Question 1

Which property of water allows insects, such as water striders, to walk on the surface of a pond without sinking?

Accepted Answer

Cohesion due to hydrogen bonding

Question 2

Why does ice float on liquid water, and why is this important for aquatic life in cold climates?

Accepted Answer

Ice is less dense than liquid water due to hydrogen bonds forming a crystalline lattice, which insulates the water below and allows aquatic life to survive.

Question 3

Which of the following best explains why water has a high specific heat?

Accepted Answer

Hydrogen bonds between water molecules require a large amount of energy to break.

Question 4

A pharmaceutical company is developing a new drug. Why must they consider the enantiomeric form of the compound?

Accepted Answer

One enantiomer may be effective while the other could be harmful or inactive.

Question 5

Which functional group is present in both estradiol and testosterone and is responsible for their ability to participate in hydrogen bonding?

Accepted Answer

Hydroxyl group ($$-\mathrm{OH})$$

Question 6

Which property of water is most directly responsible for the moderation of Earth's climate?

Accepted Answer

Water's high specific heat

Question 7

What is the main reason carbon is considered the backbone of life?

Accepted Answer

Carbon can form up to four covalent bonds, allowing for a diversity of stable, complex molecules.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a dehydration reaction?

Accepted Answer

Linking two monosaccharides to form a disaccharide and releasing water

Question 9

Which emergent property of water is most important for transporting nutrients and waste in plants?

Accepted Answer

Cohesion and adhesion

Question 10

Which of the following statements about isomers is correct?

Accepted Answer

Isomers have the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms, leading to different properties.

Question 11

A salt crystal dissolves in water because:

Accepted Answer

The polarity of water allows it to form hydration shells around the ions.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the effect of breaking hydrogen bonds in water?

Accepted Answer

Water would lose its high specific heat and evaporate more easily.

Question 13

Which functional group is most likely to act as an acid by donating a proton ($$\mathrm{H}^+) in $$solution?

Accepted Answer

Carboxyl group ($$-\mathrm{COOH})$$

Question 14

Which process is responsible for breaking down polymers into monomers in the digestive system?

Accepted Answer

Hydrolysis

Question 15

A researcher finds that a new molecule has the same molecular formula as glucose ($$\mathrm{C}_6\mathrm{H}_{12}\mathrm{O}_6) $$but a different structure. This molecule is best described as:

Accepted Answer

An isomer

Question 16

Which property of water is most important for maintaining stable temperatures in lakes and oceans?

Accepted Answer

High specific heat

Question 17

Which of the following best explains why thalidomide caused birth defects when used as a sedative in the 1950s?

Accepted Answer

One enantiomer was therapeutic, while the other caused severe birth defects.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an emergent property of water that is critical for life?

Accepted Answer

Ability to form ionic bonds

Question 19

Which functional group is found in ATP and is critical for energy transfer in cells?

Accepted Answer

Phosphate group ($$-\mathrm{PO}_4)$$

Chemistry of Life: Foundations for General Biology

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