Nursing Elites

1. Which structure might be described as a core of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat?

• A. RNA
• B. Virus
• C. Blue-green alga
• D. Saprophyte

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A virus can be described as a core of nucleic acid (either RNA or DNA) surrounded by a protein coat, known as a capsid. This structure distinguishes viruses from other microorganisms such as blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), fungi known as saprophytes, or individual RNA molecules. Viruses depend on a host cell to replicate and are considered non-living entities due to their inability to carry out metabolic functions independently.

2. Which, if any, of the following statements are true?

• A. Water boils at approximately 100°C (212°F) at standard atmospheric pressure
• B. The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure around the water
• C. Water boils at a lower temperature in areas of lower pressure
• D. A and C are true

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Both statements A and C are true. Water indeed boils at approximately 100°C (212°F) at standard atmospheric pressure. However, water boils at a lower temperature in areas of lower pressure due to the decreased atmospheric pressure, which affects the vapor pressure and boiling point of water. Statement B is incorrect because the boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure equals the external pressure (atmospheric pressure in this case), not when it is higher.

3. Which of the following molecules is an important component of the plasma membrane?

• A. Phospholipids
• B. Steroids
• C. Sugars
• D. Amino acids

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Phospholipids are indeed a crucial component of the plasma membrane. They have a unique structure with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, which allows them to form the lipid bilayer of the membrane. Steroids, sugars, and amino acids are not primary components of the plasma membrane. Steroids are a different type of lipid, sugars are often found in glycoproteins on the membrane surface, and amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, some of which are membrane proteins, but not the membrane itself.

4. What is another name for the light-independent reaction in plants?

• A. Photosynthesis
• B. Calvin cycle
• C. Germination
• D. Phosphorus cycle

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The light-independent reaction in plants is also known as the Calvin cycle. This biochemical pathway, named after Melvin Calvin who discovered it, takes place in the stroma of chloroplasts and is responsible for converting carbon dioxide into glucose using ATP and NADPH generated during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. The Calvin cycle does not directly require light to function, hence the alternative name as the light-independent reaction. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Photosynthesis is the overall process of converting light energy into chemical energy, which includes both light-dependent and light-independent reactions. Germination is the process where a seed sprouts into a new plant. The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

5. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive sex-linked trait carried on the X chromosome. In an example of an unaffected father and a female carrier who have two daughters and two sons, which is the predicted outcome?

• A. Both daughters will carry the disease.
• B. Both sons will carry the disease.
• C. One daughter may have the disease.
• D. One son may have the disease.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive sex-linked trait carried on the X chromosome. Since the father is unaffected and does not carry the disease, he must have a normal X chromosome. The mother is a carrier, which means she has one normal X chromosome and one X chromosome with the disease allele. The daughters will inherit one X chromosome from each parent; one would be normal, and the other has a chance of carrying the disease allele. So, there is a 50% chance that one daughter may have the disease, as she could inherit the X chromosome with the disease allele. The sons will inherit the Y chromosome from the father and the X chromosome from the mother, so they will not be affected by the disease. Therefore, the predicted outcome is that one daughter may have the disease, while the sons will not carry the disease. This rules out choices A, B, and D.

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