Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the main contribution of Robert Hooke to cell biology?

Accepted Answer

He built a microscope and coined the term 'cell' after observing the structure of cork.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a principle of the modern cell theory?

Accepted Answer

All cells contain a cell wall.

Question 3

A scientist wants to observe the detailed surface structure of a pollen grain. Which microscopy technique should she use?

Accepted Answer

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Question 4

Which of the following units would be most appropriate for measuring the diameter of a ribosome?

Accepted Answer

Nanometer ($$1\ \mathrm{nm})$$

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why the electron microscope has a higher resolving power than the light microscope?

Accepted Answer

Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than visible light.

Question 6

A researcher uses a fluorescent antibody to label a specific protein in a living cell. Which microscopy technique is she most likely using?

Accepted Answer

Fluorescence microscopy

Question 7

Which of the following statements about the central dogma of molecular biology is correct?

Accepted Answer

Information flows from DNA to RNA to protein.

Question 8

Which of the following experimental techniques would be most appropriate for separating proteins based on their size and charge?

Accepted Answer

Electrophoresis

Question 9

A scientist is studying a mutant yeast strain that cannot divide properly. What is the most likely reason for using yeast as a model organism in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

Yeast cells are easy to grow, genetically manipulate, and share many cellular processes with higher eukaryotes.

Question 10

Which of the following discoveries helped disprove the idea that living matter is fundamentally different from nonliving matter?

Accepted Answer

The synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate by Friedrich Wöhler

Question 11

A scientist wants to test the effect of a new drug on cell growth. She keeps all conditions constant except for the drug concentration. In this experiment, what is the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

Drug concentration

Question 12

Which of the following statements about CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing is correct?

Accepted Answer

It uses a guide RNA to target a specific DNA sequence and creates a double-stranded break.

Question 13

Which of the following is a major advantage of using the bacterium Escherichia coli as a model organism in cell biology?

Accepted Answer

It divides rapidly and is easy to genetically manipulate.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the process of subcellular fractionation?

Accepted Answer

Separating and isolating subcellular structures and macromolecules based on their size, shape, and/or density using centrifugation.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about the flow of genetic information in eukaryotic cells is correct?

Accepted Answer

mRNA is translated into protein in the cytoplasm.

Question 16

Which of the following is a key reason why only one independent variable should be altered at a time in a well-designed experiment?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that the results are due to the variable being tested and not confounded by other changes.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the main function of transfer RNA (tRNA) in the cell?

Accepted Answer

It brings the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis.

Question 18

A scientist uses the BLAST tool to compare a newly discovered gene sequence to all known gene sequences. Which field of study does this technique belong to?

Accepted Answer

Bioinformatics

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the use of model organisms in cell biology is correct?

Accepted Answer

Model organisms are well-characterized species that are easy to manipulate and provide experimental advantages.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the main advantage of confocal microscopy over traditional fluorescence microscopy?

Accepted Answer

It uses a laser to focus on a single plane, reducing image blur from out-of-focus light.

A Preview of Cell Biology: Foundations, Techniques, and Model Systems

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards