Question 1

Which of the following is NOT considered a microorganism?

Accepted Answer

Dog

Question 2

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek referred to the tiny organisms he observed under his microscope as:

Accepted Answer

Animalcules

Question 3

Which branch of biology is concerned with the naming and classifying of organisms?

Accepted Answer

Taxonomy

Question 4

Which of the following kingdoms is NOT part of the Eukarya Domain?

Accepted Answer

Kingdom Bacteria

Question 5

Biologists can divide living organisms into two groups: autotrophs and heterotrophs, which differ in:

Accepted Answer

The method of obtaining energy

Question 6

Which of the following represents the correct way to format the scientific name of an organism?

Accepted Answer

Escherichia coli

Question 7

Which of the following is a group of prokaryotic organisms?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Having the same shape

Question 9

Many species of Archaea are known to thrive in environments in which most living things would not survive. These environments are called:

Accepted Answer

Extreme environments

Question 10

Which of the following is a FALSE statement about viruses?

Accepted Answer

Viruses only infect eukaryotic cells.

Question 11

Viroids are best described as:

Accepted Answer

Obligate intracellular parasites made only of a single, short strand of RNA

Question 12

Which of the following is a commercial use of microorganisms?

Accepted Answer

All of the above

Question 13

The human microbiota refers to:

Accepted Answer

The collection of all microorganisms that normally live in and on the human body

Question 14

In the scientific method, a hypothesis is:

Accepted Answer

A testable explanation for an observation

Question 15

In an experiment to test the effect of temperature on bacterial reproduction rate, temperature would be the:

Accepted Answer

Independent variable

Question 16

Which of the following is a solid conclusion and outcome of Pasteur’s experiment refuting the theory of spontaneous generation?

Accepted Answer

Living cells can only arise from pre-existing cells.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about prions is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Prions are infectious proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

Proof

Question 19

Which of the following is a reason why many microbiologists study helminths even though they are not technically microorganisms?

Accepted Answer

Helminths cause diseases similar to those caused by microorganisms.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about acellular infectious agents is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Acellular infectious agents can replicate independently outside host cells.

Introduction to Microbiology: Core Concepts and Foundations

Study Guide - Practice Questions