Question 1

Which of the following best explains why most cells are microscopic in size?

Accepted Answer

Smaller cells have a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, which facilitates efficient exchange of materials across the plasma membrane.

Question 2

Which type of microscope would be most appropriate to study the detailed structure of an organelle inside a liver cell?

Accepted Answer

Transmission electron microscope

Question 3

The plasma membrane is primarily composed of which structure?

Accepted Answer

A phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER)?

Accepted Answer

Production of secretory proteins

Question 5

A cell is observed to have a large central vacuole, chloroplasts, and a cell wall. Which type of cell is this most likely to be?

Accepted Answer

Plant cell

Question 6

Which organelle is responsible for modifying, sorting, and shipping proteins to their final destinations?

Accepted Answer

Golgi apparatus

Question 7

According to the endosymbiont theory, mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from:

Accepted Answer

Free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells

Question 8

Which of the following equations correctly represents the conversion of chemical energy in food to ATP during cellular respiration?

Accepted Answer

$\mathrm{C_6H_{12}O_6} + 6\mathrm{O_2} \rightarrow 6\mathrm{CO_2} + 6\mathrm{H_2O} + \mathrm{ATP}$

Question 9

Which component of the cytoskeleton is most important for guiding transport vesicles from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane?

Accepted Answer

Microtubules

Question 10

A patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is likely to experience which of the following symptoms due to defective cilia and flagella?

Accepted Answer

Frequent respiratory tract infections and immotile sperm

Question 11

Which type of cell junction is most likely to be involved in a muscle tear injury?

Accepted Answer

Anchoring junctions

Question 12

Which animal cell junction is functionally analogous to the plasmodesmata found in plant cells?

Accepted Answer

Gap junctions

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in animal cells?

Accepted Answer

It provides structural support, binds tissue cells together, and communicates with the cytoskeleton.

Question 14

Which organelle is most directly involved in the breakdown and recycling of damaged organelles within a cell?

Accepted Answer

Lysosome

Question 15

Which of the following structures is present in prokaryotic cells but NOT in eukaryotic animal cells?

Accepted Answer

Nucleoid

Question 16

Which of the following is a function of contractile vacuoles in protists?

Accepted Answer

Expelling excess water to maintain osmotic balance

Question 17

Which of the following best explains the relationship between the rough ER and the Golgi apparatus in a protein-secreting cell?

Accepted Answer

Proteins synthesized by ribosomes on the rough ER are packaged into vesicles and sent to the Golgi apparatus for modification and sorting.

Question 18

Which of the following correctly matches the cytoskeletal component with its primary function?

Accepted Answer

Microfilaments: muscle contraction and cell movement

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a function of the plant cell wall?

Accepted Answer

Directing protein synthesis

Tour of the Cell: Structure, Function, and Organization

Study Guide - Practice Questions