Biochemistry : Fundamental Macromolecules and Concepts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #201 : Fundamental Macromolecules And Concepts

What is the pH of a  solution of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Here is the equation that you need to find the answer.

Thus, the pH of this solution is closest to .

Example Question #201 : Fundamental Macromolecules And Concepts

If a patient's lab values from the doctor's office show a blood plasma pH of 7.1, which of the following could be the correct diagnosis?

Possible Answers:

Respiratory alkalosis 

Metabolic alkalosis

Respiratory acidosis

The results show normal blood plasma pH.

Correct answer:

Respiratory acidosis

Explanation:

Normal blood pH is 7.4. A decrease in pH could indicate acidosis, which is associated with too much  in the blood. Respiratory acidosis occurs as the result of the lungs failing to eliminate enough .

Example Question #22 : P H Regulation

What is the  concentration in an  solution with a pH of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Here is the equation needed to find the correct answer to this question.

Example Question #202 : Fundamental Macromolecules And Concepts

If a patient's blood becomes acidic, which of the following will occur?

Possible Answers:

Nothing will happen to the patient, as it is normal for the plasma to be acidic

The patient's breathing will remain unchanged

Carbon dioxide levels in the patient's plasma will initially decrease

The patient will hypoventilate

The patient will hyperventilate

Correct answer:

The patient will hyperventilate

Explanation:

The pH of plasma is regulated by the following equilibria: 

According to Le Chatlier's Principle, when the concentration of protons increases (plasma becomes acidic) the equilibrium shift will be to the left of the equation. Therefore, there will be an initial increase of carbon dioxide. However, the body needs to rid itself of the excess carbon dioxide. This happens via hyperventilation - the increased breathing out of carbon dioxide.

Example Question #24 : P H Regulation

The bicarbonate buffer system used by the human body is crucial for maintaining physiological pH. The carbonic acid and bicarbonate are the conjugate acid-base pair involved.

Why would would hyperventilation cause blood pH to change? Would it increase or decrease?

Possible Answers:

This causes a  decrease in the lungs, resulting in an decrease of  in the blood and an increase blood pH.

This causes a  increase in the lungs, resulting in an increase of  in the blood and an decrease blood pH.

This causes a  increase in the lungs, resulting in an increase of  in the blood and an increase blood pH.

This causes a  increase in the lungs, resulting in an decrease of  in the blood and an increase blood pH.

This causes a  decrease in the lungs, resulting in an increase of  in the blood and an increase blood pH.

Correct answer:

This causes a  decrease in the lungs, resulting in an decrease of  in the blood and an increase blood pH.

Explanation:

Less carbon dioxide in the lungs from the constant exhalation will cause the decrease in the hydrogen ion concentration in the blood, resulting in a rise in pH.

Example Question #1 : Thermodynamic Regulation

Which of the following statements are incorrect?

Possible Answers:

A spontaneous reaction can still occur with a large decrease in entropy

A negative enthalpy is favorable for a spontaneous reaction

A nonspontaneous reaction will proceed spontaneously when reversed

A spontaneous reaction always happens quickly

A spontaneous reaction proceeds in the forward direction with a negative Gibbs free energy value

Correct answer:

A spontaneous reaction always happens quickly

Explanation:

 

The spontaneity of a reaction says nothing about the reaction's speed. For a spontaneous reaction, the change in Gibbs free energy is negative. In other words, the products have lower energy than the reactants. With low temperatures and negative enthalpy, a reaction can still proceed spontaneously if entropy decreases. 

Example Question #2 : Thermodynamic Regulation

A reaction has a change in Gibbs free energy () of . This reaction is __________.

Possible Answers:

exergonic and non-spontaneous

endergonic and spontaneous

endergonic and non-spontaneous

Not enough information given.

exergonic and spontaneous

Correct answer:

exergonic and spontaneous

Explanation:

The Gibbs Free Energy ()of a reaction tells us whether or not the reaction is favorable. A favorable reaction is also known as spontaneous, and has a negative . A non-favorable reaction is non-spontaneous, and has a positive . The term exergonic (meaning energy exits the system) is also used for a reaction with a negative , while the term endergonic (meaning energy enters the system) is used for a reaction with a positive . Therefore, a reaction with  is both exergonic and spontaneous. 

Example Question #2 : Thermodynamic Regulation

What can be said about the rate of a reaction with a  less than zero compared to the rate of a reaction with a  greater than zero?

Possible Answers:

The rate of the reaction is only faster when the temperature is low.

The rate is slower.

Nothing can be said about reaction rate from the information given.

The rate is faster.

The rates are equal.

Correct answer:

Nothing can be said about reaction rate from the information given.

Explanation:

Gibbs Free Energy () is a thermodynamic principle that tells us about only about the spontaneity of a reaction (whether or not the reaction will occur). On the other hand, the rate of a reaction can be described by chemical kinetics. The question gives no information about the kinetics of the reaction, and we therefore cannot draw any conclusions about the rates of the two reactions described.

Example Question #3 : Thermodynamic Regulation

In humans, heat is generated by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation from ATP production during which process?

Possible Answers:

ATP-hydrolyzing substrate cycles

ATP hydrolysis during muscle contraction

Vasodilation of blood vessels

Metabolism in brown fat cells 

Sweating

Correct answer:

Metabolism in brown fat cells 

Explanation:

The correct answer is "metabolism in brown fat cells." The mitochondria in brown fat have a protein called thermogenin that acts as a proton channel, which allows the dissipation of the proton gradient made by the electron transport chain. This allows oxidative phosphorylation to continue, and produce heat, without the production of ATP. Answers a and b, which both involve ATP hydrolysis, are also used by humans to produce heat but do not involve the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation from ATP production. Sweating and vasodilation of blood vessels are both ways that the human body loses heat.

Example Question #45 : Homeostasis And The Biological Environment

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?

Possible Answers:

Reaction 1 proceeds at a slower rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally slow rates

None of the other answers are true

Reaction 1 proceeds at a faster rate than reaction 2

Reaction 1 and reaction 2 proceed at equally fast rates

Correct answer:

None of the other answers are true

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. 

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