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Acellular Life MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Biology section, Acellular Life chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 1,163 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    What is the size of porcelain filter?
    • 10–100 nm
    • 100–1000 nm (correct answer)
    • 10–100 micrometers
    Correct answer: B
    Porcelain filters, used for sterilization, have pore sizes that effectively trap bacteria but allow water to pass through, typically ranging from 100 to 1000 nanometers.
  2. Question 2
    Bacteriophages have been used widely in genetic research since they are the smallest and simplest biological entities capable of what?
    • Self replication in host cell (correct answer)
    • Duplication
    • Self duplication
    • Multiplication in host cell
    Correct answer: A
    Bacteriophages, as simple biological entities, are crucial in genetic research due to their ability to replicate within host cells, a process vital for understanding viral genetics.
  3. Question 3
    When was the bacteriophage phenomenon rediscovered by D'Herelle?
    • 1918
    • 1917 (correct answer)
    • 1920
    • 1990
    Correct answer: B
    Recall the year Félix d'Hérelle officially described bacteriophages, a pivotal moment in virology and microbiology.
  4. Question 4
    Select the wrong statement
    • The term ‘contagium vivum fluidum' was coined by M. W. Beijerinck.
    • Mosaic disease in tobacco and AIDS in human beings are caused by viruses.
    • The viroids were discovered by D.J. Ivanovsky. (correct answer)
    • W. M. Stanley showed that viruses could be crystallized.
    Correct answer: C
    This question tests your knowledge of key historical discoveries and figures in virology, specifically differentiating between virus and viroid discoveries.
  5. Question 5
    AIDS virus penetrates into host's
    • Red blood cells
    • Platelets
    • Brain cells
    • Leukocytes (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    The AIDS virus (HIV) primarily targets and infects leukocytes, specifically T-helper cells (CD4+ cells), leading to immunodeficiency.
  6. Question 6
    Which of the following statements about ozone depletion is incorrect?
    • An ozone hole was discovered over ntarctica (correct answer)
    • CFCs are found in some air conditioning systems
    • Ozone in the upper atmosphere is beneficial because it absorbs infrared radiation
    • At ground level, ozone is a pollutant
    Correct answer: A
    Ozone's role and location are key to understanding atmospheric chemistry and its impact on life. This question tests knowledge of ozone's properties and its effects at different altitudes.
  7. Question 7
    Which of the following has the morphology of a helical virus?
    • TMV (correct answer)
    • T4 Phage
    • Poxvirus
    • Herpes virus
    Correct answer: A
    Identify the helical virus morphology among common viral examples. TMV is a classic example of a helical virus, unlike the complex, enveloped, or icosahedral viruses listed.
  8. Question 8
    The difference between virus and viroid is;
    • Absence of protein coat in viroid, but present in virus (correct answer)
    • Presence of low molecular weight RNA in virus, but absent in viroid
    • Both A and B are correct
    • None of the above
    Correct answer: A
    Viruses possess a protein coat (capsid), unlike viroids, which are naked RNA molecules. This key structural difference distinguishes them.

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