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IBBiology: HLDPExam Questions2. Molecular Biology2.1 Metabolism & Water

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First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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Metabolism & Water (DP IB Biology: HL)

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2.1 Metabolism & Water

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2.1 Metabolism & Water

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11 mark

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements found in the molecules of living organisms. 

Which of the following statements does not refer to a property of carbon that allows it to play an integral biochemical role in the molecules of living things. 

  • It has four electrons in its outer shell meaning it can form four covalent bonds with other atoms

  • When it bonds with hydrogen it creates a dipole that allows it to form hydrogen bonds with water and other polar molecules

  • It can form double and triple bonds with adjacent carbon atoms to allow unsaturated compounds to form

  • Produces a tetrahedral-shaped structure which allows the formation of varied carbon compounds which have different 3-D shapes

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21 mark

Which of the options below refers to the features of catabolism?

  • E xergonic, condensation reaction, an example is polypeptide synthesis

  • Endergonic, hydrolysis reaction, an example is respiration

  • Endergonic, condensation reaction, an example is photosynthesis

  • Exergonic, hydrolysis reaction, an example is deamination

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31 mark

Water has the ability to act as a solvent and dissolve many ionic and covalent compounds.

Which of the following 3-carbon compounds will not dissolve in water?

  • Propanoic acid

    q3-easy--option-a-2-1-metabolism--water-ib-dp-biology-sl





  • Propanol

    q3-easy-option-b-2-1-metabolism--water-ib-dp-biology-sl

  • Glycerol

    q3-easy-option-c-2-1-metabolism--water-ib-dp-biology-sl






  • Propane

    q3-easy-option-d-2-1-metabolism--water-ib-dp-biology-sl








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41 mark

The table below shows four biological molecules and their component elements.

Which of the rows, A to D, correctly identifies the elements in each molecule?

  Sucrose Triglyceride Insulin DNA nucleotide
A C, H, O C, H, O, N C, H, O C, H, O, N, P
B C, H, O, N C, H, O C, H, O, N, P C, H, O, N, S
C C, H, O C, H, O C, H, O, N, S C, H, O, N, P
D C, H, O, N C, H, O, P C, H, O, N, P C, H, O, N, S

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    51 mark

    The specific heat capacity of water is the highest of all liquids. Which of the following would be a correct definition of specific heat capacity? 

    • The heat required to change one mole of liquid into one mole of gas. 

    • The heat required to raise the temperature of 1kg of liquid by 1°C. 

    • The heat required to change one mole of solid into one mole of liquid.

    • The ability of a solid to transfer heat to a liquid. 

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    11 mark

    Which of the following sequences of atomic symbols best represents the makeup of the elements in the human body, in descending order, by mass?

    • O, C, H, N, S, P

    • C, H, O, N, S, P

    • O, C, N, H, Na, K

    • C, H, O, N, K, S

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    21 mark

    Which property of carbon makes it a good basis for organic molecules?

    • It exists in hard and stable forms like graphite and diamond.

    • It forms a varying number of covalent bonds to other atoms.

    • It can form millions of different compounds in association with hydrogen and oxygen.

    • It forms strong, ionic bonds with other atoms.

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    31 mark

    The four statements below are examples of the two types of metabolism, anabolism and catabolism.

    Which one of the statements represents a type of metabolism which is different to the other three options?

    • Deamination of polypeptides to form urea.

    • Formation of glycosidic bonds between glucose and fructose.

    • Depletion of fat stores during a period of starvation.

    • Anaerobic respiration.

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    41 mark

    Which of the following are not examples of hydrogen bonding?

    • Base-pairing between two strands of DNA.

    • The forces that hold water molecules together.

    • The bond that joins one nucleotide to its neighbour in a strand of DNA.

    • Interactions between water and the polar R groups of certain amino acids. 

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    51 mark

    Water (H2O) is a polar molecule, whereas methane (CH4) is nonpolar. Which of the properties of methane is explained by methane's lack of polarity?

    • Low molecular weight. 

    • Low boiling point. 

    • Flammability.

    • Greenhouse gas effect. 

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    61 mark

    Which of the following observations is not explained by water's high latent heat of vaporisation and specific heat capacity?

    • Ice is less dense than liquid water, so it floats on water. 

    • Water exists in all three physical states (solid, liquid and gas) on Earth. 

    • A small volume of water can dissipate a lot of heat from an organism. 

    • A lot of heat energy is required to raise the temperature of water. 

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    71 mark

    Which row of the table best describes the events of polypeptide synthesis?

      Type of reaction ATP requirement Location in cell
    A anabolic condensation ATP not required mitochondria
    B anabolic hydrolysis ATP not required cytoplasm
    C anabolic condensation ATP required cytoplasm
    D catabolic condensation ATP required mitochondria

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      81 mark

      Which row of the table lists the four common metabolites in decreasing order of solubility in water?

      • oxygen → sodium chloride → cholesterol → hydrophobic amino acid

      • sodium chloride → oxygen→ hydrophobic amino acid  → cholesterol

      • hydrophobic amino acid → oxygen → sodium chloride → cholesterol

      • sodium chloride → hydrophobic amino acid → oxygen → cholesterol

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      91 mark

      Which of the following properties of water are a result of intermolecular forces?

      1. High surface tension.
      2. Good solvent.
      3. Cohesiveness.
      4. High specific heat capacity.

      • I and II

      • I, II and III

      • I, II and IV

      • All

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      101 mark

      Which of the following properties of water stops enzymes from being denatured during transpiration?

      1. Water retains a lot of heat.
      2. Water forms hydrogen bonds with other polar and nonpolar molecules.
      3. A lot of heat is required to evaporate water.
      4. Water is cohesive.

      • I only

      • I and II

      • II, III and IV

      • III only

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      11 mark

      In the years before 1828, a theory called 'vitalism' was widely accepted that stated that all biological molecules found in living organisms came from a 'vital force' that existed inside living things and the synthesis of these molecules could not be recreated artificially. 

      This theory was falsified in 1828 following the work of a scientist called Frederick Wöhler.

      Which of the statements below was not a feature of Wohler's work?

      • Wöhler synthesised urea artificially using silver isocyanate and ammonium chloride

      • Urea had been thought of as a molecule found in living organisms as well as in inorganic matter

      • Wöhler was widely ridiculed for his theory when he first published his findings

      • Wöhler's research was corroborated by that of fellow scientists in the period following his discovery

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      21 mark

      Sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) dissociates into sodium ions (Na+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) when it is dissolved. The latter creates an alkaline environment suitable for certain enzymes and bicarbonate ions in the blood help to buffer lactic acid during exercise. 

      How does water help the production of bicarbonate ions? 

      • The oxygen atoms form ionic bonds with bicarbonate ions. 

      • The oxygen atoms in water attract bicarbonate ions.

      • The hydrogen atoms form hydrogen bonds with bicarbonate ions. 

      • The hydrogen atoms in water attract bicarbonate ions. 

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      31 mark

      Water and methane are both simple compounds with covalent bonds and a similar molecular mass.

      In theory this should mean that they share similar chemical properties, however this is not at all the case. 

      The table below compares some of the features of methane and water:

        Water Methane
      Molecular weight 18 16
      Latent heat of vaporisation / kJ kg-1 2 260 510
      Specific heat capacity / kJ kg-1 °C-1 4.2 2.2
      Melting point / °C 0 -182
      Boiling point / °C 100 -162

      Which of the statements below correctly describes the reason for these differences in properties? 

      • Water is able to form hydrogen bonds with adjacent water molecules.

      • Methane forms a tetrahedral structure due to the fact carbon is able to form four covalent bonds.

      • Methane has a higher energy content in its bonds than water.

      • Water has a higher density than methane in a liquid state.

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      41 mark

      Which of the following does not rely on the specific heat capacity of water?

      • Heat loss through evaporation of sweat

      • Enzyme function

      • Aquatic ecosystems withstanding extreme temperature change

      • Humans living in sub-zero temperatures

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      51 mark

      The formation of the 3D shape of a globular protein relies on hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. 

      Which of the statements below correctly describes this process? 

      • When peptide bonds form, the condensation reaction releases water, which forms hydrogen bonds with the hydrophilic R groups of the amino acids.

      • Certain hydrophilic amino acid R groups are able to form hydrogen bonds with other hydrophilic amino acids R groups on different proteins.

      • Hydrophobic R groups of amino acids are repelled by the water surrounding the protein, forcing them into the centre of the protein away from the water, and the hydrophilic R groups get pulled to the outside.

      • Hydrophilic R groups are repelled by the water and are forced away into the centre of the 3D structure, causing the shape to be distorted.

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