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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. An inactive precursor of an enzyme - activated by various methods (acid hydrolysis - cleavage by another enzyme - etc.)






2. A haploid cell resulting from the first meiotic division of oogenesi (not that the cytoplasmic division in this case is unequal - producing one large cell with almost all of they cytoplasm - the secondary oocyte - and one smaller cell with virtually






3. The third phase of meiosis II. During anaphase II the sister chromatids are finally spearated at their centromeres and puled to opposite sides of teh cell. Note that anaphase II is identical to mitotic anaphase - excep the number of chromosmes was re






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






5. 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.






6. The transfre by a lysogenic virus of a portion of a host cell genome to a new host.






7. A type of cell division (in diploid cells) that reduces the number of chromosomes by half. Meiosis usualy produces haploid gametes in organisms that undergo sexual reproduction. It consists of a single interphase (G1 - S - and G2) followed by two set






8. The movement of a substance from the filtrate (in the renal tuble) bak into the bloodstream. Reabsorption reduces the amount of a substance in the urine.






9. A protein hormone secreted by sustenacular cells of the testes that acts to inhibit the release of FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary.






10. The site(s) where the parental DNA double helix unwinds during replication.






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






12. A nucleotide sequence on DNA that contians three elemtns: a coding sequence for one or more enzymes - *a coding sequence for a regulatory protein - and upstream regulatory sequences where the regulatory proteins can bind. An example is the lac operon






13. The liquid portion of blood; plasma contains water - ions - buffers - sugars - proteins - etc. Anything that dissolves in blood dissolves in the plasma portion.






14. A protein that is associated with the plasma membrane of a cell - but that is not embedded in the lipid bilayer. Peripheral proteins typically associate with embedded proteins through hydrogen bonding or electrostatic interactions.






15. The division of the peripheral nervous system that innervates and controls the skeletal muscles; also known as the voluntary nervous system.






16. One of the two ends of long bone (pl: eiphyses). The epiphyses have an outer shell made of compact bone and inner core of spongy bone. The spongy bone is filled with red bone marrow - the stie of blood cell formation.






17. 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






18. 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'.






19. The region of the nephron that surrounds the glomerulus. The capsule ollects the plasma that is filtered from teh capillaries in the glomerulus.

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20. Movement across the membrane of a cell that does not require energy input from the cell. Passive transport relies on concentration gradients to provie the driving force for movement - and includes both simple and facilitated diffusion.






21. The process of bulidng complex structures out of simpler precursors - e.g. synthesizing protiens from amino acids.






22. A carrier protein that transports two molecules across the plasma membrane in the same direction. For example - the Na+- glucose cotransporter in intestinal cells is a symporter.






23. The inner layer of smooth muscle in the wall of the digestive tract. When the circular muscle contracts - the tube diameter is reduced. Certain areas of the circular muscle are thickened to act as valves (sphincters).






24. The sphincter that separates the final part of the small intestine (the ileum) from the fron part of the large intestine (the cecum). It is typically kept contracted (closed) so that chyme can remain in the small intestine as long as possible. The il






25. Multiple sites of replication found on large - linear eukaryotic linear eukaryotie chromosomes.






26. A group of three nucleotides taht is specific for a particular amino acid - or that specifies 'stop translating'






27. The specific molecule that binds to a receptor.






28. A function of the reproductive system controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. In males - organs includes emission and ejaculation; in females it is mainly a series of rhythmic contraction of the pelvic floor muscles and the uterus.






29. The string between beads of DNA on histones. They are also wrapped around a single histone - called linker histone - may not really have to know..






30. The period of human development from implantation through 8 weeks of gestation. Gastrulation - neurulation - and organogenesis occur during this time period. The developing baby is known as embryo during this time period.






31. Small convoluted tubules in the testes where spermatogenesis takes place.






32. The removal ( and usually the activation) of a viral genome from its host's genome.






33. Anterior pituitary gland






34. The muscuar layer of the uterus. The myometrium is made of smooth muscles that retains its ability to divide in order to accomodate the massive size increases that occur during pregnancy. The myometrium is stimulated to contract during labor by the h






35. The portion of the cardiac conduction system between the SA node and the AV node.






36. The movement of the membrane potential of a cell away from rest potential in a more negative direction.






37. The attachment of an amino acid to a tRNA (not that this a specific interaction). tRNa loading requires two high - energy phosphate bonds.






38. The outer layer of smooth muscle in the wall of the digestive tract. When the longitudinal muscle contracts the tube shortens.






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






40. The shaft of a long bone. The diaphysis is hollow and is made entirely from compact bone.






41. A gene that has effects on several different characteristics.






42. The amount of energy required to produce the transition state of a chemical reaction. If the activation energy for a reaction is very high - the reaction occurs very slowly. Enzymes (and other catalysts) increase reaction rates by reducing activation






43. The smalles of all blodo vessles - typically having a diamtere just large neough for blood cells to pass through in single file. Capillaries have extremelyu thin walls to faciliate the exchange of material between the blood and the tissues.






44. The valves in the heart that separte the atria from teh ventricles. The tricuspid valve separates teh right atrium from the right ventricel - and the bicuspid (mitral) valves separates the left atrium from the left ventricle. These valves close at th






45. 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.






46. A non - bony material that fills the hollow spaces inside bones. Red bone marrow is found in regiosn of spongy bone and is the site of blood cell (red and white) production. Yellow bone marrow is found in the diaphysis (shaft) of long bones - is most






47. A thick - gelatinous fluid found in the posterior segment of the eye (between the lens and the retina). The vireous humor is only produced during fetal development and helps maintain intraocular pressure (the pressure inside the eyeball).






48. The percentage of individuals with a particular genotype that actually displays the phenotype associated with the genotype.






49. Also known as the neurohyophysis - the posterior pituitary is made of nervous tisssue and stores and secretes two hormones made by the hypothlamus; oxtytocin and ADH. The posterior pituitary is controlled by action potentials from the hypothalamus.






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