Homeostasis and the Biological Environment

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Biochemistry › Homeostasis and the Biological Environment

Questions 1 - 10
1

Which of the following statements about water is incorrect?

Because of hydrogen bonding, water has a low heat of vaporization.

Water has a tetrahedral structure when considering lone pairs and a bent molecular structure when not considering lone pairs.

Water has the potential to form a maximum of 4 hydrogen bonds.

Ice is a hexagonally packed network of water molecules and is less dense than water.

Explanation

Because of hydrogen bonding, water has a low high heat of vaporization. In other words, it takes more energy to free up water molecules from a hydrogen-bonded liquid state to a gaseous state.

2

A biochemist is studying two metabolic reactions at constant temperature and pressure. Reaction 1 is found to have a G value of . Reaction 2 has a G value of . Which statement is true about these reactions?

None of the other answers are true

Reaction 1 proceeds at a faster rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 proceeds at a slower rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally fast rates

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally slow rates

Explanation

The G values given in the question relate to the reactions' thermodynamics. A negative G value means that a reaction is thermodynamically spontaneous. A spontaneous reaction can occur without further energy input. This does not tell us anything about the reaction's rate (kinetics). A spontaneous reaction may be slow or it may be fast.

3

What percentage of the human body is composed of interstitial water?

15%

5%

65%

60%

90%

Explanation

Interstitial water is the fluid on the outside of cells, and surrounds the cells of the human body. While estimates vary, the best answer is that 15% of the entire human body is composed of interstitial water. Overall, about 60% of the body (42L) is composed of water. Additionally, about two-thirds of the total body water is intracellular water. Finally, about 5% of the entire body is composed of plasma.

Remember that these percentages are estimates, and vary by individual. Sex and muscle mass are two factors that can significantly alter these estimates.

4

What percentage of the human body is composed of interstitial water?

15%

5%

65%

60%

90%

Explanation

Interstitial water is the fluid on the outside of cells, and surrounds the cells of the human body. While estimates vary, the best answer is that 15% of the entire human body is composed of interstitial water. Overall, about 60% of the body (42L) is composed of water. Additionally, about two-thirds of the total body water is intracellular water. Finally, about 5% of the entire body is composed of plasma.

Remember that these percentages are estimates, and vary by individual. Sex and muscle mass are two factors that can significantly alter these estimates.

5

Which of the following statements about water is incorrect?

Because of hydrogen bonding, water has a low heat of vaporization.

Water has a tetrahedral structure when considering lone pairs and a bent molecular structure when not considering lone pairs.

Water has the potential to form a maximum of 4 hydrogen bonds.

Ice is a hexagonally packed network of water molecules and is less dense than water.

Explanation

Because of hydrogen bonding, water has a low high heat of vaporization. In other words, it takes more energy to free up water molecules from a hydrogen-bonded liquid state to a gaseous state.

6

A biochemist is studying two metabolic reactions at constant temperature and pressure. Reaction 1 is found to have a G value of . Reaction 2 has a G value of . Which statement is true about these reactions?

None of the other answers are true

Reaction 1 proceeds at a faster rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 proceeds at a slower rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally fast rates

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally slow rates

Explanation

The G values given in the question relate to the reactions' thermodynamics. A negative G value means that a reaction is thermodynamically spontaneous. A spontaneous reaction can occur without further energy input. This does not tell us anything about the reaction's rate (kinetics). A spontaneous reaction may be slow or it may be fast.

7

For this reaction, at given reaction conditions.

Which of the following statements concerning the reaction is true?

The mixture contains more products than reactants

The mixture contains more reactants than products

The mixture contains an equal amount of reactants and products

Entropy increases as the reaction proceeds to the left

More than one of these

Explanation

Because for the reaction is negative, it is spontaneous and proceeds favorably to the right. Equilibrium does not occur when the concentrations of reactants and products are equal; it occurs when the rates of forward and reverse reactions are equal. At equilibrium thus there is no net change in the concentration of either the reactants or the products.

8

Regarding formation of double stranded DNA from two complementary single strands, which of the following is true?

The formation of dsDNA is entropically unfavorable, but is enthalpically favorable.

The formation of dsDNA is entropically favorable, but is enthapically unfavorable.

The formation of dsDNA is entropically and enthalpically favorable.

The formation of dsDNA is entropically and enthalpically unfavorable.

None of these

Explanation

If two complementary single strands of DNA are put into a solution, they will spontaneously form dsDNA. This process results in a loss of heat from the system - demonstrating that it is an enthalpically favorable process. However, it is entropically unfavorable given the formation of a more ordered structure.

9

What is reaction coupling?

Driving an unfavorable reaction forward by pairing it with a very favorable reaction

Stopping a favorable reaction from occurring by pairing it with an unfavorable reaction

Combining two reactions in order to double the amount of product that will be created

Pairing two reactions together in order to alter their chemical equilibriums

Pairing two unfavorable reactions together so that they both become favorable

Explanation

Reaction coupling is the pairing of one unfavorable reaction to another reaction that is favorable. The energetics of the favorable reaction drive the unfavorable one forward.

10

The standard free energy change for any chemical reaction becomes less favorable when                     .

increases and decreases

temperature increases

decreases and increases

decreases and decreases.

increases and increases.

Explanation

The Gibbs free energy becomes less favorable, or more positive, as enthalpy increases and entropy decreases.

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