Deck 3: The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

Question 1

A DNA molecule containing 32% thymine would contain how much cytosine?

A)18%
B)32%
C)36%
D)64%

Answer 1

A

Question 2

This atom in its unbound state has four valence electrons.These electrons readily form single,double,and even triple bonds among themselves to become stable.This atom is:

A)carbon.
B)hydrogen.
C)oxygen.
D)nitrogen.
E)phosphorus.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Humans are unable to get metabolic energy from cellulose because:

A)cellulose contains very little chemical energy.
B)cellulose is not part of a normal diet.
C)cellulose digesting enzymes are absent from the human gut.
D)cellulose does not taste good.
E)cellulose is present in large quantities in the gut.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Carbohydrates are polymers formed of structural units called:

A)amino acids.
B)fatty acids.
C)nucleotides.
D)glycerols.
E)monosaccharides.

Question 5

What polysaccharide forms the long,tough fibers found in plant cell walls?

A)cellulose
B)starch
C)glycogen
D)chitin
E)amylopectin

Question 6

Macromolecules that are used by all organisms to store hereditary information are called:

A)transfer RNA molecules.
B)messenger RNA molecules.
C)proteins.
D)ribosomal RNA molecules.
E)DNA molecules.

Question 7

A monosaccharide that plays an important role in energy storage is a six-carbon sugar called:

A)galactose.
B)lactose.
C)cellulose.
D)glucose.
E)sucrose.

Question 8

Macromolecules are broken down to monomers in ________

A)anabolic reactions.
B)hydrolysis reactions.
C)denaturation reactions.
D)dehydration reactions.

Question 9

Organic molecules have a carbon backbone and ________ such as -OH and -NH₂ that affect their chemical properties.

A)R groups
B)extension groups
C)functional groups
D)chemical groups

Question 10

Three fatty acids bonded together with a glycerol are found in a(n):

A)alcohol.
B)enzyme.
C)phospholipid.
D)chlorophyll pigment.
E)triglyceride.

Question 11

Lipids are the only class of macromolecules that contain:

A)amino acids.
B)nucleotides.
C)fatty acids.
D)phosphate groups.
E)monosaccharides.

Question 12

Relatively small organic molecules with a central carbon atom which is bonded to a carboxyl group,an amino group,a carbon containing group,and a hydrogen atom are called:

A)amino acids.
B)fatty acids.
C)enzymes.
D)peptides.
E)nucleotides.

Question 13

A polysaccharide that is composed of modified glucose subunits and that is found in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans is known as:

A)chitin
B)starch
C)amylose
D)glycogen

Question 14

Proteins are polymers formed of structural units called:

A)fatty acids.
B)amino acids.
C)nucleotides.
D)phosphate groups.
E)monosaccharides.

Question 15

These biological compounds are nonpolar and insoluble in water:

A)carbohydrates
B)lipids
C)proteins
D)nucleic acids

Question 16

Common lipids for energy storage are:

A)phospholipids.
B)steroids.
C)triglycerides.
D)cholesterols.
E)waxes.

Question 17

A double stranded DNA strand contains 26 pyrimidines.How many purines will the copied strand contain?

A)0
B)13
C)26
D)52

Question 18

The covalent bonds connecting monomer units in sugars can be formed by the removal of a water molecule.This reaction is referred to as:

A)a hydrolysis reaction.
B)an oxidation-reduction reaction.
C)a dehydration reaction.
D)a hydration reaction.

Question 19

DNA and RNA contain functional units known as:

A)peptides.
B)enzymes.
C)amino acids.
D)nucleotides.
E)fatty acids.

Question 20

The biological macromolecule that is least soluble in water is a(n):

A)protein.
B)nucleic acid.
C)enzyme
D)lipid.
E)carbohydrate.

Question 21

Denaturation disrupts the secondary and tertiary structure of proteins.However,denaturation is not strong enough to disrupt what interaction that is relevant to protein structure?

A)hydrogen bonds
B)ionic bonds
C)van der Waals attraction
D)hydrophobic exclusion
E)peptide bonds

Question 22

Biological membranes contain bilayers containing mostly ________.

A)phospholipids
B)oils
C)prostaglandins
D)triglycerides
E)cholesterol

Question 23

This type of lipid is found in pigments such as chlorophyll,in the visual pigment retinal,and in rubber:

A)phospholipid.
B)terpene.
C)steroid.
D)prostaglandin.
E)wax.

Question 24

Which of the following reactions is a hydrolysis reaction?

A)A + H₂O → B + C
B)A + B → C + H₂O
C)A + B + H₂O → C
D)A → B + C+ H₂O

Question 25

Enzymes function to:

A)react with other enzymes to form a product.
B)catalyze chemical reactions.
C)transport molecules and ions across membranes.
D)regulate messages between cells.

Question 26

The types of bonds found in nucleic acids are:

A)phosphodiester bonds.
B)peptide bonds.
C)ionic bonds.
D)nonpolar covalent bonds.

Question 27

A nucleic acid contains uracil,allowing you to conclude that:

A)this nucleic acid is DNA.
B)this nucleic acid is RNA.
C)this nucleic acid could be either DNA or RNA.

Question 28

Cellulose is composed of monomers of:

A)ribose
B)deoxyribose
C)α-glucose
D)β-glucose

Question 29

The nitrogenous base that is only found in RNA and not DNA is:

A)adenine
B)cytosine
C)guanine
D)thymine
E)uracil

Question 30

What is the difference in the bonding between alpha-helix and beta sheets?

A)Hydrogen bonding between the amides only occurs in one of these two types of secondary structures.
B)Hydrogen bonding occurs between the amides of adjacent chains in the sheets instead of between the amides in different parts of the helices.
C)Sulfur bridges allow the spring like turns in alpha helices and van der Waals dispersion allows the folds in beta sheets.
D)Hydrogen bonding always occurs in the alpha helices but only occurs in parallel beta sheets.

Question 31

Fructose and galactose both have six carbon atoms,twelve hydrogen atoms and six oxygen atoms,just like glucose.A friend of yours says: "Since those sugars have the same number of atoms,they should have the same name." You answer: "While they do have the same number and type of atoms,

A)they are all polysaccharides and have slightly different functions within organisms and therefore have different names."
B)they are named differently because of their quaternary structures,which is very important in carbohydrates,especially glucose."
C)they are named differently because when heated above their optimal temperature they become denatured and will not react with their substrates."
D)they are named differently because they are involved in different DNA nucleotide formation."
E)they are named differently because they are alternate forms of the monosaccharide,glucose."

Question 32

Proteins are created with:

A)phosphodiester bonds.
B)peptide bonds.
C)triglycerides.
D)polysaccharides.

Question 33

The nitrogenous base that is only found in DNA and not in RNA is:

A)adenine.
B)cytosine.
C)guanine.
D)thymine.
E)uracil.

Question 34

Phospholipids are made up of:

A)a glycerol and three fatty acids.
B)four fused carbon rings.
C)a phosphate,two fatty acids and a glycerol.
D)five-carbon rings with two nonpolar tails.

Question 35

A nucleic acid contains thymine,allowing you to conclude that:

A)this nucleic acid is DNA.
B)this nucleic acid is RNA.
C)this nucleic acid could be either DNA or RNA.

Question 36

Amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds in a ________

A)phospholipid.
B)nucleic acid.
C)polysaccharide.
D)polypeptide.
E)starch.

Question 37

A candy bar contains 108 calories per serving.There are 4 grams of carbohydrate,5 grams of protein,and 8 grams of fat in a serving.How many of the calories come from fat? Note: One food calorie equals one kilocalorie.

A)20
B)16
C)72
D)18

Question 38

The specific amino acid sequence of a protein is its ________.

A)primary structure
B)secondary structure
C)tertiary structure
D)quaternary structure

Question 39

Which of the following reactions is a dehydration reaction?

A)A + H₂O → B + C
B)A + B → C + H₂O
C)A + B + H₂O → C
D)A → B + C+ H₂O

Question 40

The information storage molecules of cells are called:

A)proteins.
B)phospholipids.
C)enzymes.
D)hormones.
E)nucleic acids.

Question 41

A bobcat is feeding on a white-tailed deer.It first eats the liver,which is rich in stored sugars.In what form would sugar be stored in the deer's liver?

A)Glucose
B)Maltose
C)Glycogen
D)Amylose
E)Cellulose

Question 42

The DNA sequence capable of pairing with 5' CGATTAGT 3' is:

A)3' GCTAATCA 5'.
B)3' CGATTAGT 5'.
C)5' GCTAATCA 3'.
D)5' CGATTAGT 3'.

Question 43

Margarine is made by hydrogenating vegetable oils so that they take on the consistency of butter.Propose a chemical basis for this change from a liquid to a solid.

A)Hydrogenation of fats changes them from unsaturated to saturated,which are more solid.
B)Hydrogenation of fats changes them from saturated to unsaturated,which are more solid.
C)Trans-fatty acids are changed from unsaturated to saturated,allowing them to solidify.
D)Trans fatty acids are changed from saturated to unsaturated,allowing them to solidify.

Question 44

Yogurt contains galactose and glucose,which are generated when bacterial enzymes act on milk sugars.What is the main source of the galactose in yogurt?

A)Maltose
B)Sucrose
C)Lactose
D)Fructose
E)Glycogen

Question 45

The digestive enzyme pepsin works in the acidic environment of the stomach to hydrolyze peptide bonds.As a result,pepsin affects which macromolecule?

A)carbohydrate
B)protein
C)DNA
D)lipid

Question 46

What type of monomer does ATP represent?

A)monosaccharide
B)amino acid
C)nucleotide
D)fatty acid
E)glycerol

Question 47

You have recently identified a novel protein and obtained its sequence.How could you use this sequence to predict the function of the protein?

A)By determining the secondary structure of the protein.
B)By using the sequence to make antibodies against the protein.
C)By looking for conserved domains.
D)By determining the DNA sequence that could encode the protein.

Question 48

Hemoglobin transports oxygen in the blood and consists of a chain of 146 amino acids.How many different types of amino acids are used to construct proteins?

A)2
B)20
C)146
D)200

Question 49

L-lysine is an essential amino acid and must be supplied in the diet.By comparison,the stereoisomer D-lysine is not biologically active.Why can your body only utilize one form?

A)Since the L form and D form are enantiomers,they will bind together and inhibit utilization of the D form.
B)Since the L form and D form are chiral molecules,they will bind together and inhibit utilization of the D form.
C)Antibodies recognize the D form and destroy it before your body can use it for nutritional purposes.
D)Enzymes can only recognize a single,specific stereoisomer.

Question 50

You arrive late to a biological seminar.However,just as you enter the room,you hear the speaker referring to the "five-prime end" and the "three-prime end" of a macromolecule.Immediately,you know that they are talking about a:

A)carbohydrate.
B)protein.
C)nucleic acid.
D)lipid.

Question 51

Egg whites consist primarily of water and the protein albumin.When you fry an egg,why does the egg white turn from clear to white?

A)The protein becomes dissociated.
B)The protein acquires tertiary structure.
C)The protein becomes denatured.
D)The protein becomes dehydrated.

Question 52

At the pH of most bodily fluids,which functional group will lose a proton and which functional group will accept a proton?

A)sulfhydryl; carbonyl
B)Hydroxyl; amino
C)amino; carboxyl
D)carboxyl; amino
E)carbonyl; Hydroxyl

Question 53

Luke sprained his ankle,tearing some of the collagen protein that forms his ligaments.Some types of collagen consist of three polypeptide chains twisted together to form a rope-like strand.What level of protein structure does this rope-like strand represent?

A)Primary
B)Secondary
C)Tertiary
D)Quaternary

Question 54

If all functional groups are removed from an organic molecule,leaving only a hydrocarbon chain,the molecule becomes a:

A)Lipid
B)Carbohydrate
C)Protein
D)Nucleic acid

Question 55

You recently identified a novel protein that contains several membrane-spanning domains.You would predict that the amino acids embedded in the membrane would have ________ side groups.

A)nonpolar
B)polar uncharged
C)positively charged
D)negatively charged

Question 56

Seth ordered lobster at a restaurant and realized that the outer shell was made of a tough carbohydrate similar to that used to make the carapace of a cockroach.What do you think the outer shell of the lobster is made of?

A)Fibrin
B)Cellulose
C)Glycogen
D)Chitin
E)Amylopectin

Question 57

Vitamin D can be synthesized by the body from a derivative of cholesterol.Given this information,predict vitamin D's solubility.

A)Vitamin D is water-soluble.
B)Vitamin D is fat-soluble.
C)Vitamin D is soluble in both water and fat.
D)Vitamin D is not soluble in either water or fat.

Question 58

You arrive late to a biological seminar.However,just as you enter the room,you hear the speaker referring to the "amino end" and the "carboxyl end" of a macromolecule.Immediately,you know that they are talking about a:

A)carbohydrate.
B)protein.
C)nucleic acid.
D)lipid.

Question 59

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)uses RNA,rather than DNA,to encode genetic information.During infection,however,HIV uses an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase to generate double-stranded DNA.Generally speaking,how would the enzyme generate a double strand of DNA from a single strand of RNA?

A)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA copy from the viral RNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA complementary to the first one.
B)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a RNA copy from the viral DNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA complementary to the first one.
C)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA copy from the viral RNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA from the viral RNA.

Question 60

People who are lactose intolerant can often consume some products made from milk such as cheese and yogurt because microorganisms in their digestive system consume the lactose.By comparison,people with a true milk allergy,which involves an immune response to milk protein,cannot consume milk or products made from milk.Given this information,what can you conclude about milk?

A)The protein that causes a true milk allergy is lactose.
B)All people who are lactose intolerant are also allergic to milk.
C)Yogurt contains live and active cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria and therefore prevents an allergic response in people with a true milk allergy.
D)Lactose is a carbohydrate,not a protein and is therefore not the cause of true milk allergies.

Question 61

A phosphorus shortage in soil would make it difficult for plants to produce:

A)cellulose
B)amylose
C)starch
D)DNA

Question 62

A polymer with the sequence 5' ACGTACGAATAG 3' is a:

A)protein.
B)piece of RNA.
C)piece of DNA.
D)polysaccharide.

Question 63

The formula for glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆.What is the formula for a polymer made by linking ten glucose molecules together by dehydration synthesis?

A)C₆₀H₁₂₀O₆₀
B)C₆₀H₁₀₂O₅₁
C)C₆₀H₁₀₀O₅₀
D)C₆₀H₁₁₁O₅₁

Question 64

α-glucose is present in potatoes and β-glucose is present in wood.Both are glucose molecules but one can be used by humans to synthesize ATP and one cannot.Based on this information,what is the best explanation on why humans can only digest one of the glucose types?

A)α-glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆ and β-glucose is C₅H₁₂O₆.
B)α-glucose and β-glucose are stereoisomers with OH groups oriented differently.
C)Only α-glucose can form polysaccharides.
D)α-glucose is a chain and β-glucose is a ring.

Question 65

Which amino acid is least soluble in water?

A)Isoleucine
B)Alanine
C)Glutamine
D)Glycine

Question 66

You label cells with a radioactive isotope of sulfur (³⁵S).The only molecules that would be radioactively labeled in these cells are:

A)Lipids
B)Proteins
C)Carbohydrates
D)Nucleic acids

Question 67

How many water molecules are produced during the formation of a triglyceride from fatty acids and glycerol?

A)0
B)1
C)2
D)3
E)4

Question 68

The myoglobin protein,which carries oxygen in muscle cells,has only the first three levels of protein structure.What can you infer about myoglobin?

A)Myoglobin lacks hydrogen bonds
B)Myoglobin is made of nucleic acids
C)Myoglobin is not helical or pleated
D)Myoglobin is made of only one polypeptide chain

Question 69

Benedict's reagent is a chemical that is used as a test for the presence of a free aldehyde functional group on glucose.The aldehyde is used when glucose and fructose bind together to form sucrose,and the Benedict's test is negative.Starch contains a great deal of glucose but gives a negative Benedict's test because:

A)all of the aldehyde groups on the starch are oxidized and cannot react with the Benedict's reagent.
B)starch is not soluble in water and cannot react with Benedict's reagent.
C)glucose in starch has lost a carbon atom and cannot react with Benedict's reagent.
D)only the glucose at the end of a chain of starch will have an exposed aldehyde functional group to react with Benedict's reagent.

Question 70

Sudan IV,a dye that binds to nonpolar molecules,is used to detect the presence of macromolecules in food.Sudan IV would test positive in the presence of what macromolecule?

A)Starch
B)DNA
C)Chitin
D)Hemoglobin
E)Fats

Question 71

Acyclovir is an antiviral chemical that resembles a nucleotide but lacks a 3' OH group and cannot form phosphodiester bonds.Why is Acyclovir useful in treating some viral infections?

A)Acyclovir stops viral protein synthesis.
B)Acyclovir halts viral DNA replication.
C)Acyclovir blocks the assembly of viral cell capsules.
D)Acyclovir hydrolyzes viral polysaccharides.

Question 72

This is a nucleotide containing molecule that is commonly used to carry electrons in the cell.

A)ADP
B)ATP
C)NAD⁺
D)pyruvic acid

Question 73

Which amino acid is most soluble in water?

A)Serine
B)Valine
C)Glycine
D)Leucine

Question 74

What characteristic would the R groups of amino acids have if they are located within the interior of biological membranes?

A)The R groups would be hydrophilic.
B)The R groups would hydrophobic.
C)The R groups would be polar.
D)The R groups would be able to form ionic bonds.