Review Questions
Which plasma membrane component can be found either on its surface or embedded in the membrane structure?
- carbohydrates
 - cholesterol
 - glycolipid
 - protein
 
In addition to a plasma membrane, eukaryotic cell organelles, such as mitochondria, also have membranes. In which way would these membranes differ?
- The proportion of phosphate within the phospholipids will vary.
 - Only certain membranes contain phospholipids.
 - Only certain membranes are selectively permeable.
 - The proportions of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates will vary.
 
Which characteristic of a phospholipid increases the fluidity of the membrane?
- cholesterol
 - its head
 - saturated fatty acid tail
 - unsaturated fatty acid tail
 
How would an organism maintain membrane fluidity in an environment where temperatures fluctuated from very high to very low?
- greater proportion of unsaturated phospholipids in the membranes
 - greater proportion of saturated phospholipids in the membranes
 - greater proportion of carbohydrates in the membranes
 - greater proportion of proteins in the membranes
 
Which of the following is true for carbohydrates?
- Carbohydrates are in contact with the aqueous fluid both inside and outside the cell.
 - Carbohydrates are present only on the interior surface of a membrane.
 - Carbohydrates are present only on the exterior surface of a membrane.
 - Carbohydrates span only the interior of a membrane.
 
What do double bonds in phospholipid fatty acid tails contribute to?
- the fluidity of membranes
 - the hydrophobic nature of membranes
 - the hydrophilic nature of membranes
 - the prevention of high temperatures from increasing the fluidity of membranes
 
Identify the principal force driving movement in diffusion.
- concentration gradient
 - membrane surface area
 - particle size
 - temperature
 
Which of the following is an example of passive transport across a membrane?
- the movement of H+ into a thylakoid disc during photosynthesis
 - the uptake of glucose in the intestine
 - the uptake of mineral ions into root hair cells of plants
 - the movement of water from a nephron into the collecting duct of the kidney
 
Water moves via osmosis in which direction?
- from an area with a high solute concentration to a lower one
 - from an area with a high concentration of water to one of lower concentration
 - from an area with a low concentration of water to one of higher concentration
 - throughout the cytoplasm
 
What problem is faced by fish that live in freshwater?
- They have higher concentrations of body solutes.
 - Without compensating mechanisms, their bodies would take in too much water.
 - They have no way of controlling their tonicity.
 - Their bodies could lose too much water to their environment.
 
Which of the following questions can be asked about organisms that live in fresh water?
- Will their bodies take in too much water?
 - Can they control their tonicity?
 - Can they survive in salt water?
 - Will their bodies lose too much water to their environment?
 
Why must active transport function continuously?
- Diffusion cannot occur in certain cells.
 - Diffusion is constantly moving solutes in opposite directions.
 - Facilitated diffusion works in the same direction as active transport.
 - Not all membranes are amphiphilic.
 
How does the sodium-potassium pump make the interior of the cell negatively charged?
- by expelling anions
 - by pulling in anions
 - by expelling more cations than it takes in
 - by taking in and expelling an equal number of cations
 
What is the difference between primary and secondary active transport?
- Primary active transport is indirectly dependent on ATP, while secondary active transport is directly dependent on ATP.
 - Primary active transport is directly dependent on ATP, while secondary active transport is indirectly dependent on ATP.
 - Primary active transport does not require ATP, while secondary active transport is indirectly dependent on ATP.
 - Primary active transport is indirectly dependent on ATP, while secondary active transport does not require ATP.
 
What happens to the membrane of a vesicle after exocytosis?
- It leaves the cell.
 - It is disassembled by the cell.
 - It fuses with and becomes part of the plasma membrane.
 - It is used again in another exocytosis event.
 
In what important way does receptor-mediated endocytosis differ from phagocytosis?
- It transports only small amounts of fluid.
 - It does not involve the pinching off of the membrane.
 - It brings in only a specifically targeted substance.
 - It brings substances into the cell, while phagocytosis removes substances.