BIOD 171 ESSENTIAL MICROBIOLOGY
CERTIFICATION TEST PAPER COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION GUIDE
●● What is the smallest biological unit of life
Answer: A cell
●● Classified as a complex molecule that is composed from smaller
subunits
Answer: Macromolecule
●● What are the four main types of macromolecules?
Answer: Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids
●● What various functions do proteins have in a cell?
Answer: Proteins may facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a
cell. Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement.
●● what re the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
,Answer: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).
Nucleic acids are chemical molecules that carry genetic information
within the cell. DNA contains a vast amount of hereditary information
and is responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living organisms.
RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA
and using it to synthesize proteins.
●● Serves the cell as a surrounding barrier that separates the inside of
the cell from the outside surrounding environment. The plasma
membrane also restricts the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc)
either in or out of the cell, thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what
is needed (influx) while also preventing the escape (out flux) of lipids
(hydrophobic hydrocarbons)
Answer: Plasma membrane and what it is made up of
●● carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Examples would include,
C6H10O5 (glucose) C12H22O11 (surcose) and C6H10O5 (cellulose)
Answer: The three main components of carbohydrates
●● Contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed region within the cell that
contains the genetic material.
Answer: Eukaryotic cells
●● Cells do not contain a nucleus and can be further classified as either
Bacteria and Archaea
Answer: Prokaryotic cells
, ●● Coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), Vibrio (curved rod) or
spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
Answer: Main morphologies of bacteria
●● Which group of microbes is noted for its ability to survive under
harsh conditions?
Answer: Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh
environmental conditions such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high
temperatures and oxygen-poor conditions
●● Animal, Plant, Fungi or Protista
Answer: The four main classifications of Eukarya?
●● Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic
Answer: No
●● The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?
Answer: The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of
amphipathic phospholipids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic
(water loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing)
tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-
polar tail groups face inward thus orienting the polar head groups to
interact with water both outside and inside of the cell
CERTIFICATION TEST PAPER COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION GUIDE
●● What is the smallest biological unit of life
Answer: A cell
●● Classified as a complex molecule that is composed from smaller
subunits
Answer: Macromolecule
●● What are the four main types of macromolecules?
Answer: Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids
●● What various functions do proteins have in a cell?
Answer: Proteins may facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a
cell. Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical
processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as
filaments, enable movement.
●● what re the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?
,Answer: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).
Nucleic acids are chemical molecules that carry genetic information
within the cell. DNA contains a vast amount of hereditary information
and is responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living organisms.
RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA
and using it to synthesize proteins.
●● Serves the cell as a surrounding barrier that separates the inside of
the cell from the outside surrounding environment. The plasma
membrane also restricts the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc)
either in or out of the cell, thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what
is needed (influx) while also preventing the escape (out flux) of lipids
(hydrophobic hydrocarbons)
Answer: Plasma membrane and what it is made up of
●● carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Examples would include,
C6H10O5 (glucose) C12H22O11 (surcose) and C6H10O5 (cellulose)
Answer: The three main components of carbohydrates
●● Contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed region within the cell that
contains the genetic material.
Answer: Eukaryotic cells
●● Cells do not contain a nucleus and can be further classified as either
Bacteria and Archaea
Answer: Prokaryotic cells
, ●● Coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), Vibrio (curved rod) or
spirillum (spiral/corkscrew)
Answer: Main morphologies of bacteria
●● Which group of microbes is noted for its ability to survive under
harsh conditions?
Answer: Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh
environmental conditions such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high
temperatures and oxygen-poor conditions
●● Animal, Plant, Fungi or Protista
Answer: The four main classifications of Eukarya?
●● Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic
Answer: No
●● The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?
Answer: The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of
amphipathic phospholipids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic
(water loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing)
tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-
polar tail groups face inward thus orienting the polar head groups to
interact with water both outside and inside of the cell
