Exam Questions

Question 1

Name 2 features of plant cells that are not features of animal cells

Answer 1

1. cell wall
2. chloroplasts

Question 2

Name one structure present in animal cells that is not present in plant cells

Answer 2

-lysosomes

Question 3

Describe the roles of the cytoskeleton

Answer 3

-supports and maintains shape of cell
-changing shape of cell
-organelles held in place

Question 4

What is the function of the mitochondrion?

Answer 4

-releases energy

Question 5

What is the function of the golgi apparatus?

Answer 5

-packages proteins into vesicles

Question 6

Why can’t mitochondria be seen by light microscope?

Answer 6

-too small
-have limited resolution of 0.2 nm
-hard to be distinguish

Question 7

Describe the advantages of staining specimens

Answer 7

-staining may be UV dyes
-denser parts appear darker
-allows smaller components to be easily seen
-increases contrast

Question 8

Name 1 feature that would present in the cytoplasm of a prokaryotic cell that is not found in a eukaryotic cell

Answer 8

-plasmid

Question 9

What is a structure within cells consisting of microtubules + microfilaments?

Answer 9

-golgi apparatus

Question 10

What are 2 parts of a microscope that magnify the specimen?

Answer 10

1. eyepiece lens
2. objective lens

Question 11

What is found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Answer 11

ribosomes

Question 12

Describe how 2 polynucleotide chains are held together

Answer 12

-phosphodiester bonds in the backbone
-H bonds between bases
-A to T and C to G

Question 13

Suggest 2 observations that would occur if a G2 checkpoint failed to work

Answer 13

1. nuclear envelope in tact
2. no visible chromosomes

Question 14

What is a ‘climax community’?

Answer 14

-a stable community

Question 15

Give one way that an image produced by a laser scanning differs from an electron

Answer 15

-lower resolution

Question 16

Suggest how a leaf is supported if its cell walls do not provide much support

Answer 16

-air spaces gives it buoyancy
-supported by water

Question 17

Explain how to measure the diameter of the nucleus of one of the white blood cells, when observing the cells through a light microscope (6 marks)

Answer 17

-eyepiece graticule
-calibrate graticule using stage micrometer
-measure diameter of nucleus in graticule units
-repeat measurements + calculate mean value
-use calibrated epu to calculate diameter

Question 18

Discuss the benefits of using stains when making slides for light microscopy

Answer 18

-allows organelles to be seen more clearly
-binds to stain
-provides a contrast to allow it to be more visible
-overall image is clearer

Question 19

Compare the resolutions of SEM and TEM and the images formed by them

Answer 19

SEM - 5-50 nm
-bounces of the cell surface = 3D image
TEM - 0.05-2 nm
-passes through interior of cell = 2D image