01
Written response
1 point
Spherical bacterial cells remain linked in chains after division. What term describes this arrangement?
Free Practice Quiz Question List
3 Microbial Cell Structure Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 3 Microbial Cell Structure, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
Choose one
1 point
A bacterium appears as a short, curved rod resembling a comma. Which shape category best describes it?
- A
Spirilla
- B
Vibrios
- C
Bacilli
- D
Spirochetes
03
Fill in the blank
1 point
In addition to its chromosome, a bacterium may carry smaller DNA molecules called .
04
True or false
1 point
Viruses are acellular and depend on host cells to make new viruses.
- A
True
- B
False
05
Choose one
1 point
Water enters a bacterial cell by osmosis. Which cell-envelope structure helps the cell maintain its shape and resist bursting?
- A
It synthesizes proteins for the cell.
- B
It helps maintain shape and prevents bursting as water enters.
- C
It stores the chromosome outside the cytoplasm.
- D
It propels the cell through liquid.
06
True or false
1 point
Archaeal cell walls contain bacterial peptidoglycan.
- A
True
- B
False
07
Choose all
1 point
Which statements about bacterial inclusions are supported? Select all that apply.
- A
Some inclusions store carbon or phosphate.
- B
All inclusions are membrane-bound organelles like those in eukaryotic cells.
- C
Gas vesicles or magnetosomes can have specific roles.
- D
Inclusions are the structures that link cocci into chains.
08
Choose one
1 point
A bacterium has a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane. Which envelope arrangement fits these observations?
- A
A thick peptidoglycan layer outside the plasma membrane, with no outer membrane.
- B
A thin peptidoglycan layer inside the cytoplasm, with no outer membrane.
- C
A thin peptidoglycan layer in the periplasm between the plasma membrane and an outer membrane.
- D
A waxy, mycolic-acid-rich envelope identified only by standard Gram staining.
09
Fill in the blank
1 point
Because bacteria lack a membrane-bound nucleus, their chromosome occupies a cytoplasmic region called the .
10
Choose all
1 point
Which statements describe bacterial plasma-membrane functions or properties? Select all that apply.
- A
It is selectively permeable.
- B
Channels, carriers, or energy-dependent pumps can move substances across it.
- C
It hosts important processes, including energy conversion.
- D
It encloses the chromosome inside a membrane-bound nucleus.
11
Written response
1 point
A sample contains bacterial cells that are rods, but unusually short. What term can describe these short rods?
12
Choose one
1 point
A bacterial species lacks a cell wall. What outcome should be expected for an antibiotic that targets peptidoglycan?
- A
The antibiotics act in the usual way because all bacteria have peptidoglycan walls.
- B
The antibiotics do not act in the usual way because the cells lack a cell wall.
- C
The antibiotics act by disrupting the cells' flagella.
- D
The antibiotics act by preventing the cells from forming a nucleus.
13
Open ended
1 point
Explain how fimbriae and pili typically differ in their structure and roles in bacterial interactions.
14
Choose one
1 point
A bacterium has a curved, comma-shaped rod form. Which shape category best describes it?
- A
Spirillum
- B
Vibrio
- C
Coccus
- D
Bacillus
15
True or false
1 point
An endospore is a reproductive structure that increases the number of bacterial cells.
- A
True
- B
False
16
Choose one
1 point
Which bacterial structure is often longer and less numerous than fimbriae, and can participate in DNA transfer between cells?
- A
Pili
- B
Fimbriae
- C
Flagella
- D
Ribosomes
17
Written response
1 point
A bacterial glycocalyx is loose and easily removed rather than organized and firmly attached. What is this form of glycocalyx called?
18
Choose one
1 point
A bacterial chromosome lies in a region of the cytoplasm that is not enclosed by a membrane. What is this region called?
- A
Plasmid
- B
Nucleoid
- C
Periplasm
- D
Inclusion
19
Written response
1 point
What is the name of the cytoplasmic region occupied by a bacterial chromosome?
20
Choose one
1 point
Which description best captures two important roles of the bacterial plasma membrane?
- A
It is a rigid protein layer that prevents water from entering the cell.
- B
It is a DNA-containing region that directs protein synthesis.
- C
It is a loose surface coat that helps form biofilms.
- D
It selectively regulates passage of substances and hosts energy-conversion processes.