenate).
C) Water will move in and out at equal rates; the cell will not change size.
Portage Learning | General Biology with Lab
PART 1: Multiple Choice & Conceptual Application
Question 1
You are designing an experiment to test whether a new fertilizer increases the number
of tomatoes produced by a specific plant species. You plant 50 plants and give half of
them the fertilizer and half of them just water. In this experiment, what is the
dependent variable ?
A) The amount of water given to the plants
B) The presence or absence of the fertilizer
C) The number of tomatoes produced by each plant
D) The type of soil used
Answer : C — The dependent variable is the outcome being measured (the number of
tomatoes). The independent variable is what you manipulate (the fertilizer).
Question 2
A substance has a pH of 4. How many times more acidic is this substance compared to
a substance with a pH of 7?
A) 3 times
B) 30 times
C) 100 times
D) 1,000 times
, Answer : D — The pH scale is logarithmic. A difference of 3 on the pH scale
represents a 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000 - fold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.
Question 3
Which of the following describes a non- polar covalent bond ?
A) Electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another.
B) Electrons are shared unequally between two atoms.
C) Electrons are shared equally between two atoms.
D) Hydrogen is attracted to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen.
Answer : C — Non - polar covalent bonds involve the equal sharing of electrons (e.g.,
between two identical atoms like O=O or C - H). Option A is ionic; Option B is polar
covalent; Option D is a hydrogen bond.
Question 4
In a laboratory experiment, you test an unknown solution with Benedict's reagent and
the solution turns brick red. You also test it with Biuret's reagent, and it remains light
blue. What conclusion can you draw?
A) The solution contains protein.
B) The solution contains lipids.
C) The solution contains reducing sugars (simple carbohydrates).
D) The solution contains starch.
Answer : C — Benedict's reagent turns green/yellow/orange/brick red in the
presence of reducing sugars (like glucose). Biuret's reagent turns pink/purple in the
presence of protein; since it stayed blue, there is no protein. Iodine tests for starch;
Sudan IV tests f or lipids.
, Question 5
Which of the following macromolecules is the primary structural component of the cell
membrane in eukaryotes?
A) Triglycerides
B) Phospholipids
C) Cellulose
D) Glycogen
Answer : B — Phospholipids make up the lipid bilayer. They have a hydrophilic
phosphate head and hydrophobic fatty acid tails. Cellulose makes plant cell walls.
Glycogen is an animal energy storage carbohydrate.
Question 6
According to the Cell Theory, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
B) The cell is the most basic unit of structure and function in organisms.
C) All cells have a nucleus that contains DNA.
D) All cells arise from pre - existing cells.
Answer : C — This is false because prokaryotic cells (like bacteria) do *not* have a
nucleus; their DNA is floating in the nucleoid region.
Question 7
If a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, what will happen to the cell?
A) Water will rush into the cell, causing it to swell and burst.
B) Water will rush out of the cell, causing it to shrivel (crenate).
C) Water will move in and out at equal rates; the cell will not change size.
