Prepare for your Microbiology exam with these practice test questions and answers. This covers bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and immunology.
Q: D
Answer: Which of the following is a eukaryotic domain in the three-domain system?A. ArchaeaB. FungiC. BacteriaD. Eukarya
Q: A
Answer: Who was the first to observe microorganisms with a microscope?A. van LeeuwenhoekB. HookeC. KochD. PasteurE. None of the above
Q: B
Answer: These are the primary molecules making up membranes in cells:A. ProteinsB. PhospholipidsC. Nucleic acidsD. CarbohydratesE. None of the above
Q: A
Answer: Aerobic respiration differs from anaerobic respiration in which of the following respects?A. The final electron acceptors are differentB. Aerobic respiration creates fewer molecules of ATPC. ANaerobic respiration includes glycolysisD. Aerobic respiration requires the electron transport chain
Q: B
Answer: Which of the following has to consume carbohydrates for both carbon and energy?A. PhotoautotrophB. ChemoheterotrophC. ChemoautotrophD. Photoheterotroph
Q: B
Answer: salts and sugars work to preserve foods by creating aA. depletion of nutrientsB. hypertonic environmentC. hypotonic environmentD. lower pH
Q: D
Answer: The term facultative anaerobe refers to an organismA. is killed by oxygenB. doesnt use oxygen but tolerates itC. requires less oxygen than is present in airD. can use oxygen or can grow without oxygen
Q: C
Answer: which group of the following bacterial growth types and temperatures is mismatched?A. Psychrotroph- optimal growth 22CB. Psychrophile- optimal growth 12CC. Thermophile- optimal growth 37CD. Hyperthermophile- optimal growth 95C
Q: A
Answer: Which group of microorganisms is most likely to spoil a freshwater trout preserved with salt?A. HalophilesB. PsychrophilesC. AnaerobesD. Thermophiles
Q: A
Answer: Which of the following is a good method to sterilize the interior of dense materials without using high heat?A. ionizing radiationB. PasteurizationC. autoclaveD. none of the above
Q: B
Answer: One important ecosystem function performed by microorganisms (such as algae and cyanobacteria) is the primary production of biomass through the metabolic process ofA. Anaerobic respirationB. PhotosynthesisC. Aerobic respirationD. fermentation
Q: B
Answer: The bacteria that are typically present and on the surface of the human body, and which are typically harmless or even helpful to humans are called the “________” microbiotaA. endemicB. normalC. symptomaticD. pathogenic
Q: D
Answer: WHat does the scientific debate about spontaneous generation vs. biogenesis tell us about the process of science?A. science is composed of theories based on personal beliefsB. none of the aboveC. Science is simply the collection of facts about nature over timeD. Science is the process of refining ideas through vigorous debate and the challenging of old ideas with new data collection
Q: A
Answer: Which of the following bacterial genus names means “string of rod-shaped cells”A. StreptobacillusB. StreptococcusC. LactobacillusD. Staphylobacillus
Q: D
Answer: Regarding pasteurs experiments with the S-neck flask, which of the following statements is true?A. The liquid did not contain food for microbesB. The results supported the theory of spontaneous generation, not biogenesisC. The liquid was not boiled to kill the microbesD. The S-flask allowed air to enter the flask
Q: D
Answer: whose work began the “golden age of microbiology” and included the refinement of aseptic technique?A. HookeB. van LeeuwenhoekC. KochD. PasteurE. None of the above
Q: B
Answer: A single celled, eukaryotic, motile organism that ingests its food and has no cell wall is aA. BacteriumB. protozoanC. AlgaD. fungusE. Virus
Q: A
Answer: a prokaryote that lacks peptidoglycan in its cell walls and typically lives in extreme environments is called aA. ArchaeanB. protozoanC. BacteriumD. ALgaE. Fungus
Q: B
Answer: What is the typical diameter of bacterial cells?A. 1000-10,000 micronsB. 0.2-8 micronsC. 10-100 micronsD. 100-1000 microns
Q: B
Answer: in the name Esherichia coli, Escherichia is theA. specific epithetB. genusC. kingdomD. familyE. order
Q: C
Answer: one way in which fungi and algae differ from bacteria is that bacteriaA. spoil foodB. have cell wallsC. do not have membrane bound nucleusD. have DNAE. none of the above
Q: C
Answer: what is the primary function of the bacterial cell wall?A. to allow selective movement of materials in and out of the cellB. to process and store the DNAC. to protect the cell, especially by preventing osmotic lysisD. to allow the cell to stick to surfaces
Q: C
Answer: what type of bacterium has an extra membrane layer on the outside of the cell wall, which dissolves in alcohol, leaving holes in the peptidoglycan layer and allowing crystal violet-iodine to wash out?A. gram-positiveB. clostridiumC. gram-negativeD. Saffranin
Q: B
Answer: What is the function of eukaryotic cilia and flagella?A. defenseB. movementC. attachmentD. genetic exchange
Q: B
Answer: if a pharmaceutical drug attacks and destroys peptidoglycan, which type of micro-organism would it kill?A. AlgaeB. bacteriaC. fungiD. archaea
Q: D
Answer: if a pharmaceutical drug attacks and destroys chitin, would you expect it to have a significant side-effect on humans?A. Not enough info givenB. it depends on what infection organisms are inhabiting the humanC. YesD. No
Q: A
Answer: Mitochondria are the sites of _________ in eukaryotic cellsA. Cellular respirationB. enzyme packagingC. photosynthesisD. protein synthesis
Q: B
Answer: Which type of molecule is composed of (CH2O) units?A. lipidsB. carbohydratesC. nucleic acidsD. proteinsE. none of the above
Q: D
Answer: enzymes are a type of __________ composed of a string of amino acidsA. lipidB. carbohydrateC. nucleic acidD. protein
Q: B
Answer: Which type of reaction absorbs (requires) energy when it occurs?A. metabolicB. anabolic (synthesis)C. parabolicD. Catabolic (decomposition)
Q: B
Answer: The major energy storage molecule found in all organisms isA. DNAB. ATPC. NADPD. ADP
Q: C
Answer: what organism is not correctly matched to its energy sourceA. photoheterotroph – lightB. Chemoheterotroph – Fe2+C. Photoautotroph – CO2D. Chemoautotoph – NH3E. Chemoheterotroph – NH3
Q: A
Answer: which metabolic process produces the fewest ATP molecules?A. fermentationB. aerobic respirationC. anaerobic respiration
Q: C
Answer: Which of the following lists the sequence of events during aerobic respiration in the correct order?A. krebs, electron trans., glycolysisB. glycolysis, electron trans., krebsC. glycolysis, krebs, electron trans.D. electron trans., glycolysis, krebs
Q: A
Answer: where in the environment might you find microbes conducting anaerobic respiration?A. in your large intestineB. on the surface of a leafC. in the surface waters of a pondD. on the outside of your skin
Q: A
Answer: Most bacteria grow best at a pH of approximatelyA. 7B. 1C. 5D. 9E. 14
Q: D
Answer: most fungi grow best at a pH of approximatelyA. 7.5B. 1.5C. 14D. 5.5E. 9.5
Q: D
Answer: A culture medium consisting of agar, human blood, and beef heart is aA. reducing mediumB. differential mediumC. selective mediumD. complex mediumE. Chemically defined medium
Q: B
Answer: Which chemical nutrient is found in ATP, RNA, DNA, and membranes?A. KB. PC. ND. S
Q: C
Answer: which of the following nutrients is only needed in small amounts by microorganisms?A. carbonB. sulfurC. calciumD. NitrogenE. none of the above
Q: D
Answer: which of the following is best method to sterilize heat-sensitive solutions such as antibiotics?A. dry heatB. autoclaveC. pasteurizationD. membrane filtrationE. none of the above
Q: B
Answer: which of the following is NOT true about agar?A. liquifies at 100CB. it is consumed by microbes in mediaC. Used as a solidifying agentD. derived from red algae
Q: C
Answer: which of the following would be the most effective method to sterilize petri plates inside a cardboard box?A. ultraviolet radiationB. sunlightC. gamma radiationD. MicrowavesE. none of the above
Q: D
Answer: what types of microbial growth medium makes it easy to visually distinguish colonies of specific types of microbes?A. complex mediaB. enrichment mediaC. selective mediaD. differential media
Q: C
Answer: which of the following methods is most effective at killing microbes?A. filteringB. dryingC. boilingD. freezing
Q: C
Answer: which of the following refers to the removal of pathogens and the lowering of microbial numbers, but not the complete destruction of all bacterial life?A. bacteriostasisB. SterilizationC. disinfectionD. termination
Q: D
Answer: which of the following is important for the effectiveness of an antimicrobial treatmentA. initial numbers of microbesB. time of exposureC. microbial characteristicsD.All of the above
Q: C
Answer: Heat kills microbes byA. destroying organellesB. destroying plasma membranesC. denaturing enzymesD. destroying cell walls
Q: B
Answer: Which microbe is most resistant to being killed?A. fungiB. endospores of bacteriaC. virusesD. gram-negative bacteria
Q: B
Answer: The major energy storage molecule found in all organisms isA. NADPB. ATPC. ADPD. DNA
Q: E
Answer: which of the following is the best definition of fermentation?A. The reduction of glucose to pyruvic acid, with oxygen as the electron acceptorB. the release of energy from the breakdown of organic molecules without oxygen, using an internally-produced, energy rich organic molecule as the final electron acceptorC. the production of energy by photo-phosphorylationD. the complete catabolism of glucose to CO2 and H2OE. the production of alcohol from glucose, using an energy-poor, external organic molecule as the final electron acceptor
Q: B
Answer: The term obligate anaerobe refers to an organism thatA. doesnt use oxygen but tolerates itB. is killed by oxygenC. requires less oxygen than is present in airD. uses oxygen or grows without oxygenE. requires oxygen for growth
Q: D
Answer: for commercial antimicrobial treatment of canned foods, it is important to killA. noneB. heat-tolerant bacteriaC. all bacteriaD. Clostridium endospores
Q: E
Answer: A single celled, eukaryotic, motile organism that ingests its food is aA. bacteriumB. VirusC. FungusD. algaE. protozoan
Q: C
Answer: which of the following is true about penicillin and its discoveryA. penicillin is produced by bacteria and is toxic to fungiB. Penicillin works by destroying chitinC. Penicillin was discovered by accident, when fungi contaminated bacterial culturesD. Penicillin was first clinically tested and mass produced in the 1970s
Q: B
Answer: aerobic respiration differs from anaerobic respiration in which of the following respects?A. anaerobic respiration includes glycolysisB the final electron acceptors are differentC. aerobic respiration requires the electron transport chainD. Aerobic respiration creates fewer molecules of ATP
Q: D
Answer: Some bacteria, such as clostridium and bacillus, can form ________, allowing them to resist heat, lack of water, and toxic chemicalsA. pelliclesB. glycocalyxC. plasmidsD. endospores
Q: B
Answer: in the electron transport chain, ATP is generated whenA. a high-energy phosphate group is transferred to an intermediate metabolite from ADPB. Protons flow across a membraneC. Chlorophyll liberates an electronD. Cells lyse in a hypotonic environmentE. electrons are transferred between carrier molecules
Q: D
Answer: a multicellular organism that has chitin cell walls and absorbes organic material is aA. HelminthB. BacteriumC. ALgaD. FungusE. virus
Q: A
Answer: which of the following statements is true?A. Viruses cannot reproduce outside of a host cellB. fungi are prokaryotesC. Protozoa have rigid cell wallsD. Algae are parasitesE. Bacteria cannot move
Q: A
Answer: which type of bacterium has a thick outer layer of peptidoglycan, which dehydrates in alcohol, trapping crystal violet-iodine inside the cell?A. Gram-positiveB. clostridiumC. gram-negativeD. Saffranin
Q: A
Answer: a capsule or slime that forms a layer on the outside of bacterial cells, allowing them to stick to surfaces, is called aA. glycocalyxB. endosporeC. peptidoglycanD. pellicle
Q: D
Answer: salts and sugars work to preserve foods by creating aA. lower pHB. Hypotonic environmentC. depletion of nutrientsD. hypertonic environment
Q: C
Answer: Which of the following has to consume carbohydrates for both carbon and energyA. ChemoautotrophB. PhotoheterotrophC. ChemoheterotrophD. PhotoautotrophE. none of the above
Q: A
Answer: which of the following is the type of bond between molecules of water, which provides water with some of its most important properties, including surface tension and high heat capacity?A. Hydrogen bondsB. Covalent bondsC. ionic bonds
Q: C
Answer: which microbes are easiest to killA. endospores of bacteriaB. enveloped virusesC. gram-negative bacteriaD. fungi
Q: A
Answer: which of the following is a eukaryotic domain in the three domain system?A. EukaryaB. ArchaeaC. ProtozoaD. Fungi
Q: D
Answer: which of the following organisms reproduces using binary fissionA. fungiB. AlgaeC. protozoansD. bacteria
Q: B
Answer: which of the following is a prokaryotic domain in the three domain systemA. eukaryaB. archaeaC. animaliaD. fungi
Q: A
Answer: a single celled organism with a nucleus and chloroplasts is aA. AlgaB. HelminthC. VirusD. fungusE. Bacterium
Q: A
Answer: which of the following statements is trueA. most microbes do not cause diseaseB. all microbes can cause disease under the right circumstancesC. most microbes cause diseaseD. about half of all microbes cause disease
Q: D
Answer: which of the following is true about fungiA. all grow using sunlight and carbon dioxideB. all are multicellularC. all are plantsD. all are heterotrophsE. all are prokaryotic
Q: B
Answer: which of the following did not occur during the Golden age of microbiology?A. vaccinationB. the discovery of bacteriaC. germ theory of diseaseD. pasteurization
Q: true
Answer: most microorganisms are not disease-causingtrue or false
Q: D
Answer: according to the chemiosmotic mechanism, ATP is generated whenA. A high-energy phosphate group is transferred from an intermediate metabolite to ADPB. Chlorophyll liberates an electronC. Cells lyse in a hypotonic environmentD. protons flow across a membrane from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentrationE. electrons are transferred between carrier molecules
Q: B
Answer: archaeans called extreme halophiles prefer to live in environments with high levels ofA. ironB. saltC. heatD. methane
Q: B
Answer: laboratory practices that prevent contamination in the lab are called _________ techniquesA. SterileB. asepticC. funD. Careful
Q: C
Answer: in microscopy, with which objective lens is immersion oil typically usedA. 10xB. 40xC. 100x
Q: B
Answer: in which century were microorganisms first observed by humans?A. 1800sB. 1600sC. 1500sD. 1700s
Q: D
Answer: where in the environment might you find microbes conducting anaerobic respirationA. in the surface water of a pondB. on the surface of a leafC. on the outside of the skin of a cowD. in the gut of a cow
Q: D
Answer: which of the following describes the swimming movement of a motile microbe toward the lightA. photosynthesisB. chemotaxisC. glycotaxisD. phototaxis
Q: D
Answer: a gene is best defined asA. a segment of DNAB. three nucleotides that code for an amino acidC. a sequence of nucleotides in RNA that codes for a functional productD. a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that codes for a functional productE. a transcribed unit of DNA
Q: B
Answer: Which of the following is a prokaryotic domain in the three domain systemA. eukaryaB. bacteriaC. animaliaD. fungi
Q: C
Answer: Which of the following could be used to sterilize plastic petri plates in a brown paper bagA. microwavesB. sunlightC. gamma radiationD. ultraviolet radiationE. none of the above
Q: B
Answer: which of the following is probably true about all the experiments that supposedly proved spontaneous generation, supposedly showing that bacterial life arose from nothingA. the food source could not support lifeB. microorganisms were already presentC. too much heat was appliedD. air was lackingE. all of the above
Q: A
Answer: the endosymbiotic theory hypothesizes thatA. eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic cellsB. prokaryotic cells formed spontaneously from amino acidsC. prokaryotic cells evolved from eukaryotic cellsD. eukaryotic cells evolved before prokaryotic cells
Q: B
Answer: which of the following eukaryotic organelles most closely resembles a prokaryotic cellA. vacuoleB. mitochondrionC. golgi complexD. cell wallE. nucleus
Q: A
Answer: what is an agent of selection in the evolution of resistanceA. antibioticsB. Benign microbesC. pathogenic microbesD. Humans
Q: B
Answer: Which of the words is used to describe the sum total of DNA in a cellA. geneB. genomeC. chromosomeD. Chromatin
Q: A
Answer: to select for streptomycin-resistant bacteria, cells should be grown on mediaA. containing streptomycin, but lacking other antibioticsB. containing some antibiotics, but lacking streptomycinC. containing no antibiotics
Q: E
Answer: The DNA transfer from a donor cell to a recipient cell during cell contact is calledA. ReplicationB. transductionC. transformationD. TranslationE. conjugation
Q: A
Answer: Vertical gene transfer occurs when genes are passedA. from parent to offspringB. between cells during conjugationC. through a bacteriophageD. by uptake of naked DNA in transformation
Q: false
Answer: mutations are usually beneficialtrue or false
Q: D
Answer: for the evolution of resistance, which of these are requiredA. mutationB. mutation and conjugationC. conjugation and plasmid transferD. mutation and selection
Q: A
Answer: Which of these is not a step in PCRA. mRNA is copied to form DNAB. primers hybridize to target sequencesC. DNA is synthesizedD. DNA is heated to form single strands
Q: B
Answer: Which of these recognizes and cuts specific DNA sequencesA. DNA ligaseB. restriction enzymesC. DNA polymeraseD. primer
Q: C
Answer: one advantage of cDNA libraries over genomic libraries is that the cDNA libraryA. has all of the gene sequences present in the organismB. Lacks exon sequencesC. Lacks intron sequencesD. is used for cloning prokaryotic genes
Q: C
Answer: in the blue-white screening procedure the purpose of including X-gal in the culture medium is toA. prevent growth of non-recombinant plasmidsB. ensure growth of recombinant plasmidsC. distinguish between recombinant and non-recombinant plasmidsD. all of the above
Q: A
Answer: collections of clones containing random DNA fragments from a whole genome are calledA. genomic librariesB. cDNA librariesC. DNA fingerprintsD. proteomes
Q: C
Answer: the DNA polymerase enzyme, which is produced by a heat-tolerant bacterium is used inA. protoplast fusionB. cDNA synthesisC. polymerase chain reactionD. restriction digestions
Q: B
Answer: The construction of cDNA from mRNA is carried out with the enzymeA. DNA polymeraseB. reverse transcriptaseC. DNA ligaseD. endonuclease
Q: D
Answer: the products of genetic engineering, such as vaccines and pharmaceutical agents, can be obtained fromA. E. coliB. yeastC. mammalian cellsD. all of the above
Q: A
Answer: Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Ti plasmids (which normally cause corwn gall disease) are used to introduce foreign genes intoA. plantsB. E.coliC. YeastD. Mammalian cells
Q: D
Answer: how do you think microbial control agents work?A. alteration or membrane permeabilityB. damage to proteinsC. damage to nucleic acidsD. all of the above
Q: A
Answer: how do surface-active agents or surfactants workA. remove microbesB. kill microbesC. inhibit microbes
Q: A
Answer: the removal or destruction of all life forms isA. sterilizationB. disinfectionC. antisepsisD. asepsisE. degerming
Q: D
Answer: Which of these treatments is bactericidalA. refrigerationB. filtrationC. desiccationD. ionizing radiationE. all of the above
Q: A
Answer: Bacterial endospores are killed by exposure toA. autoclaving at 15 psi (121C) for 15 minB. boiling at 100c for 30 minC. high temp short time pasteurizationD. all of the aboveE. none of the above
Q: D
Answer: Alcohols are not effective in killingA. bacterial vegetative cellsB. fungiC. enveloped virusesD. bacterial endospores
Q: D
Answer: Which is most effective in killing microbes?A. microwavesB. UVC. sunlightD. gamma rays
Q: B
Answer: Which of these is most difficult to kill with chemical biocidesA. viruses without envelopesB. mycobacteriaC. gram-pos bacteriaD. gram-neg bacteriaE. fungi
Q: C
Answer: which of these is easiest to kill with chemical biocidesA. viruses without envelopesB. mycobacteriaC. gram-pos bacteriaD. gram-neg bacteriaE. fungi