Biology 1A03 Final Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed Latest Update 2025-2026
What is a Eukaryotic cell? - Answers The cells have a nucleus that contains most of the genetic
material in the cell.
T or F: Eukaryotic Cells are larger than prokaryotic cells? - Answers True
T or F: There are approximately 10 times more eukaryotic cells in our body than prokaryotic
cells? - Answers False - there are approximately 10 times more prokaryotic cells in our body
than eukaryotic cells.
T or F: All of the cells in our body share a genetic heritage? - Answers False - We carry a lot of
passengers who do not share a common genetic heritage with our own eukaryotic cells. Most
are prokaryotic cells (this includes bacterial cells).
What are prokaryotic cells? - Answers Cells that do not contain a true nucleus.
T or F: Bacterial cells make up 2 to 3% of our body mass - Answers True
Are bacterial cells harmful? - Answers Most bacterial cells are harmless, and provide essential
functions throughout our physiological systems. Some of the cells are potentially harmful, but
are contained/managed by our immune system.
What is a microbiome? - Answers The term microbiome is used to describe the populations of
microbiotic organisms (microoorganisms or microbes) within our bodies.
What is a microorganism? - Answers An organism that is not visible to the naked eye, but is only
visible under a microscope.
Where in our body are Bacterial cells found? - Answers They are found in nearly every part of our
body.
T or F: There may be about 10,000 distinct species of microbes on and in a healthy human body?
- Answers True
What is Streptococcus salivarius? - Answers It's a bacteria that lives in the human upper
respiratory tract and mouth. It contributes to formation of dental plaque, and it's also one of the
first microbes to colonize a germ-free newborn's mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
What is Straphylococcus haemolyticus? - Answers It's a bacteria that resides on our skin. It is
harmless there, but it can be pathogenic if it gets inside our body. Infection commonly leads to
activation of the immune system.
What is Bacteriodes thetaiotaomicron? - Answers It's a predominant intestinal bacteria. It
makes enzymes that are useful in the breakdown of plant materials that we ingest, such as oat
fibre.
, What is a cell? - Answers A cell is a membrane-bound structure containing macromolecules.
What are the four classes of macromolecules? - Answers 1. Nucleic Acids (DNA and RNA)
2. Proteins
3. Polysaccharides
4. Phospholipids
What are nucleic acids? - Answers Nucleic acides make up the hereditary material of the cell
and are found in the DNA, chromosome, and nucleoid.
DNA is converted into functional products of cells (RNAs and eventually proteins).
What are proteins? - Answers Proteins make up the structural elements of the cell (such as
flagellum on a bacterium), and perform metabolic activities (such as through the action of
ribosomes that synthesize enzymes)
What is a polysaccharide? - Answers Polysaccharides are important structural components of
many cells, such as the bacterial capsule, or a plant cell wall. They are also a source of stored
energy (for example foods made from wheat or rice).
What is a phospholipid? - Answers Phospholipids are the primary component of the cell
membrane . They consist of a glycerol molecule that is linked to a phosphate and 2 fatty acid
tails.
Why is it important for a cell to have the ability to separate its internal environment from the
external surroundings? - Answers It's important to protect the cell from damaging toxins, to
ensure that the cell allows entry of important compounds, and disposal of metabolic wastes.
T or F: Lipid macromolecules that make up a cell membrane are hydrophobic? - Answers F: Each
of the macromolecules have hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties that allow "stacked" lipid
bilayers to form.
Which part of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, and which part is hydrophilic? - Answers The core
of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, and the surface is hydrophilic.
T or F: The cell membrane is thick and rigid to separate the cell interior from the exterior? -
Answers F: Cell membranes are very thin, ranging from 5-10nm.
T or F: The fatty acid tails of a phospholipid are hydrophobic - Answers True - the hydrophobic
tails make up the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane.
T or F: The head groups (glycerol and phosphate) of phospholipids are hydrophobic - Answers
False - the head groups are hydrophilic, and form the hydrophilic surface of the lipid bilayer, that
faces the aqueous environments outside and inside the cell.
What is a Eukaryotic cell? - Answers The cells have a nucleus that contains most of the genetic
material in the cell.
T or F: Eukaryotic Cells are larger than prokaryotic cells? - Answers True
T or F: There are approximately 10 times more eukaryotic cells in our body than prokaryotic
cells? - Answers False - there are approximately 10 times more prokaryotic cells in our body
than eukaryotic cells.
T or F: All of the cells in our body share a genetic heritage? - Answers False - We carry a lot of
passengers who do not share a common genetic heritage with our own eukaryotic cells. Most
are prokaryotic cells (this includes bacterial cells).
What are prokaryotic cells? - Answers Cells that do not contain a true nucleus.
T or F: Bacterial cells make up 2 to 3% of our body mass - Answers True
Are bacterial cells harmful? - Answers Most bacterial cells are harmless, and provide essential
functions throughout our physiological systems. Some of the cells are potentially harmful, but
are contained/managed by our immune system.
What is a microbiome? - Answers The term microbiome is used to describe the populations of
microbiotic organisms (microoorganisms or microbes) within our bodies.
What is a microorganism? - Answers An organism that is not visible to the naked eye, but is only
visible under a microscope.
Where in our body are Bacterial cells found? - Answers They are found in nearly every part of our
body.
T or F: There may be about 10,000 distinct species of microbes on and in a healthy human body?
- Answers True
What is Streptococcus salivarius? - Answers It's a bacteria that lives in the human upper
respiratory tract and mouth. It contributes to formation of dental plaque, and it's also one of the
first microbes to colonize a germ-free newborn's mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
What is Straphylococcus haemolyticus? - Answers It's a bacteria that resides on our skin. It is
harmless there, but it can be pathogenic if it gets inside our body. Infection commonly leads to
activation of the immune system.
What is Bacteriodes thetaiotaomicron? - Answers It's a predominant intestinal bacteria. It
makes enzymes that are useful in the breakdown of plant materials that we ingest, such as oat
fibre.
, What is a cell? - Answers A cell is a membrane-bound structure containing macromolecules.
What are the four classes of macromolecules? - Answers 1. Nucleic Acids (DNA and RNA)
2. Proteins
3. Polysaccharides
4. Phospholipids
What are nucleic acids? - Answers Nucleic acides make up the hereditary material of the cell
and are found in the DNA, chromosome, and nucleoid.
DNA is converted into functional products of cells (RNAs and eventually proteins).
What are proteins? - Answers Proteins make up the structural elements of the cell (such as
flagellum on a bacterium), and perform metabolic activities (such as through the action of
ribosomes that synthesize enzymes)
What is a polysaccharide? - Answers Polysaccharides are important structural components of
many cells, such as the bacterial capsule, or a plant cell wall. They are also a source of stored
energy (for example foods made from wheat or rice).
What is a phospholipid? - Answers Phospholipids are the primary component of the cell
membrane . They consist of a glycerol molecule that is linked to a phosphate and 2 fatty acid
tails.
Why is it important for a cell to have the ability to separate its internal environment from the
external surroundings? - Answers It's important to protect the cell from damaging toxins, to
ensure that the cell allows entry of important compounds, and disposal of metabolic wastes.
T or F: Lipid macromolecules that make up a cell membrane are hydrophobic? - Answers F: Each
of the macromolecules have hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties that allow "stacked" lipid
bilayers to form.
Which part of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, and which part is hydrophilic? - Answers The core
of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, and the surface is hydrophilic.
T or F: The cell membrane is thick and rigid to separate the cell interior from the exterior? -
Answers F: Cell membranes are very thin, ranging from 5-10nm.
T or F: The fatty acid tails of a phospholipid are hydrophobic - Answers True - the hydrophobic
tails make up the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane.
T or F: The head groups (glycerol and phosphate) of phospholipids are hydrophobic - Answers
False - the head groups are hydrophilic, and form the hydrophilic surface of the lipid bilayer, that
faces the aqueous environments outside and inside the cell.
