HESI RN
Biology Practice Test
1. What function does cholesterol, a phospholipid, serve within the cell membrane?
- A. It builds up fats to make the structure more flexible
- B. It allows protein channels to form
- C. It makes the structure very rigid and impermeable
- D. It stabilizes the membrane structure
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Cholesterol helps to maintain the fluidity and stability of the cell membrane by fitting between the phospholipid molecules. Choice A is incorrect because cholesterol does not build up fats in the cell membrane. Choice B is incorrect as protein channels are formed by proteins, not cholesterol. Choice C is incorrect as cholesterol actually helps regulate the fluidity of the membrane, making it less rigid and more permeable.
2. Which of the following options is the term used to represent alternative versions of a gene?
- A. Alleles
- B. Binary fission
- C. Heterozygous
- D. Homozygous
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Alleles. Alleles are different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. They represent variations in a gene's DNA sequence. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms, while heterozygous and homozygous refer to different combinations of alleles in an individual, not the alternative versions of a gene.
3. What is the main objective of the translation stage of protein synthesis?
- A. To produce amino acids
- B. To produce nucleotides
- C. To produce fatty acids
- D. To produce proteins
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The main objective of the translation stage of protein synthesis is to produce proteins. During translation, ribosomes decode mRNA sequences to synthesize proteins by linking amino acids together. Choice A, 'To produce amino acids,' is incorrect as amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are not produced during translation. Choices B and C, 'To produce nucleotides' and 'To produce fatty acids,' are also incorrect as these molecules are not the direct products of the translation stage of protein synthesis.
4. Prophase is the first stage of mitosis. Which of the following best describes chromosomes during this stage?
- A. They are gathered on either side of the separating cell
- B. They are all aligned along the metaphase plate
- C. They are attached to the spindle
- D. They are visibly separate
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. During prophase, the chromosomes condense and become visible as distinct structures under a microscope. Choice A is incorrect as chromosomes are not gathered on either side of the separating cell during prophase. Choice B is incorrect because chromosomes align along the metaphase plate during the subsequent stage, metaphase. Choice C is incorrect as chromosomes become attached to the spindle fibers during prometaphase, the stage following prophase.
5. Which of the following serves as the information processing and administrative center of the cell?
- A. Golgi apparatus
- B. Cytoplasm
- C. Nucleus
- D. Lysosomes
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C, the nucleus. The nucleus is indeed the information processing and administrative center of the cell as it contains the genetic material (DNA) and is responsible for controlling cellular activities. The Golgi apparatus (Choice A) is involved in processing and packaging proteins, the cytoplasm (Choice B) is the fluid that fills the cell and provides a medium for organelles to be suspended, and lysosomes (Choice D) are responsible for digesting waste materials and foreign invaders. Therefore, the nucleus is the most appropriate choice for the given function.
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