Nursing Elites

1. Deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, has a nucleus containing:

• A. A single proton
• B. A proton and a neutron
• C. Two protons and an electron
• D. Two neutrons

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Deuterium, as an isotope of hydrogen, has an atomic number of 1 and a mass number of 2. The nucleus of deuterium contains one proton (as in all hydrogen atoms) and one neutron, totaling 2 nucleons in the nucleus. Therefore, the correct answer is that deuterium's nucleus contains a proton and a neutron. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Deuterium is not just a single proton (A), doesn't have two protons and an electron (C), and doesn't contain two neutrons (D). The correct composition of deuterium's nucleus is one proton and one neutron.

2. What is the primary function of DNA polymerase?

• A. Packaging DNA
• B. Replicating DNA
• C. Transcribing DNA
• D. Translating mRNA

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Replicating DNA. DNA polymerase is an enzyme responsible for synthesizing new DNA strands during DNA replication. It adds nucleotides to the growing DNA strand based on the template provided by the existing DNA strand. This process ensures that genetic information is accurately copied and passed on to daughter cells during cell division. Option A, Packaging DNA, refers to the coiling and organization of DNA into chromatin, a process involving histones and other proteins. Option C, Transcribing DNA, involves the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template, a process carried out by RNA polymerase. Option D, Translating mRNA, refers to the process of protein synthesis where the information encoded in mRNA is used to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain.

3. Which of the following basic mechanisms of evolution is described as the process where organisms with an advantageous trait survive more often and produce more offspring than organisms without the advantageous trait?

• A. gene flow
• B. genetic drift
• C. mutation
• D. natural selection

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Natural selection is the basic mechanism of evolution that explains how organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce in a given environment. This leads to the passing on of these favorable traits to their offspring, causing these traits to become more common in the population over time, resulting in evolutionary change. Natural selection is driven by environmental pressures that support the survival and reproduction of individuals with specific traits. Gene flow refers to the movement of genes between populations, genetic drift is the change in allele frequencies due to random events, and mutation is the source of genetic variation but is not the process by which advantageous traits become more prevalent in a population.

4. What is the term for a solution that contains less solute than the maximum amount it could dissolve at a specific temperature and pressure?

• A. Saturated solution
• B. Unsaturated solution
• C. Supersaturated solution
• D. Concentrated solution

Correct answer: B

Rationale: An unsaturated solution is a solution that contains less solute than the maximum amount it could dissolve at a specific temperature and pressure. In an unsaturated solution, more solute can still be added and dissolved in the solvent. Choice A, a saturated solution, refers to a solution in which the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved at a specific temperature and pressure, leading to equilibrium. Choice C, a supersaturated solution, contains more solute than it can normally hold at a specific temperature and pressure, achieved through special conditions followed by rapid cooling or evaporation. Choice D, a concentrated solution, refers to a solution with a high amount of solute compared to the amount of solvent, regardless of reaching the saturation point.

5. What is the difference between a homozygous recessive genotype and a homozygous dominant genotype?

• A. Both have the same phenotype, but different genotypes.
• B. Both have the same genotype, but different phenotypes.
• C. Homozygous recessive has two dominant alleles, while homozygous dominant has two recessive alleles.
• D. Homozygous recessive has two identical recessive alleles, while homozygous dominant has two identical dominant alleles.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: - Homozygous recessive genotype refers to an individual having two identical recessive alleles for a particular gene (e.g., rr for a trait where r represents the recessive allele). - Homozygous dominant genotype refers to an individual having two identical dominant alleles for a particular gene (e.g., RR for a trait where R represents the dominant allele). - The difference between the two genotypes lies in the specific alleles present in each case, with homozygous recessive having two recessive alleles and homozygous dominant having two dominant alleles. - This genetic difference results in different phenotypes being expressed, as the dominant allele typically masks the expression of the recessive allele in heterozygous individuals.

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