if a biochemist isolates a large amount of pyruvate which part of the cell is he working with

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS Practice Science Test

1. 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.

2. What is the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and potassium hydroxide (KOH)?

A. H2SO4 + KOH → K2SO4 + H2O
B. 2H2SO4 + 2KOH → 2K2SO4 + 2H2O
C. H2SO4 + 2KOH → K2SO4 + 2H2O
D. H2SO4 + 2KOH → K2SO4 + H2O

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When sulfuric acid (H2SO4) reacts with potassium hydroxide (KOH), it forms potassium sulfate (K2SO4) and water (H2O). To balance the equation, 2 KOH molecules are required to react with 1 H2SO4 molecule, resulting in 1 K2SO4 molecule and 2 H2O molecules. Therefore, the balanced chemical equation is H2SO4 + 2KOH → K2SO4 + 2H2O, which corresponds to option C. Choice A is incorrect because it does not account for the correct stoichiometry between the reactants and products. Choice B incorrectly doubles all the molecules in the reaction, leading to an unbalanced equation. Choice D incorrectly balances the equation with 1 KOH molecule instead of the required 2 KOH molecules, making it unbalanced. Thus, option C is the correct balanced chemical equation for the reaction between sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide.

3. Where does the majority of nutrient absorption occur?

A. Mouth
B. Stomach
C. Small intestine
D. Large intestine

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The majority of nutrient absorption occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine is where the final stages of digestion take place, and it is specialized for absorption with its large surface area and villi that increase nutrient absorption efficiency. The mouth is responsible for mechanical digestion through chewing, the stomach primarily aids in digestion through mixing and breakdown of food, and the large intestine mainly absorbs water and electrolytes, with minimal nutrient absorption.

4. Which of the following best describes a group of cells working together?

A. Organelle
B. Tissue
C. Organ
D. Organ system

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Tissue. Tissue is a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function. Organelle refers to specialized structures within a cell, organ is a structure made up of different types of tissues working together, and organ system is a group of organs working together to perform complex functions. Therefore, tissue is the most appropriate term to describe a group of cells working together.

5. When testing how quickly a rat dies based on the amount of poison it eats, which of the following is the independent variable and which is the dependent variable?

A. How quickly the rat dies is the independent variable; the amount of poison is the dependent variable.
B. The amount of poison is the independent variable; how quickly the rat dies is the dependent variable.
C. Whether the rat eats the poison is the independent variable; how quickly the rat dies is the dependent variable.
D. The cage the rat is kept in is the independent variable; the amount of poison is the dependent variable.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. In this experiment, the independent variable is the amount of poison because it is what is being manipulated by the researcher. The dependent variable is how quickly the rat dies, as it is the outcome that is being measured based on the different amounts of poison administered. Choice A is incorrect because the independent variable should be what is being manipulated or changed, which is the amount of poison in this case. Choice C is incorrect because whether the rat eats the poison is not being varied or controlled by the researcher. Choice D is incorrect because the cage the rat is kept in is not relevant to the relationship being studied between the amount of poison and the rat's survival time.