ESSENTIAL CELL BIOLOGY 4TH EDITION BY
ALBERTS 2026 EXAM SCRIPT COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If the
statement is false, explain why it is false.
(a) A virus is a living organism
(b) Cells of different types can have different chemical requirements
(c) A human whit blood cell is larger than a Paramecium cell.
Answer: (a) False. Viruses are not defined as living organisms
because the lack the ability to reproduce by themselves
(b) True
(c) False. A Paramecium cell is approximately 10x as large as a
human white blood cell
◉ The flow of genetic information is controlled by a series of
biochemical reactions that result in the production of proteins, each
with its own specific order of amino acids. Choose the correct series
of biochemical reactions from the options presented here.
,(a) replication, transcription, translation
(b) replication, translation, transcription
(c) translation, transcription, replication
(d) translation, replication, transcription. Answer: (a) replication,
transcription, translation
◉ Proteins are important architectural and catalytic components
within the cell, helping to determine its chemistry, its shape, and its
ability to respond to changes in the environment. Remarkably, all of
the different proteins in a cell are made from the same 20 ______. By
linking them in different sequences, the cell can make protein
molecules with different conformations and surface chemistries, and
therefore different functions.
(a) nucleotides
(b) sugars
(c) amino acids
(d) fatty acids. Answer: (c) amino acids
◉ Changes in DNA sequence from one generation to the next may
result in offspring that are altered in fitness compared with their
parents. The process of change and selection over the course of
many generations is the basis of
,(a) mutation
(b) evolution
(c) heredity
(d) reproduction. Answer: (b) evolution
◉ What unit of length would you generally use to measure a typical
human cell?
(a) centimeters
(b) nanometers
(c) millimeters
(d) micrometers. Answer: (d) micrometers
◉ Uses a light microscope with an optical component to take
advantage of the different refractive indexes of light passing through
different regions of the cell. Answer: Phase contrast
◉ Employs a light microscope and requires that samples be fixed
and stained in order to reveal cellular details. Answer: Bright-field
◉ Requires the use of two sets of filters. The first filter narrows the
wavelength range that reaches the specimen and the second blocks
out all wavelengths that pass up to the eyepiece except for those
emitted by the dye in the sample. Answer: Fluorescence
, ◉ Scans the specimen with a focused laser beam to obtain a series of
two-dimensional optical sections, which can be used to reconstruct
an image of the specimen in three-dimensions. The laser excites a
fluorescent dye molecule, and the emitted light from each
illuminated point is captured through a pinhole and recorded by a
detector. Answer: Confocal
◉ Has the ability to resolve cellular components as small as 2 nm.
Answer: Transmission electron
◉ Requires coating the sample with a thin layer of a heavy metal to
produce three-dimensional images of the surface of a sample.
Answer: Scanning Electron
◉ By definition, prokaryotic cells do not possess
(a) a nucleus
(b) replication machinery
(c) ribosomes
(d) membrane bilayers. Answer: (a) a nucleus
ALBERTS 2026 EXAM SCRIPT COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If the
statement is false, explain why it is false.
(a) A virus is a living organism
(b) Cells of different types can have different chemical requirements
(c) A human whit blood cell is larger than a Paramecium cell.
Answer: (a) False. Viruses are not defined as living organisms
because the lack the ability to reproduce by themselves
(b) True
(c) False. A Paramecium cell is approximately 10x as large as a
human white blood cell
◉ The flow of genetic information is controlled by a series of
biochemical reactions that result in the production of proteins, each
with its own specific order of amino acids. Choose the correct series
of biochemical reactions from the options presented here.
,(a) replication, transcription, translation
(b) replication, translation, transcription
(c) translation, transcription, replication
(d) translation, replication, transcription. Answer: (a) replication,
transcription, translation
◉ Proteins are important architectural and catalytic components
within the cell, helping to determine its chemistry, its shape, and its
ability to respond to changes in the environment. Remarkably, all of
the different proteins in a cell are made from the same 20 ______. By
linking them in different sequences, the cell can make protein
molecules with different conformations and surface chemistries, and
therefore different functions.
(a) nucleotides
(b) sugars
(c) amino acids
(d) fatty acids. Answer: (c) amino acids
◉ Changes in DNA sequence from one generation to the next may
result in offspring that are altered in fitness compared with their
parents. The process of change and selection over the course of
many generations is the basis of
,(a) mutation
(b) evolution
(c) heredity
(d) reproduction. Answer: (b) evolution
◉ What unit of length would you generally use to measure a typical
human cell?
(a) centimeters
(b) nanometers
(c) millimeters
(d) micrometers. Answer: (d) micrometers
◉ Uses a light microscope with an optical component to take
advantage of the different refractive indexes of light passing through
different regions of the cell. Answer: Phase contrast
◉ Employs a light microscope and requires that samples be fixed
and stained in order to reveal cellular details. Answer: Bright-field
◉ Requires the use of two sets of filters. The first filter narrows the
wavelength range that reaches the specimen and the second blocks
out all wavelengths that pass up to the eyepiece except for those
emitted by the dye in the sample. Answer: Fluorescence
, ◉ Scans the specimen with a focused laser beam to obtain a series of
two-dimensional optical sections, which can be used to reconstruct
an image of the specimen in three-dimensions. The laser excites a
fluorescent dye molecule, and the emitted light from each
illuminated point is captured through a pinhole and recorded by a
detector. Answer: Confocal
◉ Has the ability to resolve cellular components as small as 2 nm.
Answer: Transmission electron
◉ Requires coating the sample with a thin layer of a heavy metal to
produce three-dimensional images of the surface of a sample.
Answer: Scanning Electron
◉ By definition, prokaryotic cells do not possess
(a) a nucleus
(b) replication machinery
(c) ribosomes
(d) membrane bilayers. Answer: (a) a nucleus
