Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the transcription of DNA?

• A. RNA uses reverse transcriptase to make mRNA
• B. DNA uses mRNA to produce tRNA
• C. RNA creates a duplicate copy of DNA
• D. RNA copies DNA to produce mRNA

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. During transcription, RNA copies DNA to produce mRNA, which carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes for protein synthesis. Choice A is incorrect because reverse transcriptase is not involved in the transcription of DNA. Choice B is incorrect as DNA does not use mRNA to produce tRNA; tRNA is produced through a different process. Choice C is incorrect as RNA does not create a duplicate copy of DNA during transcription; it synthesizes mRNA by copying the DNA template.

2. Water is held together by which of the following bonds?

• A. Electrostatic attraction
• B. Van der Waals forces
• C. Hydrogen
• D. Oxygen

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Water molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds, which are weak bonds formed between the slightly positive hydrogen atom of one water molecule and the slightly negative oxygen atom of another. Choice A, electrostatic attraction, is a general term for the attraction between opposite charges but does not specifically describe the bonds in water. Choice B, Van der Waals forces, are weak intermolecular forces that arise from temporary fluctuations in electron distribution, not the primary bonds in water. Choice D, oxygen, is incorrect as oxygen is part of the water molecule but not the bond holding water molecules together.

3. Which of the following describes the set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and then release waste products?

• A. Cellular respiration
• B. Meiosis
• C. Photosynthesis
• D. Mitosis

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is the process in cells that converts biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP and releases waste products. This process occurs in the mitochondria of the cell. Choice B, Meiosis, is a type of cell division that produces gametes with half the chromosome number. Choice C, Photosynthesis, is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy to produce glucose. Choice D, Mitosis, is a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells with identical sets of chromosomes as the parent cell.

4. In which step of cellular respiration is the most adenosine triphosphate (ATP) created?

• A. Electron transport chain
• B. Glycolysis
• C. Citric acid cycle (the Krebs cycle)
• D. All of these produce equal amounts of ATP

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The electron transport chain is the step in cellular respiration that generates the most ATP. During this step, up to 34 ATP molecules can be produced from a single glucose molecule. Choice B, Glycolysis, produces a smaller amount of ATP (2 ATP molecules per glucose), and choice C, Citric acid cycle, produces some ATP but not as much as the electron transport chain. Choice D is incorrect because different steps of cellular respiration produce varying amounts of ATP, with the electron transport chain being the most efficient in ATP generation.

5. 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.

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