BIO 116 1 MIAMI UNIVERSITY
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Evolution....
Answer: helps us understand the unity and diversity of life
◍ While nitrogen is not the most abundant element in living cells, it is a
critical component of the ___ functional group found in the building blocks
of proteins..
Answer: amino
◍ Detergents, like the molecule of SDS pictured below, can be used to remove
oils and grease from dirty dishes, clothes, skin, etc. This is because these
molecules can interact with both polar and nonpolar molecules. What term
is used to describe these types of molecules?.
Answer: amphipathic
◍ Electrons in a nonpolar covalent bond are....
Answer: shared equally
◍ Which of the following represents the relative strength of the individual
bonds we discussed from strongest to weakest in a cell?.
Answer: covalent --> ionic --> hydrogen
◍ When proteins are being produced in a cell, the individual building blocks
(monomers) are covalently linked together to build a long polymer. Based
on our discussion of how biological macromolecules are made, what type of
reaction creates these covalent bonds?.
Answer: dehydration
,◍ Water will move from the roots of a tree all the way to the tips of the leaves,
sometimes a distance of hundreds of feet. What property of water is critical
for this movement against gravity?.
Answer: adhesion
◍ Which of the following elements would be MOST abundant in a human red
blood cell?.
Answer: carbon
◍ All life on Earth ___..
Answer: is carbon based
◍ We discussed how isotopes are important tools in tracing biological
activites. One such test is a PET scan to look for active cancerous cells. The
isotope used in a PET scan is often fluorine 18 (18F). Most fluorine is found
as fluorine 19 (19F). How do these isotopes differ?.
Answer: Fluorine 19 has one more neutron than fluorine 18
◍ Water is ___, and is ___ dense as a solid compared its liquid form..
Answer: polar; less
◍ The figure below is illustrating an ion surrounded by 6 water molecules.
Based on the configuration below, what is the charge of the ion?.
Answer: positive
◍ The space-filling model below illustrates a phospholipid molecule. What
causes the kink (bend) in the fatty acid tail on the right side of the
molecule?.
Answer: a double bond between 2 carbons in the fatty acid tail
◍ The four main categories of large biological molecules present in living
systems are ___..
Answer: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids
◍ Glycogen is a ___ and is used for ___ in your body..
Answer: branched polypeptide; energy storage
◍ Plant cell walls are made of ___, a/an ___..
, Answer: cellulose; unbranched polysaccharide
◍ What is true of both triglycerides & phospholipids?.
Answer: Both are both produced using a glycerol backbone.
◍ Plant fats typically have more ___ than animal fats..
Answer: unsaturated fatty acids
◍ Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the building
blocks/structure of DNA and RNA? Both DNA and RNA building blocks
have ___..
Answer: a 5-carbon sugar, a nucleic acid, and phosphate
◍ Cellulose is described as "insoluble fiber" in our diet. Why can't we digest
cellulose?.
Answer: Our cells don't make the enzyme that can break the covalent bonds
between the glucose monomers.
◍ The collagen fibers that make up much of the connective tissue in your body
is formed when 3 polypeptides twist around each other to make the final,
functional product. What level of protein structure does this illustrate?.
Answer: quarternary
◍ In biological systems, the function of a protein is most intimately linked to
its ___..
Answer: structure
◍ Triglycerides are used ____ in your body..
Answer: for long term energy storage
◍ Which of the "Big 4" elements is NOT found in the basic structure of
carbohydrates?.
Answer: Nitrogen
◍ The use of steroids to build muscle mass can have many unintended
consequences in the body of the user. This is because steroids....
Answer: act as signaling molecules.
◍ Biological membranes are described using the "Fluid Mosaic Model". What
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Evolution....
Answer: helps us understand the unity and diversity of life
◍ While nitrogen is not the most abundant element in living cells, it is a
critical component of the ___ functional group found in the building blocks
of proteins..
Answer: amino
◍ Detergents, like the molecule of SDS pictured below, can be used to remove
oils and grease from dirty dishes, clothes, skin, etc. This is because these
molecules can interact with both polar and nonpolar molecules. What term
is used to describe these types of molecules?.
Answer: amphipathic
◍ Electrons in a nonpolar covalent bond are....
Answer: shared equally
◍ Which of the following represents the relative strength of the individual
bonds we discussed from strongest to weakest in a cell?.
Answer: covalent --> ionic --> hydrogen
◍ When proteins are being produced in a cell, the individual building blocks
(monomers) are covalently linked together to build a long polymer. Based
on our discussion of how biological macromolecules are made, what type of
reaction creates these covalent bonds?.
Answer: dehydration
,◍ Water will move from the roots of a tree all the way to the tips of the leaves,
sometimes a distance of hundreds of feet. What property of water is critical
for this movement against gravity?.
Answer: adhesion
◍ Which of the following elements would be MOST abundant in a human red
blood cell?.
Answer: carbon
◍ All life on Earth ___..
Answer: is carbon based
◍ We discussed how isotopes are important tools in tracing biological
activites. One such test is a PET scan to look for active cancerous cells. The
isotope used in a PET scan is often fluorine 18 (18F). Most fluorine is found
as fluorine 19 (19F). How do these isotopes differ?.
Answer: Fluorine 19 has one more neutron than fluorine 18
◍ Water is ___, and is ___ dense as a solid compared its liquid form..
Answer: polar; less
◍ The figure below is illustrating an ion surrounded by 6 water molecules.
Based on the configuration below, what is the charge of the ion?.
Answer: positive
◍ The space-filling model below illustrates a phospholipid molecule. What
causes the kink (bend) in the fatty acid tail on the right side of the
molecule?.
Answer: a double bond between 2 carbons in the fatty acid tail
◍ The four main categories of large biological molecules present in living
systems are ___..
Answer: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids
◍ Glycogen is a ___ and is used for ___ in your body..
Answer: branched polypeptide; energy storage
◍ Plant cell walls are made of ___, a/an ___..
, Answer: cellulose; unbranched polysaccharide
◍ What is true of both triglycerides & phospholipids?.
Answer: Both are both produced using a glycerol backbone.
◍ Plant fats typically have more ___ than animal fats..
Answer: unsaturated fatty acids
◍ Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the building
blocks/structure of DNA and RNA? Both DNA and RNA building blocks
have ___..
Answer: a 5-carbon sugar, a nucleic acid, and phosphate
◍ Cellulose is described as "insoluble fiber" in our diet. Why can't we digest
cellulose?.
Answer: Our cells don't make the enzyme that can break the covalent bonds
between the glucose monomers.
◍ The collagen fibers that make up much of the connective tissue in your body
is formed when 3 polypeptides twist around each other to make the final,
functional product. What level of protein structure does this illustrate?.
Answer: quarternary
◍ In biological systems, the function of a protein is most intimately linked to
its ___..
Answer: structure
◍ Triglycerides are used ____ in your body..
Answer: for long term energy storage
◍ Which of the "Big 4" elements is NOT found in the basic structure of
carbohydrates?.
Answer: Nitrogen
◍ The use of steroids to build muscle mass can have many unintended
consequences in the body of the user. This is because steroids....
Answer: act as signaling molecules.
◍ Biological membranes are described using the "Fluid Mosaic Model". What
