Practice Exam 1
VCE Biology Units 1 & 2 | Cell Structure, Biomolecules & Membrane Transport
✎ Complete ALL questions on paper before opening the Model Answers lesson. No notes. Aim for 1 minute per mark.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Question 1 (1 mark)
Which organelle is responsible for ATP production via cellular respiration?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Nucleus
B) Ribosome
C) Mitochondrion
D) Golgi apparatus
Question 2 (1 mark)
The fluid mosaic model describes the structure of:
✎ Circle your answer
A) DNA
B) The plasma membrane
C) The cytoskeleton
D) The cell wall
Question 3 (1 mark)
Which process moves substances across a membrane against a concentration gradient?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Osmosis
B) Facilitated diffusion
C) Active transport
D) Simple diffusion
Question 4 (1 mark)
Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide found in:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Animal cell membranes
B) Plant cell walls
C) Bacterial ribosomes
D) Mitochondrial membranes
Question 5 (1 mark)
Which of the following is a feature of prokaryotic cells only?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Ribosomes
B) Cell membrane
C) Circular DNA in cytoplasm
D) Enzymes
Question 6 (1 mark)
The primary structure of a protein refers to:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Alpha-helix and beta-sheet patterns
B) The sequence of amino acids
C) The 3D folded shape
D) Subunit arrangement
Question 7 (1 mark)
Phospholipids are arranged in the plasma membrane as a:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Single layer with proteins
B) Bilayer with hydrophobic tails inward
C) Solid crystalline structure
D) Network of carbohydrates
Question 8 (1 mark)
Which molecule acts as the energy currency of the cell?
✎ Circle your answer
A) ADP
B) DNA
C) ATP
D) NADH
Question 9 (1 mark)
Osmosis is defined as the movement of:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Solutes from high to low concentration
B) Water across a semipermeable membrane from high to low water potential
C) Ions via protein channels
D) Glucose via carrier proteins
Question 10 (1 mark)
Glycogen is the storage polysaccharide in:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Plants
B) Bacteria
C) Animals
D) Fungi (as chitin)
Question 11 (1 mark)
Which level of protein structure involves interactions between different polypeptide chains?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Primary
B) Secondary
C) Tertiary
D) Quaternary
Question 12 (1 mark)
The Golgi apparatus functions to:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Synthesise proteins
B) Produce ATP
C) Modify, sort and package proteins for secretion
D) Store genetic information
Question 13 (1 mark)
Plasmolysis in a plant cell occurs when it is placed in:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Hypotonic solution
B) Isotonic solution
C) Hypertonic solution
D) Distilled water
Question 14 (1 mark)
Which of the following is NOT a function of membrane proteins?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Transport
B) Signal reception
C) Energy storage
D) Cell recognition
Question 15 (1 mark)
Enzymes are biological catalysts made of:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Lipids
B) Carbohydrates
C) Nucleic acids
D) Proteins
Question 16 (1 mark)
The smooth endoplasmic reticulum is involved in:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Protein synthesis
B) Lipid synthesis and detoxification
C) ATP production
D) DNA replication
Question 17 (1 mark)
Which bond links amino acids together in a polypeptide chain?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Hydrogen bond
B) Ionic bond
C) Peptide bond
D) Disulfide bond
Question 18 (1 mark)
A cell placed in a hypotonic solution will:
✎ Circle your answer
A) Shrink
B) Remain unchanged
C) Swell and potentially burst
D) Undergo plasmolysis
Question 19 (1 mark)
Triglycerides are composed of:
✎ Circle your answer
A) One glycerol and three fatty acids
B) Three glycerols and one fatty acid
C) Amino acids linked by ester bonds
D) Two fatty acids and a phosphate group
Question 20 (1 mark)
Which structure in a eukaryotic cell contains the genetic material?
✎ Circle your answer
A) Mitochondrion
B) Ribosome
C) Nucleus
D) Vacuole
SHORT ANSWER
Question 21 (4 marks)
Compare the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, giving two similarities and three differences.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 22 (4 marks)
Explain how the structure of the plasma membrane enables selective permeability.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 23 (4 marks)
Describe the relationship between enzyme structure and function, including the effect of denaturation.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 24 (4 marks)
Explain the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and their effect on membrane fluidity.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 25 (4 marks)
A student places red blood cells in three solutions: distilled water, 0.9% NaCl (isotonic), and 3% NaCl. Predict and explain what happens in each.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 26 (4 marks)
Describe the role of each of the following in protein synthesis: ribosome, mRNA, tRNA.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Question 27 (4 marks)
Explain why the surface area to volume ratio is important for cell size.
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Question 28 (4 marks)
Describe the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane, naming four types of components.
✎ Write your answer on paper
EXTENDED RESPONSE
Extended Response 1
Question 29 (4 marks)
Extended Response 1 (a)
Describe the three types of passive transport across cell membranes, comparing them in terms of energy requirement, direction of movement and examples.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Extended Response 1
Question 30 (3 marks)
Extended Response 1 (b)
Explain how active transport differs from facilitated diffusion, including the role of ATP.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Extended Response 1
Question 31 (2 marks)
Extended Response 1 (c)
Explain how endocytosis allows cells to take up large molecules.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Extended Response 2: Biomolecules
Question 32 (3 marks)
Extended Response 2: Biomolecules (a)
Compare the structures of DNA and RNA, including differences in sugar, bases and overall structure.
✎ Write your answer on paper
Extended Response 2: Biomolecules
Question 33 (4 marks)
Extended Response 2: Biomolecules (b)
Describe how glucose can be used as a starting material to synthesise other biomolecules. Give one example for each category: lipids, nucleic acids, amino acids.
✎ Write your answer on paper
✓ Finished? Open the next lesson – Model Answers – to mark your work.
