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MCAT Prep Biology

Subjects : mcat, science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A clear area in a lawn of bacteria. Plaques represent an area where bacteria are lysing (dying) and usually caused by a lytic virus.






2. An organism that lacks a nucleus or any other memrane - bound organelles. All prokaytes belong to the Kingdom Monera (not protista!)






3. A hair - like structure on teh cell surface composed of microtubules ina '9+2' arrangement (nine pairs of microtubles surrounding 2 single microtubules in the center). Teh microtubules are conneted with a contractile protien called dynein. Cilia beat






4. The movement of a substance across a membane via pressure. In the kidney - filtration refers specifically to the movement of plasma across the capillary walls fo the glomerulus - into the capsule and tubule of the neprhon. Filtration at teh glomerulu






5. The process of reading a strand of mRNA to synthesize protein. Protein translation takes place on a ribosome.






6. A bacterium that cannon survive on minimal medium (glucose alone) because it lacks the ability to syntheisze a molecule it needs to live (typically an amino acid). Auxotrphs must ave the needed substance (the auxiliary trophic substance) added to the






7. A highly specific cellular uptake mechanism. The molecule to be taken up must bind to cell surface receptor found in a clathrin - coated pit.






8. A series of enzyme complexes found along the inner mitochondrial membrane. NADH and FADH2 are oxidized by tehse enzymes; the electrons are shuttled down the chain and are ultimately passed to oxygen and to produce water. The electron energy is used t






9. The specialized cells of the heart that spontaneously initiate action potentials and transmit them to the cardiac muscle cells. The cells of the conduction system are essentially cardiac muscle cells - but lack the contractile fibers of the muscle ce






10. The reactants in an enzyme - catalyzed reaction. Substrate binds at the active site of an enzyme.






11. A hormone released from the hypothalamus that triggers the anterior pituitary to secrete FSH and LH.






12. A passageway leading from behind the nasal cavity to the trachea. The pharynx is divided into three regions - named for their location. The nasopharynx is behind the nasal cavity - the oropharynx is behind the oral cavity - and the laryngopharynx is






13. Photoreceptors in the retina of the eye that respond to dim light and provide us with black and white vision.






14. A form of genetic recombination in bacteria in which plasmid and/or genomic DNA is transferred from one bacterium to the toher through a conjugation bridge.






15. A type of mutation in DNa where a single base is substituted for another.






16. A fibrous protein found on the intracellular side of the plasma membrane (also associated with the Golgi complex) that helps invaginate the membrane. Typically cel surface receptors are associated with clathrin - coated pits at the plasma membrane bi






17. Fat cell






18. An organs in the abdominal cavity with two roles. The first is an exocrine role: to produce digestive enzymes and bicarbonate - which are delivered to the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. The second is an endocrine role: to secrete insulin an






19. A statistical rule stating that the probability of either of two indpendent (and mutually exclusive) events ocuring is the sum of their individual probabilities minus the probability of them both occuring together.






20. Also called DNA pol - this is the enzyme that replicates DNA. Eukaryotes have a single version of the enzyme - simply called DNA pol (not need to know much detail); prokaryotes have three versions - called DNA pol I - DNA pol II - and DNA pol III.






21. A portion of DNA that codes for some product - usually a protein - including all regulatory sequences. Some genes code for rRNA and tRNA - which are not translated.






22. The period of time during which the ventricles of the heart are contracted.






23. The volume of air inhaled and exhaled in a normla - resting breath - typically about 500 mL.






24. A poysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and in the exoskeletons of insects.






25. The energy in a system that can be used to drive chemical reactions. If the change in free energy of a reaction (Delta G - the free energy of the products minus the free energy of the energy of the reactants) is negative - the reaction will occur spo






26. Major Histocompatability complex - a set of proteins found on the plasma membranes of cells that help display antigen to T cells. MHC I is found on all cells and displays bits of proteins from within the cell; this allows T cells to monitor cell cont






27. A life cycle of animal viruses in which the mature viral particles bud from the host cell - acquiring an envelope (a coating of lipid bilayer) in the process.






28. An enzyme that unwinds the double helix of DNA and separates the DNA strands in preparation for DNA replication.






29. The layer of connective tissue directly under the mucosa of an open body cavity.






30. A physiological catalyst. Enzymes are usually proteins - although some RNAs have catalytic activity.






31. Muscles that help focus light on teh retin by controlling the curvature of the lens of the eye.






32. A subphase of male orgasm. Emission is the movement of sperm (via the vas deferens) and semen into the urtehra in prepartion for ejaculation.






33. MRNA that codes forsingle type of protein - such as is found in eukaryotic cells.






34. The movement of a hydrophobic molecule across the plasma membrane of cell - down its concentration gradient. Since the molecule can esialy interact with the lipid bilayer - no additional help (such as a channel or pore) is required.






35. A waste product of protein dbreakdown - produced by the liver and relased into the bloodstream to be eliminated by the kidney.






36. The third phase of the ovarian cycle - during which a corpus luteum is formed from the remnants of the follicle that has ovulated its oocyte. The corpus luteum secretes progestrone and estrogen during this time period - which typically lasts from day






37. The perio of time during which the ventricles of the heart are relaxed.






38. A bacteria having a round shape (plural = cocci)






39. The primary female sex hormone. Estrogen stimulates the development of female secondary sex characteristics during puberty - maintains those characteristics during adulthood - stimulates the development of a new uterine lining after menstruation - an






40. A neuron found completely within the central nervous system. Interneous typically connect sensory and motor neurons - especially in reflex arcs.






41. A network of membranes inside eukarytoic cells invovled in lipid synthesis (steroid in gonads) - detoxification (in liver cells) - and/or Ca2+ storage (muscle cells).






42. The small artery that carries blood toward the capillaries of the glomerulus.






43. The final section (approximately 55%) of the small intestine.






44. A hormone produced and released by the kidney that stimulates the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow.






45. Also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the digestive tract - the alimentary canal is the long muscular 'tube' that includes the mouth esophagus - somatch - small intesitne - and large intestine.






46. Large conglomerations of proteins - fats - and cholesterol that transport lipids in the bloodstream. (chylomicrons are a type of lipoprotein).






47. The regino of the digestive tract where virtually al digestion and absorption occur. It is subdivided into three regions: the duodenum - the jejunum - and the ileum.






48. A receptor that responds to changes in body position - such as stretch on a tendon - or contraction of a muscle. These receptor allow us to be consciously aware of the position of our body parts.






49. An organism that can only survive in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic metabolism); oxygen is toxic to obligate anaerobes.






50. A neuron that arries information (action potentials) to the central nervous system; a sensory neuron.