Deck 4: A Tour of the Cell

Question 1

As cell size increases, the

A) volume and surface area decrease.
B) volume increases proportionally more than the surface area.
C) surface area increases proportionally more than the volume.
D) ratio of surface area to volume stays the same.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

One centimeter = ________ millimeters.

A) 0.01
B) 0.10
C) 10
D) 100

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A cell is exposed to a substance that prevents it from dividing. The cell becomes larger and larger. This situation

A) should present no problem to the cell, since it can continue to perform all other necessary functions.
B) should present no problem to the cell, because the surface area of the cell will increase as the volume of the cell increases.
C) will eventually be problematic, since the cell's ability to absorb nutrients through its outer membrane will not increase as quickly as its cytoplasmic needs.
D) should be beneficial, since the cell will be able to divert the ATP normally used for cell division to other processes.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following cells has the greatest surface-to-volume ratio?

A) bacterium
B) human red blood cell
C) human muscle cell
D) ostrich egg

Question 5

Light microscopes

A) typically provide more resolution than an electron microscope.
B) work by reflecting electrons off the surface of an object being studied.
C) use light and glass lenses to magnify an image.
D) are generally not used to view bacteria.

Question 6

________ cells lack a membrane-enclosed nucleus.

A) Plant
B) Prokaryotic
C) Eukaryotic
D) Fungal

Question 7

A scientist wants to magnify a pollen grain 8,000 times and examine the ridges and pores on its surface. Which of the following instruments would be best?

A) a transmission electron microscope
B) a scanning electron microscope
C) a fluorescence microscope
D) a light microscope

Question 8

Archaea are composed of ________ cells.

A) prokaryotic
B) bacterial
C) eukaryotic
D) animal

Question 9

Which of the following statements about electron microscopes is true?

A) Electron microscopes focus electron beams to create a magnified image of an object.
B) Scanning electron microscopes are used to study the details of internal cell structure.
C) Transmission electron microscopes are mainly used to study cell surfaces.
D) Specimens must be sectioned to be viewed under a scanning electron microscope.

Question 10

The nucleoid region of a prokaryotic cell

A) contains the cell's DNA.
B) separates the RNA from the cytoplasm.
C) is surrounded by a nucleoid membrane.
D) contains the cell's nucleoli.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about cells is true?

A) All cells have cell walls.
B) All cells have internal structures that move.
C) All cells are attached to other cells.
D) All cells are motile.

Question 12

The diameter of most animal and plant cells ranges from

A) 0.1 to 1.0 micrometers.
B) 1.0 to 10 micrometers.
C) 10 to 100 micrometers.
D) 100 to 1,000 micrometers.

Question 13

A scientist wants to examine living cells lining the respiratory tract to determine how the cells use tiny hairs to move dirt and mucus away from the lungs. Which of the following instruments would be best, and why?

A) a light microscope, because it allows observations of whole, live cells
B) a transmission electron microscope, because it has high resolution
C) a scanning electron microscope, because it can reveal structures on cell surfaces
D) a scanning electron microscope, because it can be used to observe whole cells without slicing them

Question 14

In the plasma membrane, the phospholipid heads

A) are hydrophilic and face outward toward the aqueous solution on both sides of the membrane.
B) are hydrophilic and face inward, shielded from water.
C) are hydrophobic and face outward toward the aqueous solution on both sides of the membrane.
D) are hydrophobic and face inward, shielded from water.

Question 15

Which of the following structures is exclusively associated with prokaryotic cells?

A) membrane-bound nucleus
B) nucleoid
C) chromosome
D) ribosomes

Question 16

A scanning electron microscope is used to study ________, whereas a transmission electron microscope is used to study ________.

A) live cells; dead cells
B) cell surfaces; internal cell structures
C) dead cells; live cells
D) internal cell structures; cell surfaces

Question 17

Your throat is dry, and you want the last cough drop in the box to last a long time in your mouth. What should you do?

A) Break the cough drop into little pieces and put them all in your mouth. Since each little piece must be dissolved separately, the drop will last longer.
B) Keep the cough drop whole. This maintains the largest surface-to-volume ratio and slows the dissolution of the cough drop.
C) Break the cough drop into little pieces and put them all in your mouth. This decreases the surface-to-volume ratio and slows the dissolution of the cough drop.
D) It doesn't matter if the cough drop is in one piece or many pieces; the total amount of cough drop is all that matters.

Question 18

Resolution is the

A) ability of an optical instrument to show two close objects as separate.
B) size of an image.
C) ability of an optical instrument to magnify an image.
D) distance between the lenses of a microscope.

Question 19

Cell theory states that

A) all living things are made of many cells.
B) cells can be created from molecules spontaneously.
C) all living things are composed of cells and that all cells come from other cells.
D) cells make up living and nonliving substances.

Question 20

A pathologist who wants to examine a patient's liver cells to determine if the mitochondria have an internal structural defect will likely need to use a

A) light microscope.
B) transmission electron microscope.
C) scanning electron microscope.
D) fluorescence microscope.

Question 21

The complex of proteins and DNA in a nondividing cell is called

A) chromatin.
B) a nucleolus.
C) a ribosome.
D) a lysosome.

Question 22

You are told that the cells on a microscope slide are plant, animal, or bacterial. You look at them through a microscope and see cell walls and membrane-bound organelles. You conclude correctly that the cells

A) are plant cells.
B) are animal cells.
C) are bacterial cells.
D) could be either plant or bacterial cells.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about cellular metabolism is false?

A) Cellular metabolism includes different processes that require different conditions.
B) Cellular metabolism can occur within organelles.
C) Cellular metabolism occurs in animal but not plant cells.
D) Cellular metabolism often occurs on the surfaces of internal membranes.

Question 24

During cell reproduction, chromatin fibers coil up into structures called

A) ribosomes.
B) lysosomes.
C) chromosomes.
D) nucleoli.

Question 25

The endomembrane system includes all of the following organelles except the

A) plasma membrane.
B) endoplasmic reticulum.
C) peroxisome.
D) Golgi apparatus.

Question 26

The cells that produce hair made of protein contain a lot of ________, while the cells that produce the oils that coat the hair contain a lot of ________.

A) smooth endoplasmic reticulum; lysosomes
B) rough endoplasmic reticulum; smooth endoplasmic reticulum
C) smooth endoplasmic reticulum; rough endoplasmic reticulum
D) microbodies; lysosomes

Question 27

The nucleus of a cell

A) is surrounded by a single layer of membrane.
B) is contained within the nucleolus.
C) contains DNA.
D) is the primary location of protein synthesis.

Question 28

Which of the following statements regarding the endomembrane system is false?

A) The endomembrane system is involved in the synthesis, storage, and export of important molecules.
B) The endomembrane system includes the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
C) The endomembrane system includes the nuclear envelope.
D) The endomembrane system is a system of interrelated membranes that are all physically connected.

Question 29

Secretory proteins are

A) produced by ribosomes on the smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
B) chemically modified in the nucleus.
C) produced by the cell for internal use.
D) released from the cell through the plasma membrane.

Question 30

The membranous compartmentalization of a cell

A) divides the cell into two equal-sized halves.
B) allows different chemical conditions to be maintained in different parts of the cell.
C) requires the presence of a cell wall.
D) is common to both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Question 31

The function of the nucleolus is

A) to manufacture polypeptides.
B) to manufacture ribosomal RNA.
C) intracellular digestion.
D) to store chromatin.

Question 32

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

A) stores calcium ions in muscle cells.
B) is the major site of carbohydrate synthesis in eukaryotic cells.
C) produces proteins for cell membranes.
D) helps assemble ribosomes for protein synthesis.

Question 33

Protein synthesis requires the use of mRNA, which

A) is made in the nucleolus.
B) must be made by the ribosomes.
C) is translated by the ribosomes into the amino acid sequences of proteins.
D) carries the message to the nucleus to synthesize new DNA during cell division.

Question 34

Which of the following structures is/are used by prokaryotes for attaching to surfaces?

A) flagella
B) nucleoid
C) anchoring junctions
D) capsule

Question 35

Which location in the cell is unlikely to contain ribosomes or ribosomal subunits?

A) nuclear envelope
B) plasma membrane
C) endoplasmic reticulum
D) cytoplasm

Question 36

The main function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum is the production of

A) mitochondria and proteins secreted by the cell.
B) hydrogen peroxide and steroid hormones secreted by the cell.
C) ribosomes and steroid hormones.
D) membrane and proteins secreted by the cell.

Question 37

An immune system cell called the plasma cell produces thousands of antibodies (a type of protein) per second for release into the body. What type of intracellular structure would you expect to be very prominent within the cell?

A) the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
B) the rough endoplasmic reticulum
C) peroxisome
D) microtubules

Question 38

Which of the following statements about internal membranes in eukaryotic cells is false?

A) In eukaryotic cells, internal membranes greatly increase a cell's total membrane area.
B) In eukaryotic cells, internal membranes provide an additional area for many metabolic processes to occur.
C) In eukaryotic cells, internal membranes form membranous compartments called organelles.
D) In eukaryotic cells, internal membranes standardize the internal environment of all cellular organelles.

Question 39

A bacterial cell's DNA is found in its

A) ribosomes.
B) nucleus.
C) nucleoid.
D) capsule.

Question 40

Unlike animal cells, plant cells have ________ and ________. Unlike plant cells, animal cells have ________.

A) chloroplasts; cell walls; centrioles
B) centrioles; chloroplasts; cell walls
C) chloroplasts; cell walls; a nucleus
D) centrioles; cell walls; large central vacuoles

Question 41

Contractile vacuoles

A) are generally found in protists that inhabit salt water.
B) help in the excretion of excess salt.
C) prevent cells from bursting as a result of the influx of excess water.
D) allow organisms to avoid dehydration by absorbing water from the environment.

Question 42

The ________ of a mitochondrion is/are an adaptation that increases the surface area and enhances a mitochondrion's ability to produce ATP.

A) stroma
B) intermembrane space
C) cristae
D) matrix

Question 43

Microfilaments differ from microtubules in that microfilaments

A) are thicker than microtubules.
B) are found only in plants, whereas microtubules are found in both plant and animal cells.
C) are mainly composed of actin, whereas microtubules are composed of tubulin.
D) help to anchor organelles, whereas microtubules primarily function to help cells change shape and move.

Question 44

The function of mitochondria is

A) cellular respiration.
B) lipid synthesis.
C) photosynthesis.
D) intracellular digestion.

Question 45

Which organelle is involved in the breakdown of fatty acids and the detoxification of alcohol?

A) peroxisome
B) Golgi apparatus
C) smooth ER
D) ribosomes

Question 46

Tay-Sachs disease

A) causes an accumulation of lipids in brain cells.
B) involves damage to liver cells.
C) is due to the absence of an enzyme that digests polysaccharides.
D) prevents the breakdown of glycogen.

Question 47

The function of chloroplasts is

A) cellular respiration.
B) lipid synthesis.
C) photosynthesis.
D) intracellular digestion.

Question 48

Which of the following statements about lysosomes is false?

A) Lysosomes help to digest worn-out or damaged organelles.
B) Lysosomes synthesize proteins from the recycled amino acids.
C) Lysosomes fuse with food vacuoles to expose nutrients to lysosomal enzymes.
D) Lysosomes destroy harmful bacteria engulfed by white blood cells.

Question 49

Insulin is a protein that is produced by pancreatic cells and secreted into the bloodstream. Which of the following options correctly lists the order of the structures through which insulin passes from its production to its exit from the cell?

A) rough ER, transport vesicles, Golgi apparatus, transport vesicles, cell membrane
B) rough ER, lysosomes, transport vesicles, cell membrane
C) rough ER, Golgi apparatus, smooth ER, cell membrane
D) rough ER, transport vesicles, Golgi apparatus, vacuole, cell membrane

Question 50

Mitochondria differ from chloroplasts in that mitochondria

A) convert light energy from the sun to chemical energy, whereas chloroplasts convert one form of chemical energy to another.
B) contain three different membrane-bound compartments, whereas chloroplasts contain two.
C) contain membrane folds called cristae, whereas chloroplasts contain disklike vesicles in stacks called grana.
D) are not found in plants, whereas chloroplasts are not found in animals.

Question 51

The Golgi apparatus

A) is composed of stacks of membranous vesicles that are continuous with one another.
B) stores, modifies, and packages proteins.
C) strings together amino acids to produce proteins.
D) is the site of carbohydrate breakdown.

Question 52

Tay-Sachs disease results from the malfunction of

A) mitochondria.
B) lysosomes.
C) endoplasmic reticulum.
D) nucleoli.

Question 53

The stroma is the

A) thick fluid enclosed by the inner chloroplast membrane.
B) watery fluid enclosed by the inner membrane of a mitochondrion.
C) space between the inner and outer membranes of a chloroplast.
D) space between the inner and outer membranes of a mitochondrion.

Question 54

Which of the following statements regarding the Golgi apparatus is false?

A) The Golgi apparatus works closely with the endoplasmic reticulum.
B) The Golgi apparatus serves as a molecular warehouse and finishing factory.
C) The Golgi apparatus decreases in size when a cell increases its protein production.
D) The Golgi apparatus modifies chemicals received from the endoplasmic reticulum.

Question 55

The endosymbiosis hypothesis is supported by all of the following pieces of evidence except the fact that

A) mitochondria have circular DNA like prokaryotes.
B) mitochondria lack ribosomes like prokaryotes.
C) chloroplasts have ribosomes like prokaryotes.
D) chloroplasts reproduce through a splitting process like certain prokaryotes.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about the functions of a plant cell central vacuole is false?

A) The central vacuole of a plant cell may help increase the size of cells by absorbing water.
B) The central vacuole of a plant cell may store waste products.
C) The central vacuole of a plant cell may digest chemicals for recycling.
D) The central vacuole of a plant cell may store poisons.

Question 57

The endosymbiosis hypothesis proposes that

A) two separate cells worked cooperatively and one benefited from the other.
B) a small cell lived inside a larger cell to the benefit of both cells.
C) a large cell engulfed and digested a smaller cell, exposing its enzymes for use by the larger cell.
D) two cells merged into one cell, improving the enzyme function of the new cell.

Question 58

A manufacturing company dumps its wastes into a nearby pond. One of the wastes is found to paralyze the contractile vacuoles of certain protists. A biologist looking at individual samples of these organisms taken from the pond would find that they

A) have lost water and shrunk.
B) have gained water and burst.
C) have died of malnutrition.
D) have died because wastes have built up in the cytoplasm.

Question 59

Which of the following statements about the cytoskeleton is false?

A) The cytoskeleton helps to support cells.
B) Once laid down, the elements of the cytoskeleton are fixed and remain permanently in place.
C) The cytoskeleton is composed of three types of fibers: microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments.
D) The cytoskeleton plays an important role in amoeboid motion.

Question 60

Cyanide inhibits mitochondrial function; as a result, the rate of

A) ATP synthesis increases.
B) ATP synthesis decreases.
C) photosynthesis increases.
D) protein synthesis increases.

Question 61

Which of the following statements regarding cells is false?

A) All cells are enclosed in a membrane that maintains internal conditions different from the surroundings.
B) All cells have a cell wall.
C) All cells can interconvert forms of energy.
D) All cells have DNA as their genetic material.

Question 62

Hexokinase is an enzyme that is involved with glycolysis (the breakdown of glucose for energy release) that occurs in the cytoplasm. What cellular structure makes hexokinase?

A) the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
B) the rough endoplasmic reticulum
C) free ribosomes
D) mitochondria

Question 63

Which of the following statements about plant cell walls is false?

A) Plant cell walls consist of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of polysaccharides and proteins.
B) Plant cell walls are multilayered structures.
C) Plant cell walls protect plant cells by forming an impermeable layer around the cell.
D) Wood is primarily composed of plant cell walls.

Question 64

Which of the following cell structures are associated with the breakdown of harmful substances?

A) chloroplasts
B) mitochondria
C) peroxisomes
D) centrioles

Question 65

Skin cells are fastened into strong sheets by

A) basal bodies.
B) anchoring junctions.
C) tight junctions.
D) gap junctions.

Question 66

A basal body is

A) composed of nine microtubule triplets surrounding a central pair of microtubules.
B) similar in structure to centrioles.
C) composed of nine microtubule doublets surrounding a central pair of microtubules.
D) identical in structure to cilia.

Question 67

Which of the following would be most affected by a mutation that prevented cells from forming tight junctions?

A) attachment of cells to the surrounding matrix
B) direct flow of water and small molecules from one cell to another
C) integrity of the inner lining of the digestive tract
D) attachment of the cytoskeleton to the inside of the plasma membrane

Question 68

Cilia differ from flagella in that

A) cilia contain nine microtubule doublets surrounding a central pair of microtubules, whereas flagella contain only nine microtubule doublets.
B) the protein filaments of cilia are "naked," whereas those of flagella are wrapped in an extension of the cell membrane.
C) cilia are typically more numerous and shorter than flagella.
D) cilia are anchored only in the proteins of the cell membrane, whereas flagella are anchored in a special structure called the basal body.

Question 69

A child dies following a series of chronic bacterial infections. At the autopsy, the physicians are startled to see that the child's white blood cells are loaded with vacuoles containing intact bacteria. Which of the following explanations could account for this finding?

A) A defect in the Golgi apparatus prevented the cells from processing and excreting the bacteria.
B) A defect in the rough endoplasmic reticulum prevented the synthesis of the antibodies (defensive proteins) that would have inactivated the bacteria.
C) A defect in the cell walls of the white blood cells permitted bacteria to enter the cells.
D) A defect in the lysosomes of the white blood cells prevented the cells from destroying engulfed bacteria.

Question 70

Intermediate filaments

A) guide the movements of chromosomes.
B) surround the nucleus.
C) guide the movements of organelles.
D) support the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Question 71

The extracellular matrix attached to cells via glycoproteins may then bind to ________ in the plasma membrane.

A) dynein
B) collagen
C) integrins
D) polysaccharides

Question 72

A drug that interferes with microtubule formation is likely to completely disrupt

A) the amoeboid motion of a cell.
B) the function of lysosomes.
C) contraction of muscle cells.
D) the movements of sperm cells.

Question 73

It is essential for heart muscle cells to beat in a coordinated fashion. The cell junctions that would best facilitate this are

A) basal bodies.
B) anchoring junctions.
C) tight junctions.
D) gap junctions.

Question 74

Most animal cells are

A) surrounded by a cell wall.
B) attached to each other via plasmodesmata.
C) embedded in an extracellular matrix.
D) embedded in a lipid matrix.

Question 75

Which of the following statements regarding plasmodesmata is false?

A) Plasmodesmata penetrate plant cell walls.
B) Plasmodesmata carry chemical messages between plant cells.
C) Plasmodesmata carry nutrients between plant cells.
D) Plasmodesmata are found in plants and animals.

Question 76

According to the accompanying figure, which of the following are large enough to see in the light microscope?

A) atoms
B) proteins
C) viruses
D) mitochondria

Question 77

GPCRs are receptor proteins found in the plasma membrane that are important for cellular communication. What cellular structure makes GPCRs?

A) the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
B) the rough endoplasmic reticulum
C) Golgi apparatus
D) mitochondria

Question 78

Dynein feet

A) are present in cilia but not in flagella.
B) are knobs of carbohydrate that are essential to the movement of cilia and flagella.
C) are found on microtubules in cilia and flagella and cause movement by grabbing and pulling at adjacent microtubule doublets.
D) are the anchoring proteins in basal bodies.

Question 79

What type of microscopy allowed scientists to visualize the cytoskeleton in living cells?

A) transmission electron microscopy
B) scanning electron microscopy
C) fluorescence microscopy
D) light microscopy

Question 80

A woman is having trouble becoming pregnant. Examination of her partner's sperm indicates that dynein feet are missing from the flagella in his sperm cells. A physician explains that this could interfere with fertility by

A) preventing the sperm from attaching to the egg cell.
B) preventing the sperm from swimming to the egg cell.
C) preventing the sperm from producing enough energy to power swimming.
D) interfering with the attachment of the flagella to the sperm.