Test your basic knowledge |

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. The neurotransmitter used by the sympathetic division of the ANS at the postganglionic (organ - level ) synapse.






2. An enzyme that digests starch into disaccharides. Amylase is secreted by salivary glands and by the pancreas.






3. An **inorganic molecule that associates non - covalently with an enzyme and that is required for the proper functioning of the enzyme






4. The majority of the cells surrouding an oocyte in a follicle. Granulosa cells secrete estrogen during the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle (before ovulation).






5. A strong band of connective tissue that connets bones to one another.






6. The mass of cells in the blastocyst that ultimately give rise to the embryo and other embryonic structues (the amion - the umbilical vessels - etc.)






7. A phase in the cycle between mitosis and S phase (G1) or between S phase and mitosis (G2). During gap phases the cell undergoes normal activity and growth; G1 may include preparation for DNA replication and G2 includes preparation for mitosis. Note t






8. A triat determined by a gen on either the X or Y chromosomes (the sex chromosomes).






9. A microscopic space between the axon of one neuron and the cell body or dendrites of a secon neruon - or between the axon of a neuron and an organ.






10. The tube that connects the middle ear acity with the pharynx; also known as the Eustachian tube. Its fucntion is to equalize midle ear pressure with atmospheric pressure so that pressure on boths sides of the tympanic membrane is the same.






11. A protein found in the plasma membrane of all cells in the body that uses the energy of an ATP (hydrolyzes ATP) to move three Na+ ions out of the cell and two K+ ions into the cell - thus establishing concentrations gradients for these ions across th






12. A toxin that secreted by a bacterium into its surrounding medium that help the bacterium compete with other species. Some exotoxins cause serious disease in humans (botulism - tetanus - diptheria - toxic shock syndrome).






13. An integral protein that selectively allows molecules across the plasma membrane. See also entries under 'ion channel' - 'voltage - gated channel' - and 'ligand - gated channel'.






14. The membrane that separate the outer ear from the middle ear. The tympanic membrane is also known as the eardrum.






15. A person with blood type O-. Because this person's red blood cells possess none of the typical blood suface proteins - they cannot initiate an immune reaction in a recipient.






16. The law of conservation of energy; the energy of the universe is constant - thus if the energy of a system increases - the energy of its surroundings must decrease - and vice versa.






17. A pigmented membrane found just in from the lens of the eye. In the center of iris is the pupil - a hole through which light enters the eyeball. The iris regulates the diameter of the pupil in response to the brightness of light.






18. The white portion of teh tough outer layer of the eyeball






19. A small - extrachromosomal (outside the genome) - circular DNA molecule found in prokaryotes.






20. The return of membrane potential to normal resting values after a depolarization of hyperpolarization.






21. Globular protein that assist in DNA packaging in eukaryotes. Histones form octamers around which DNA is wound to form a nucleosome.






22. The resistance to blood flow in the systemic circulation. Peripheral resistance increases if arteries constrict (diameter decreases) - and an increase in peripheral resistance leads t o an increase in blood pressure.






23. A diploid cell that can undergo mitosis to form more spermatogonium - and can also be triggered to undergo meiosis to form sperm.






24. The division of the autonomic nervous system known as the 'fright or flight' system. It causes a genera increase in body activities such as heart rate - respiratory rate - and blood pressure - and an increase in blood flow to skeleltal muscle. It cau






25. The inner region of an organ - e.g. - the renal medulla - the ovarian medulla - and the adrenal medulla - etc.






26. 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.






27. One of two large vessels (superior and inferior) that return deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart.






28. The maximal volume of air that the lungs can contain. Total lung capacity is the sum of the vital capacity and the residual volume - and is typically about 6000 mL (6L).






29. The largest artery in teh body; the aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the left ventricle of the heart.






30. The second major node of the cardiac conduction system (after the SA node). The cardiac impulse is delayed slightly at teh AV node - allowing the ventricles to contract just after the atria contract.






31. A type of lipoprotein; the form in which absorbed fats from the intestines are transported to the circulatory system.






32. A point mutation in which a pyrimidine is susbstituted for a pyrimidine - or a purine is substituted for a purine.






33. The osmotic pressure in the blood vessels due only to plasma proteins (primarily albumin) --> causes water to rush back into capillaries at end.






34. An integral membrane protein that undergoes a conformational change to move a molecule from one side of the membrane to another. See also 'uniporter' - 'antiporter' - and 'symporter'.






35. The sequence of nucleotides on a chromosome that activates RNA polymerase so that transcription can take place. The promoter is found upstream of the start site - the location where transcription actually takes place.






36. A peptide hormone produced and secreted by the alpha cells - of the pancreas. It tartes primarily the liver - stimulating the breakdown of glycogen - thus increasing blood gluocse level.s






37. The region at the center of an A band of a sarcomere that is made up of myosin only. The H zone gets shorter (and may disappear) during muscle contraction.






38. The mechanism of contraction in skeletal and cardiac muscl cells. It is a series of four repeated steps: (1) myosin binds actin - (2) myosin pull actin toward the center of the sarcomere (3) myosin releases actin - and (4) myosin resets to its high -






39. The valves in the heart that separate the ventricles from the arteries. The pulmonary semilunar valve separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary artery - and the aortic semilunar valve separates left ventricle from the aorta. These valves close






40. A function the reproductive system (conrolled by the sympathetic nervous system) that returns the body to its normal resting state after sexual arousal and orgasm.






41. A cytoplasmic protein that binds to a stop codon where it appears in the A- site of the ribosome. Release factors modify the peptidyl transferase activity of the ribosome - such that a water molecule is added to the end of the completed protein. This






42. A developing oocyte and all of its surrounding (supporting) cells.






43. A genotype in which two identical alleles are possessed for a given gene. The allelles can both be dominant (homozygous dominant) or both be recessive (homozygous recessive)






44. The 3D site of an enzyme where substrates (reactants) bind and a chemical reaction is facilitated.






45. A eukaryotic organelle filled with digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases) that is involved in digestion of macromolecules such as worng organelles or material ingested by phagocytosis.






46. The fertilization of an oocyte by more than one sperm. This occurs in some animals - but in humans - blocks to polyspermy exist (the fast block and the slow block) so that only a single sperm can penetrate the oocyte.






47. The primary male sex organ. The testes are suspended outside the body cavity in the scrotum and have two functions (1) produce sperm - and (2) secrete testosterone.






48. The 28 days of the menstrual cycle as they apply to events in the ovary. The ovarian cycle has three subphases: the follicular phase - ovulation - and the luteal phase.






49. A chemical derived from vitamin A found in the pigment proteins of the rod photoreceptors of the retina. Retinal changes conformation when it absorbs light - triggering a series of reactions that ultimately result in an action potential being sent to






50. In skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue - a filament composed of bundles of myosin molecules. The myosin head groups attach to the thick filaments and pull the toward the center of the sarcomere during muscle contraction.







Sorry!:) No result found.

Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?


Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests