UCF BIOLOGY EXIT FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS || 100% GUARANTEED PASS BRAND NEW VERSION

UCF BIOLOGY EXIT FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS || 100% GUARANTEED PASS BRAND NEW VERSION 1. DNA sequences in many human genes are very similar to the sequences of corresponding genes in chimpanzees. The most likely explanation for this result is that - ANSWER Humans and chimpanzees share a relatively recent common ancestor 2. It has been observed that organisms on islands are different from, but closely related to, similar forms found on the nearest continent. This is taken as evidence that - ANSWER Island forms and mainland forms descended from common ancestors 3. Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the wing of a bird? - ANSWER Flipper of a cetacean 4. In Darwin's thinking, the more closely related two different organisms are, the - ANSWER More recently they share a common ancestor 5. Charles Darwin was the first person to propose - ANSWER A mechanism for evolution that was supported by evidence 6. Which naturalist synthesized a concept of natural selection independently of Darwin? - ANSWER Alfred Wallace 7. What is the name given to viruses that are single-stranded RNA that acts as a template for DNA synthesis? - ANSWER Retroviruses 8. Why do RNA viruses appear to have higher rates of mutation? - ANSWER Replication of their genomes does not involve the proofreading steps of DNA replication 9. Which of the following statements describes the lysogenic cycle of lambda phage? - ANSWER The phage DNA is incorporated by crossing over into any nonspecific site on the host cell's DNA 10. Which of the following terms describes bacteriophage DNA that has become integrated into the host cell chromosome? - ANSWER Prophages 11. Which of the following is characteristic of the lytic cycle? - ANSWER A large number of phages is released at a time 12. Which of the following accounts for someone who has had a herpesvirus mediated cold sore or genital sore getting flare-ups for the rest of life? - ANSWER Copies of the herpesvirus genome permanently maintained in host nuclei 13. Which of the following molecules make up the viral envelope? - ANSWER Glycoproteins 14. Why are viruses referred to as obligate parasites? - ANSWER They cannot reproduce outside of a host cell 15. The host range of a virus is determined by - ANSWER The proteins on its surface and that of the host 16. Which of the following DNA mutations is the most likely to be damaging to the protein it specifies? - ANSWER A base-pair deletion 17. A frameshift mutation could result from - ANSWER Either an insertion or deletion of a base 18. Sickle-cell disease is probably the result of which kind of mutation? - ANSWER Point 19. What is the most abundant type of RNA? - ANSWER rRNA 20. In the structural organization of many eukaryotic genes, individual exons may be related to which of the following? - ANSWER The various domains of the polypeptide product 21. Alternative RNA splicing - ANSWER Can allow the production of proteins of different sizes from a single mRNA 22. During splicing, which molecular component of the spliceosome catalyzes the excision reaction? - ANSWER RNA 23. What are the coding segments of a stretch of eukaryotic DNA called? - ANSWER Exons 24. What is a ribozyme? - ANSWER An RNA with enzymatic activity 25. Which of the following helps to stabilize mRNA by inhibiting its degradation? - ANSWER 5' cap and poly (A) tail 26. Transcription in eukaryotes requires which of the following in addition to RNA polymerase? - ANSWER Several transcription factors (TFs) 27. In eukaryotes there are several different types of RNA polymerase. Which type is involved in transcription of mRNA for a globin protein? - ANSWER RNA polymerase II 28. The "universal" genetic code is now known to have exceptions. Evidence for this could be found if which of the following is true? - ANSWER If UGA, usually a stop codon, is found to code for an amino acid such as tryptophan (usually coded for by UGG only). 29. The nitrogenous base adenine is found in all members of which group? - ANSWER ATP, RNA, and DNA 30. Garrod hypothesized that "inborn errors of metabolism" such as alkaptonuria occur because - ANSWER genes dictate the production of specific enzymes, and affected individuals have genetic defects that cause them to lack certain enzymes. 31. Why do histones bind tightly to DNA? - ANSWER Histones are positively charged and DNA is negatively charged 32. Which of the following help to hold the DNA strands apart while they are being replicated? - ANSWER Single-strand binding proteins 33. What is the role of DNA ligase in the elongation of the lagging strand during DNA replication? - ANSWER Unwind the parental double helix 34. The leading and the lagging strands differ in that - ANSWER the leading strand is synthesized in the same direction as the movement of the replication fork, and the lagging strand is synthesized in the opposite direction. 35. The difference between ATP and the nucleoside triphosphates used during DNA synthesis is that - ANSWER The nucleoside triphosphates have the sugar deoxyribose; ATP has the sugar ribose 36. Which of the following synthesizes short segments of RNA? - ANSWER Primase 37. Which of the following covalently connects segments of DNA? - ANSWER Ligase 38. What is the function of DNA polymerase III? - ANSWER To add nucleotides to the end of a growing strand 39. Replication in prokaryotes differs from replication is eukaryotes for which of these reasons? - ANSWER Prokaryotic chromosomes have a single origin of replication, whereas eukaryotic chromosomes have many. 40. Pituitary gland - ANSWER The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands. 41. Pons - ANSWER A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain 42. Testosterone - ANSWER The most important of the male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty 43. Estrogen - ANSWER A sex hormone, secreted in greater amounts by females than by males. In nonhuman female mammals, estrogen levels peak during ovulation, promoting sexual receptivity. 44. Negative feedback - ANSWER A primary mechanism of homeostasis, whereby a change in a physiological variable that is being monitored triggers a response that counteracts the initial fluctuation. 45. Positive feedback - ANSWER A type of regulation that responds to a change in conditions by initiating responses that will amplify the change. Takes organism away from a steady state. 46. Organ system - ANSWER A group of organs that work together in performing vital body functions. 47. Asexual reproduction - ANSWER Process by which a single parent reproduces by itself 48. Sexual reproduction - ANSWER A reproductive process that involves two parents that combine their genetic material to produce a new organism, which differs from both parents 49. Mitosis - ANSWER Part of eukaryotic cell division during which the cell nucleus divides after chromosomes are replicated 50. Meiosis - ANSWER Cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms 51. Meiosis II - ANSWER The second phase of meiosis consisting of chromatids separating, along with the two diploid cells splitting in two 52. PMAT - ANSWER Cell Division: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase 53. Steps of mitosis Prophase - ANSWER Chromosomes become visable, nuclear envelop dissolves, spindle forms Prometaphase - ANSWER The second stage of mitosis, in which the nuclear envelope fragments and the spindle microtubules attach to the kinetochores of the chromosomes. Metaphase - ANSWER Chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell Anaphase - ANSWER Phase of mitosis in which the chromosomes separate and move to opposite ends of the cell Telophase - ANSWER After the chromosome seperates, the cell seals off, Final Phase of Mitosis. 54. Cytokinesis - ANSWER Division of the cytoplasm during cell division 55. Interphase - ANSWER Period of the cell cycle between cell divisions 56. Zygote - ANSWER Fertilized egg 57. Gametes - ANSWER A mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to form a zygote (sex cells) 58. Fertilization - ANSWER Process in sexual reproduction in which male and female reproductive cells join to form a new cell 59. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) - ANSWER A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes. 60. RNA (ribonucleic acid) - ANSWER A nucleic acid that translates the code stored in DNA, which makes possible the synthesis of proteins; single stranded 61. Mutations - ANSWER Random errors in gene replication that lead to a change in the sequence of nucleotides. The source of all genetic diversity. 62. Selective breeding (artificial selection) - ANSWER The process of selecting a few organisms with desired traits to serve as parents of the next generation 63. Gene splicing - ANSWER The process by which the DNA of an organism is cut and a gene from another is inserted 64. How many chromosomes do humans have? - ANSWER 46 (23 pairs) 65. Charles Darwin - ANSWER English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (); father of modern evolution 66. Natural selection - ANSWER A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits. 67. Gene flow (migration) - ANSWER Movement of alleles into or out of a population due to the migration of individuals to or from the population 68. Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle) - ANSWER The Krebs Cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria. In the Krebs Cycle, each of the two acetyl coenzyme A molecules enter the cycle and combine with oxaloacetate to form citric acid, which then loses two carbons as carbon dioxide. The cycle is now ready to begin again with the second Acetyl CoA. For each Acetyl CoA, the Krebs Cycle produces 1 ATP, 3 NADH, and 1 FADH2. 69. Calvin Cycle - ANSWER Light-independent reactions of photosynthesis in which energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugar 70. Endothermic - ANSWER Absorbs heat 71. Exothermic - ANSWER Releases heat 72. Endergonic - ANSWER A chemical reaction that requires the input of energy in order to proceed (positive △G) 73. Exergonic - ANSWER Chemical reactions that release energy (negative △G) 74. Spontaneous reaction - ANSWER A reaction that will proceed without any outside energy 75. Catabolism - ANSWER Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing energy. 76. Anabolism - ANSWER Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy. 77. Catalysis - ANSWER A process by which a chemical agent called a catalyst selectively increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction. 78. Enthalpy - ANSWER The heat content of a system at constant pressure 79. Entropy - ANSWER A measure of disorder or randomness. 80. ATP - ANSWER (adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work 81. ADP - ANSWER (Adenosine Diphosphate) The compound that remains when a phosphate group is removed from ATP, releasing energy 82. Thermodynamics - ANSWER The study of energy transformations that occur in a collection of matter. 83. Kinetics - ANSWER Study of forces associated with the motion of a body 84. Glycolysis - ANSWER A metabolic process that breaks down carbohydrates and sugars through a series of reactions to either pyruvic acid or lactic acid and release energy for the body in the form of ATP 85. Oxidative phosphorylation - ANSWER Part of the electron transport chain. A process occurring in the mitochondria that results in the formation of ATP from the flow of electrons across the inner membrane to bind with oxygen. 86. Why are C4 plants able to photosynthesize with no apparent photorespiration? - ANSWER They use PEP carboxylase to initially fix carbon dioxide (CO2) 87. Paracrine - ANSWER Referring to a secreted molecule that acts on a neighboring cell. 88. Paracrine signaling - ANSWER Signal released from a cell has an effect on neighboring cells. 89. Autocrine - ANSWER Referring to a secreted molecule that acts on the cell that secreted it. 90. Autocrine signaling - ANSWER Secreted molecules diffuse locally and trigger a response in the cells that secrete them 91. What kind of chemical bond is found between paired bases of the DNA double helix? - ANSWER Hydrogen 92. Why does the DNA double helix have a uniform diameter? - ANSWER Purines pair with pyrimidines 93. When T2 phages infect bacteria and make more viruses in the presence of radioactive sulfur, what is the result? - ANSWER The viral proteins will be radioactive 94. Which of the following investigators was/were responsible for the following discovery? Phage with labeled proteins or DNA was allowed to infect bacteria. It was shown that the DNA, but not the protein, entered the bacterial cells, and was therefore concluded to be the genetic material. - ANSWER Matthew Meselson and Franklin Stahl 95. In trying to determine whether DNA or protein is the genetic material, Hershey and Chase made use of which of the following facts? - ANSWER DNA contains phosphorus but protein does not 96. What does transformation involve in bacteria? - ANSWER Assimilation of external DNA into a cell 97. The frequency of Down syndrome in the human population is most closely correlated with which of the following? - ANSWER Age of the mother 98. Women with Turner syndrome have a genotype characterized as which of the following? - ANSWER A karyotype of 45, X 99. A cell that has 2n+1 chromosomes is - ANSWER Trisomic 100. New combinations of linked genes are due to - ANSWER Crossing over 101. Calico cats are female because - ANSWER A male inherits only one of the two X-linked genes controlling hair colour 102. SRY is best described in which of the following ways? - ANSWER A gene region present on the Y chromosome that triggers male development 103. Darwin's mechanism of natural selection required long time spans in order to modify species. From whom did Darwin get the concept of Earth's ancient age? - ANSWER Charles Lyell 104. Tropical grasslands with scattered trees are known as - ANSWER Savannas 105. Which biome is able to support many large animals despite receiving moderate amounts of rainfall? - ANSWER Savanna