what is the lock and key model

ATI TEAS 7

TEAS 7 science practice questions

1. What is the 'lock-and-key' model?

A. Protein folding
B. Enzyme-substrate interaction
C. Muscle contraction
D. Blood clotting

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The 'lock-and-key' model describes the specificity of the interaction between enzymes and their substrates. In this model, the enzyme's active site acts like a lock that can only be opened by the specific substrate molecule, which serves as the key. This specific binding ensures that enzymes catalyze particular reactions and do not interact with other molecules indiscriminately. Protein folding (option A) is the process by which a protein attains its functional three-dimensional structure but is not directly related to the lock-and-key model. Muscle contraction (option C) and blood clotting (option D) are complex biological processes but are not directly associated with the lock-and-key model of enzyme-substrate interaction.

2. When you push a book across a table, the book experiences an equal and opposite force from the table. Why doesn't the table move as well?

A. The table is much heavier than the book.
B. The force on the book acts in a different direction.
C. The table has a much larger surface area, distributing the force over a wider area.
D. All of the above

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The table is much heavier than the book, so it requires a much larger force to accelerate it. The book is lighter and easier to move, so the force applied to it causes it to move without significantly affecting the table due to the table's greater mass. Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, the force exerted on the book by the table is countered by an equal force exerted on the table by the book, but the table's greater mass resists movement. Choice B is incorrect because the forces are equal and opposite, acting in the same direction. Choice C is incorrect as the surface area does not affect the movement of the table in this scenario. Therefore, the correct answer is A, as the table's greater mass prevents it from moving easily when a force is applied.

3. If a biochemist isolates a large amount of pyruvate, which part of the cell is he working with?

A. Chloroplasts
B. Cytoplasm
C. Mitochondria
D. Nucleus

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Cytoplasm. Pyruvate is a product of glycolysis, a metabolic pathway that takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell. Therefore, a biochemist isolating a large amount of pyruvate would be working with the cytoplasm of the cell. Choice A, Chloroplasts, is incorrect because pyruvate is not produced in chloroplasts, which are responsible for photosynthesis. Choice C, Mitochondria, is incorrect as pyruvate is produced in the cytoplasm before entering the mitochondria for further metabolism. Choice D, Nucleus, is incorrect as the nucleus is not involved in the production or isolation of pyruvate, which is a metabolic intermediate.

4. Why are isotopes of the same element chemically similar?

A. They have the same number of protons.
B. They have the same number of electrons.
C. Their chemical properties are identical.
D. They share the same electron configuration.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Isotopes of the same element are chemically similar because they have the same number of protons. The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number, which is the defining characteristic of an element. Since chemical reactions primarily involve interactions between the electrons of atoms, having the same number of protons means the atoms have the same basic chemical properties. While isotopes may differ in the number of neutrons, it is the number of protons that dictates the element's identity and chemical behavior. Therefore, choice A is correct because the number of protons directly influences an element's chemical properties, making isotopes of the same element chemically similar despite potentially having different numbers of neutrons. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because isotopes of the same element can have different numbers of electrons, their chemical properties are not identical due to potential differences in neutron numbers, and although they may have similarities in electron configurations, it is the number of protons that is the key factor determining chemical behavior.

5. How does an unbalanced force affect an object at rest?

A. It maintains the object's state of rest
B. It does not affect the object's rest
C. It moves the object into motion
D. It decreases the object's mass

Correct answer: C

Rationale: An unbalanced force acting on an object at rest will cause the object to move into motion. This is in accordance with Newton's first law of motion, which states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. Therefore, option C, 'It moves the object into motion,' is the correct answer. Choices A and B are incorrect because an unbalanced force disrupts the object's state of rest. Choice D is incorrect as force does not affect the mass of an object.